This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is intended to support environmental health research in which an unpredictable opportunity has arisen to collect human biosample or exposure data (e.g., following natural or made-made disasters, health care policy changes, etc). The three distinguishing features of an eligible study are: 1) the unforeseeable nature of the opportunity; 2) the clear scientific value and feasibility of the study; and 3) the need for rapid review and funding (substantially shorter than the typical NIH grant review/award cycle) in order for the scientific question to be approached and for the research design to be implemented.

The National Estuarine Research Reserve System consists of estuarine areas of the United States and its territories which are designated and managed for research and educational purposes. Each reserve within the system is chosen to represent a different bio-geographic region and to include a variety of ecosystem types in accordance with the classification scheme of the national program as presented in 15 CFR Part 921. By funding designated reserve agencies and universities to conduct land acquisition and construction projects that support the NERRS purpose, NOAA will strengthen protection of key land and water areas, enhance long-term protection of the area for research and education, and provide for facility and exhibit construction that meet the highest sustainable design standards possible.

The purpose of Pest Management Alternatives Program (PMAP) is to provide support for the development and implementation of integrated pest management (IPM) practices, tactics, and systems for specific pest problems while reducing human and environmental risks. This purpose addresses the broad goals outlined in the "National Roadmap for Integrated Pest Management," developed by federal and non-federal IPM experts, practitioners, and stakeholders in 2004. The successful management of pest problems in commercial production is facing severe challenges due to regulatory changes, emergence of new pest problems, and the development of pest resistance to present management technologies. The greatest impact on current management technologies is in the production of specialty crops; however, other crops, including grain, forage and fiber, as well as animal health, are also being impacted by these changes.

To provide environmental education programs to local area youth that meet state education benchmarks and standards.

The GPLCC Steering Committee has identified several key issues of concern and science priorities for prairie rivers and streams in the Great Plains. Specifically, three categories of science needs have been identified as priorities for the GPLCC for Fiscal Year 2013 funding. The first science category focuses on the need for applied research to fill critical knowledge gaps on the status and trends of priority species (see Table 1 below) and habitats in prairie rivers and streams of the Great Plains. This includes studies that examine the ecological requirements of priority species (and community-level interactions) that will help lead to the development of improved conservation strategies that support the long-term sustainability of populations of priority species. The second science category focuses on the need to fill critical knowledge gaps that support the development of water conservation and management strategies consistent with the ecological requirements of priority species. Examples include studies that examine the effects of climate change on hydrology and the functional processes that support maintenance of habitats for priority species, as well as studies that examine reservoir storage and release strategies and the related effects on populations of priority species in fragmented river segments. The third science category focuses on the need to fill critical knowledge gaps related to the effects of watershed alteration and fragmentation on the long-term sustainability of populations of priority species. This includes studies that examine projected trends in land use and related effects on species and habitats, and studies that support the development of improved habitat restoration techniques and strategies (e.g., restoration of springs, riparian buffers, and in-stream habitats, including in-stream connectivity and fish passage).

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing availability of Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies.

The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program. This solicitation features two mechanisms for support of student research: (1) REU Sites are based on independent proposals to initiate and conduct projects that engage a number of students in research. REU Sites may be based in a single discipline or academic department or may offer interdisciplinary or multi-department research opportunities with a coherent intellectual theme. Proposals with an international dimension are welcome. (2) REU Supplements may be included as a component of proposals for new or renewal NSF grants or cooperative agreements or may be requested for ongoing NSF-funded research projects.

The Great Plains Landscape Conservation Cooperative (GPLCC) is an applied conservation science partnership; see http://www.greatplainslcc.org/about/ for a map of the GPLCC geographic area. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is soliciting Letters of Intent (LOI) on behalf of the GPLCC for applied scientific work to inform resource management decisions that address landscape-scale stressors to fish, wildlife, and plants of the Great Plains.

The foundation is focused on making grants to support environmental, human services and other causes although our interests are fairly diverse and may lead us into other areas on an occasional basis. We make both program and operating grants and do not have any geographic restrictions on our grants. Nonprofit organizations that qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or public schools and libraries are eligible for contributions or grants. Grants Made by the Foundation The foundation makes grants to US based qualified charitable organizations. To date we have funded organizations that address the following areas of interest: Environment (US headquartered organizations operating programs in the US or elsewhere in the world), Human Services Disaster relief (US headquartered organizations responding to disasters in the US or elsewhere in the world on an occasional basis), Other (US headquartered organizations operating programs in the US or elsewhere in the world).

The purpose of the NIH Summer Research Experience Program (referred to as the Summer Research Program) is to provide a high quality research experience for high school and college students and for science teachers during the summer academic break. The NIH expects that such programs will: help attract young students to careers in science; provide opportunities for college students to gain valuable research experience to help prepare them for graduate school; and enhance the skills of science teachers and enable them to more effectively communicate the nature of the scientific process to their students. The programs would also contribute to enhancing overall science literacy. Summer Research Programs that expand and complement existing summer educational and training programs are encouraged.

The Ethics Education in Science and Engineering (EESE) program funds research and educational projects that improve ethics education in all fields of science and engineering that NSF supports, with priority consideration given to interdisciplinary, inter-institutional, and international contexts.  Although the primary focus is on improving ethics education for graduate students in NSF-funded fields, the proposed programs may benefit advanced undergraduates as well.

Pollution Prevention Information Network (PPIN) grant program seeks to improve development and dissemination of P2 information by funding regional P2 information centers. These centers serve state, tribal, and local government needs in addition to providing P2 information directly to businesses. The regional centers collaborate and coordinate on P2 information development and dissemination activities nationally in order to decrease duplication of effort and promote efficiency. Information and training are used to assist businesses in identifying better environmental strategies for reducing or eliminating waste and conserving natural resources. Grantees of this program have created a national network called the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx) which provides information and services on their websites (see: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/p2home/pubs/p2rx.html ).

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) is a Presidential award established by the White House in 1995. The purpose of the award is to recognize U.S. citizens or permanent residents and U.S. organizations that have demonstrated excellence in mentoring individuals from groups that are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce. Groups that are underrepresented in STEM include women, people with disabilities, underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities, as well as individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds and some geographic regions such as urban and rural areas. The PAESMEM program is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Nominations, including self-nominations, are invited for Individual and Organizational PAESMEM awards. Individuals and organizations in all public and private sectors are eligible including industry, academia, primary and secondary education, military and government, non-profit organizations, and foundations. Nominations are encouraged from all geographical regions in the U.S., its territories or possessions, particularly jurisdictions designated by Congress under NSF's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).

The Environmental Sustainability program supports engineering research with the goal of promoting sustainable engineered systems that support human well-being and that are also compatible with sustaining natural (environmental) systems.  These systems provide ecological services vital for human survival.  The long-term viability of natural capital is critical for many areas of human endeavor.  Research in Environmental Sustainability typically considers long time horizons and may incorporate contributions from the social sciences and ethics. This program supports engineering research that seeks to balance society's need to provide ecological protection and maintain stable economic conditions.  There are four principal general research areas which are supported, but others can be proposed by contacting the program director by email at:  bhamilto@nsf.gov Industrial Ecology Green Engineering Ecological Engineering Earth Systems Engineering

The Environmental Engineering program supports fundamental research and educational activities across the broad field of environmental engineering.  The goal of this program is to encourage transformative research which applies scientific and engineering principles to avoid or minimize solid, liquid, and gaseous discharges, resulting from human activity, into land, inland and coastal waters, and air, while promoting resource and energy conservation and recovery.  The program also fosters cutting-edge scientific research for identifying, evaluating, and monitoring the waste assimilative capacity of the natural environment and for removing or reducing contaminants from polluted air, water, and soils.

The Combustion, Fire, and Plasma Systems program supports fundamental research and education relevant to these subjects.  Among the broader societal impacts of the program are cleaner global and local environments, enhanced public safety, improved energy and homeland security, useful new materials, and more efficient manufacturing. This program is not an applied program, but rather it endeavors to provide basic knowledge that is needed to develop useful combustion and plasma applications and for mitigating the effects of fire.  Broad-based tools - experimental, diagnostic, and computational - that can be applied to a variety of problems in combustion, fires, and plasma systems are the major products of this program. 

The Fluid Dynamics program supports fundamental research and education on mechanisms and phenomena governing fluid flow.  Proposed research should contribute to basic understanding; thus enabling the better design; predictability; efficiency; and control of systems that involve fluids.  Encouraged are proposals that address innovative uses of fluids in materials development; manufacturing; biotechnology; nanotechnology; clinical diagnostics and drug delivery; sensor development and integration; energy and the environment. While the research should focus on fundamentals, a clear connection to potential application should be outlined.

The goal of this NOAA Environmental Literacy Grants (ELG) Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) is to build the capacity of informal educators (including interpreters and docents) and/or formal educators (pre- or in-service) to use NOAA data and data access tools to help K-12 students and/or the public understand and respond to global change. Successful projects will enhance educators' ability to use the wealth of scientific data, data visualizations, data access technologies, information products, and other assets available through NOAA (plus additional sources, if desired) to engage K-12 students and/or other members of the public in a minimum of two U.S. states or territories. Partnerships with NOAA entities and/or involvement of NOAA scientists to facilitate the use of such assets by educators are strongly encouraged. As an ultimate outcome, successful projects should aim to increase educators' effectiveness in promoting stewardship and increasing informed decision making by a diverse pool of K-12 students and/or other members of the public. The impact of the proposed project on the target educators must be measurable during the award period.

The objective of the proposed work would be to critically review the numerous hypotheses that have been proposed to describe the causes of the formation of sediment plugs and identify those that are most viable. This will help provide a better understanding of the mechanics behind sediment plug formation. This may lead to better management of the conditions that affect sediment plug formation, maximizing the environmental benefits, while minimizing the risks for river maintenance on the Middle Rio Grande.

Sustain Our Great Lakes is a public-private partnership that works to sustain, restore, and protect fish, wildlife, and habitat in the Great Lakes basin by leveraging funding, building conservation capacity, and directing partners and resources toward key ecological issues. The program achieves this mission, in part, by awarding grants for on-the-ground habitat restoration and enhancement. Administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the program is accepting applications for competitive funding to be awarded through the 2013 funding cycle. In 2013, grant funding will be awarded in three categories - habitat restoration, delisting of beneficial use impairments within Great Lakes areas of concern, and private landowner technical assistance. Applicants must indicate which of these categories are pertinent to their proposed projects. A single proposal may address more than one of these categories, but proposals need not address multiple categories to be competitive. In past years, Sustain Our Great Lakes offered funding through two grants programs, Stewardship Grants and Community Grants, which differed primarily in terms of dollar amount. This year the program is offering funding through a single funding opportunity, and all applicants are asked to submit applications to the comprehensive program regardless of the size of the funding request. Full consideration will be given to all applications irrespective of the amount requested.