OARS funding Economics

The U.S. Embassy in Kigali and the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB) announce an open competition for organizations to submit applications to strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) and Rwandan citizens to actively engage in the government budget process and advocate for improved fiscal transparency. Successful proposals will develop projects aimed at: 1) build the capacity of CSOs (including youth and women-focused CSOs) to understand and engage in the government budget process, in particular regarding the reliability, completeness, public availability, and transparent timelines of the Executive Budget proposal; 2) engage citizens to participate in the government budget process; and 3) raise public awareness. Eligible organizations interested in submitting an application are encouraged to read this NOFO thoroughly to understand the type of project sought and the application submission requirements and evaluation process.

The Acquisition Research Program (ARP) conducts and supports research in academic disciplines that bear on public procurement policy and management. These include economics, finance, financial management, information systems, organization theory, operations management, human resources management, risk management, and marketing, as well as the traditional public procurement areas such as contracting, program/project management, logistics, test and evaluation and systems engineering management. The ARP is interested in innovative proposals that will provide unclassified and non-proprietary findings suitable for publication in open scholarly literature. Studies of government processes, systems, or policies should also expand the body of knowledge and theory of processes, systems, or policies outside the Government. Offerors bear prime responsibility for the design, management, direction and conduct of research. Researchers should exercise judgment and original thought toward attaining the goals within broad parameters of the research areas proposed and the resources provided. Offerors are encouraged to be creative in the selection of the technical and management processes and approaches and consider the greatest and broadest impact possible.

The Boulware Foundation is a new family foundation focused on increasing economic opportunities for women and girls. The foundation's goal is to fund domestic and international programs aimed at empowering women economically and moving them toward financial freedom. To that end, the foundation awards grants of up to $10,000 in support of projects or programs aligned with the foundation's areas of interest, including financial literacy education, workforce and vocational skill development, microfinance, and entrepreneurship. In every case, women and girls must be the targeted beneficiary population. To be eligible, applicants must be tax exempt under section 501(c)()3 of the United States Internal Revenue Code.

The landscape of jobs and work is changing at unprecedented speed, driven by the development of new technologies that have moved from the factory floor to an expanding array of knowledge and service occupations. These changes promise benefits to the Nation in the creation of new industries and occupations, increased productivity, opportunity for innovation, and sustained global leadership. But there are risks as well. Technological advances scale back the need for some workers, and in some cases, eliminate job sectors, with consequences to displaced workers who must adapt to emerging new technologies and the changing economy through retraining and reskilling. The Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier (FW-HTF) is one of 10 new and far-sighted Big Ideas for Future Investments announced by NSF in 2016. NSF aims to respond to the challenges and opportunities of the changing landscape of jobs and work by supporting convergent research to: understand and develop the human-technology partnership; design new technologies to augment human performance; illuminate the emerging socio-technological landscape and understand the risks and benefits of new technologies; and foster lifelong and pervasive learning with technology. In order to be nimble and responsive to new opportunities and challenges as they are recognized, focus areas for the FW-HTF solicitation, the centerpiece of the FW-HTF Big Idea, may change from year to year.

The Sloan and Ford Foundations would like to fund a set of research projects to further study these dynamics, with an eye toward better understanding the economics, maintenance and sustainability of digital infrastructure.

The National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of the U.S. healthcare system. Since 2012, the foundation has awarded thirty grants totaling nearly $1.7 million to support innovative health services research in the areas of healthcare financing, delivery, management, and policy. To that end, the foundation is inviting Letters of Inquiry for its Investigator-Initiated Health Services Research Grants program. In this funding round, the foundation will award seven or eight grants totaling $400,000. Priority will be given to studies that address issues of broad significance for the U.S. healthcare system and that have high potential to produce timely results and reach key target audiences. Applications are accepted from individual researchers as well as from all types of organizations and institutions, including both nonprofit and for-profit entities. Multiple submissions are permitted from a single researcher, organization, or university department.

Family caregivers shoulder many emotional and economic burdens in the course of delivering care to loved ones. Their role however is essential. According to a 2018 report from bipartisan policy center the majority of long-term care services and supports comes from family caregivers with estimates reporting that family caregivers have provided $470 billion in care. Additionally, the same report cites a statistic that family caregivers aged 50 and over lose approximately $304,000 in income and benefits over the duration of their care. Consequently family caregivers are especially vulnerable to experiencing the devastating economic burdens of the provision of care. As such, the development and dissemination of training and information to improve and strengthen the financial literacy of family caregivers is paramount in efforts to help them maintain their caregiving duties while concurrently helping them better understand and prepare for the potential financial impacts associated with the provision of care. The target population to be served will be all eligible family caregivers as defined in Title III E of the Older Americans Act. The objectives for this new funding opportunity include:* Advance understanding of the need for and the available interventions to improve financial literacy among family caregivers, incluidng gaps found in existing interventions, and develop a stragety for addressing these needs

The U.S. Embassy Djibouti, Office of Monetary Affairs of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for the Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund (FTIF) grant proposal to support a 12-month project mostly to assist the Government of Djibouti (GoDJ) in training, technical assistance, and capacity building to support budget transparency and public financial management. The organizations must submit applications to carry out a program that will work with relevant public entities on improving financial transparency and accountability. The programs shall also address anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing (AML/CTF) reforms to strengthen the GoDJ's AML/CTF regime.

Air Force Personal Financial Readiness Program Evaluation Development (PFRP) for fiscal year (FY) 2018 is to develop and complete a comprehensive program evaluation of Personal Financial Readiness Program (PFRP) within the Air Force Personal Financial Readiness Programs supporting Air Force members and their families.

The National Academy of Education advances high-quality education research and its use in policy formation and practice. Founded in 1965, the academy comprises United States members and foreign associates who are elected on the basis of outstanding scholarship related to education. Since its establishment, NAEd has undertaken research studies that address pressing issues in education typically conducted by members and other scholars with relevant expertise.

The Acquisition Research Program (ARP) conducts and supports research in academic disciplines that bear on public procurement policy and management. These include economics, finance, financial management, information systems, organization theory, operations management, human resources management, risk management, and marketing, as well as the traditional public procurement areas such as contracting, program/project management, logistics, test and evaluation and systems engineering management. The ARP is interested in innovative proposals that will provide unclassified and non-proprietary findings suitable for publication in open scholarly literature. Studies of government processes, systems, or policies should also expand the body of knowledge and theory of processes, systems, or policies outside the Government. Offerors bear prime responsibility for the design, management, direction and conduct of research. Researchers should exercise judgment and original thought toward attaining the goals within broad parameters of the research areas proposed and the resources provided. Offerors are encouraged to be creative in the selection of the technical and management processes and approaches and consider the greatest and broadest impact possible.

This funding allows the Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communication (SPEC)organization within the IRS to provide grants to partner organizations to achieve the following program objectives:* Enable the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program to extend services to underserved populations in hardest-to-reach areas, both urban and non-urban;* Increase the capacity to file returns electronically;* Heighten quality control;* Enhance training of volunteers; and* Improve significantly the accuracy rate of returns prepared at VITA sites. The VITA Grant program supplements the work already being done in the VITA Program by providing support to help organizations grow their existing programs for free federal tax return preparation.

The Ambassador's Special Self-Help Fund (SSH) assists Congolese community groups to develop lasting, self-sustaining projects that benefit entire communities. SSH grants in the Republic of Congo have contributed to agricultural modernization, economic development, combatting gender-based violence, improving sanitation, empowering women, improving learning conditions, and expanding access to clean water, health services, and education. Each year, the Ambassador's Special Self-Help Fund supports approximately five to ten projects with grants typically between $5-7,000.

Supporting civil society and creating a space for a diversity of people and ideas is a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy abroad. To that end, the U.S. Mission to China (Embassy Beijing and Consulates General Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Wuhan) seeks to support activities that promote civic engagement, human rights, good governance, rule of law, environmental protection, education, and multilateral and economic engagement. Such programming will enhance and broaden the outreach of the U.S. Mission in China.

The Aquaculture Research Competitive Grants Program (henceforth, Aquaculture Research program) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 to fund applied aquaculture research projects in the areas of: 1) genetics; 2) disease; 3) production systems; and 4) economics.

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai (PAS Chennai) seeks proposals for a project entitled "Women Shaping the Narrative in Media and Entertainment." Under this project, a grantee will conduct series of workshops and training programs on "Women First, Prosperity for All: Opportunities for Women in the Media and Entertainment Industry in South India." The workshop will highlight issues that preclude and challenge women from reaching their full potential in this industry and find practical solutions to address them. It will also highlight the economic and creative benefits of having more women in the workforce in this sector. (Please refer to the full announcement available under 'related documents' tab.)

Aligned with U.S. government's Economic Reform objective, this funding opportunity seeks to advance U.S. economic interests in the MENA region while improving MENA media and entertainment industry capacity to conclude business deals with the U.S. and other regions, produce innovative and creative content, build the capacity of MENA-based practitioners, and advance positive messaging of the U.S. It will also advance core NEA/AC focus areas by addressing some issues including but not limited to economic growth, participatory governance, entrepreneurship, women's empowerment and gender issues, open governance, anti-corruption, urban/rural divide, youth apathy, and civic engagement.- Countering Violent Extremism as a theme/focus is explicitly excluded from the objectives of this project.- Recognizing different levels of opportunity for advancement across the region, this project will prioritize enhancing the capacity of youth, women, and underserved communities as well as advancing the aspiring next generation of MENA media and entertainment practitioners.

Presenter Liz Nysson will provide a general overview of broader impacts, including: The history of the National Science Foundation's broader impacts (BI) criterion Strategies for conceptualizing, developing, implementing, and evaluating BI activities Tips for leveraging existing resources to build a "BI identity"

The U.S. Embassy in Kigali, Political and Economic section is seeking proposals for community projects designed to support high-impact, quick-implementation activities which benefit a large number of people within one year without requiring further assistance. Projects that support and promote livelihoods, food security, employment (particularly youth employment and employment of members of the community with disabilities), women's empowerment, and tradeable skills are preferred.

The U.S. Embassy Dhaka of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program (or program) to increase accessibility and readability of national budget information, improve local input into the parliamentary budget process, and increase the public's awareness of local government budget expenditures.