Group items tagged

This Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO or Announcement)announces the anticipated availability of funding for the MBDA Business Center ("Center") program, and solicits competitive applications for operators of MBDA Business Centers in (5) five locations. MBDA Business Centers are established to provide technical assistance and business development services. The technical assistance and business development services are provided through federal financial assistance awards to generate increased financing and contract opportunities for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

Since its inception in 1953, SBA has served to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small businesses. While SBA is best known for its financial support of small businesses through its many lending programs, the Agency also plays a critical role in providing funding to organizations that deliver technical assistance in the form of counseling and training to small business concerns and nascent entrepreneurs in order to promote growth, expansion, innovation, increased productivity and management improvement. The mission of SBA's Office of Innovation & Technology, which bears responsibility for administering the FAST Program, is to strengthen the technological competitiveness of small businesses across the country through coordination of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The FAST program focuses on increasing the participation of small firms in the innovation and commercialization of high risk technologies, keeping the United States on the cutting edge of next generation research and development.

Since its inception in 1953, the SBA has served to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small businesses. While the SBA is best known for its financial support of small businesses through its many lending programs, the agency also plays a critical role in providing funding to organizations that deliver technical assistance in the form of counseling and training to small business concerns and nascent entrepreneurs in order to promote growth, expansion, innovation, increased productivity and management improvement. The mission of the WBC Program is to act as the catalyst for providing in-depth, substantive, outcome-oriented business services to women entrepreneurs, both nascent and established businesses, a representative number of which are socially and economically disadvantaged. This mission is accomplished through the award of financial assistance to private, 501(c)- certified non-profit organizations to enable them to affect substantial economic impact in their communities, measured by outcomes such as successful business start-ups and capital infusion .

This award honors the work and contributions of Thomas K. McCraw (1940-2012), who was Isidor Straus Professor of Business History at Harvard Business School. The fellowship enables established scholars from around the world whose primary interest is the business and economic history of the United States to spend time in residence at Harvard Business School. The main activities of the Thomas K. McCraw Fellow will be to conduct research in the archives of Baker Library or in other Boston-area libraries, present his or her work at a seminar, and interact with HBS faculty. The Thomas K. McCraw Fellow will receive a stipend of $7,000 to cover travel and living expenses. Fellows are expected to be in residence for a minimum of two months. Recipients of the fellowship will receive work space, an e-mail account, a phone, a computer, an ID card, and access to the University's libraries and to the HBS Intranet for the duration of the appointment.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation's largest philanthropy dedicated solely to health, has issued a call for proposals for research on the ways that for-profit anchors advance health and well-being in the communities where they are located. Funded studies are expected to include rigorous empirical research that can inform the business case for why and how more companies serve as anchor institutions in their immediate surrounding geographies. Studies should also inform future RWJF strategies to motivate companies to act in a way that promotes health and well-being. Potential research questions might include: What factors facilitate or hinder anchor businesses from addressing health equity or social determinants of health? What are the motivations and incentives of anchor businesses across a range of sectors? What kind of equity-promoting narrative and framing resonates with the leaders of corporate anchor institutions? What interventions (led or co-led by corporate anchors) appear to be effective or show promise? What tools and resources would most help leaders of anchor businesses who are committed to community health improvement?

The centers funded will: Be national resources for the teaching of improved business techniques, strategies, and methodologies that emphasize the international context in which business is transacted; Provide instruction in critical foreign languages and international fields needed to provide an understanding of the cultures and customs of U.S. trading partners; Provide research and training in the international aspects of trade, commerce, and other fields of study; Provide training to students enrolled in the institution or institutions in which a center is located; Serve as regional resources to local businesses by offering programs and providing research designed to meet the international training needs of such businesses; and Serve other faculty, students, and institutions of higher education located within their respective regions.

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) will provide Federal assistance to support innovative projects seeking to promote and ensure the inclusion and use of minority enterprises. This Announcement is a mechanism to encourage new activities, education, outreach, innovative projects or sponsorships that are not addressed through other MBDA programs. MBDA has established key priorities designed to overcome the unique challenges faced by minority business enterprises (MBEs). MBDA is now initiating new approaches to serve MBEs that compliment Presidential priorities and U.S. Department of Commerce goals. These program priorities are separated according to the following 14 initiatives: Access to Capital American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Project Aquaculture Disaster Readiness Disaster Recovery Entrepreneurship Education Program for Formerly Incarcerated Persons Global Minority Women Economic Empowerment Initiative Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Initiative Inclusive Infrastructure Initiative Research Space Commerce Sustainable Business Model Technology Transfer and Commercialization Virtual Business Center

The SBDC program is the SBA's largest matching grant, funding a service delivery network to provide high quality business and economic development assistance to small businesses and nascent entrepreneurs in order to promote growth, expansion, innovation, increased productivity and management improvement. The SBDCs, in partnership with SBA's Office of Small Business Development Centers (OSBDC) and SBA District Offices, develop programs and provide business management and other services that enhance the economic development goals and objectives of SBA and their other respective state and local funding partners.

The STTR program is congressionally mandated and intended to support scientific excellence and technological innovation through the investment of federal research funds to build a strong national economy by: stimulating technological innovation in the private sector; strengthening the role of small business in meeting federal research and development needs; increasing the commercial application of federally supported research results; and fostering and encouraging participation by socially and economically disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses. The STTR program solicits proposals from the small business sector consistent with NSF's mission to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; and to secure the national defense.

The SBIR program is congressionally mandated and intended to support scientific excellence and technological innovation through the investment of federal research funds to build a strong national economy by: stimulating technological innovation in the private sector; strengthening the role of small business in meeting federal research and development needs; increasing the commercial application of federally supported research results; and fostering and encouraging participation by socially and economically disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses. The SBIR program solicits proposals from the small business sector consistent with NSF's mission to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; and to secure the national defense.

The SBIR program is congressionally mandated and intended to support scientific excellence and technological innovation through the investment of federal research funds to build a strong national economy by: stimulating technological innovation in the private sector; strengthening the role of small business in meeting federal research and development needs; increasing the commercial application of federally supported research results; and fostering and encouraging participation by socially and economically disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses. The SBIR program solicits proposals from the small business sector consistent with NSF's mission to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; and to secure the national defense.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is pleased to announce the availability of funds for the Refugee Microenterprise Development Project. ORR has supported microenterprise development projects since 1991 through the award of discretionary grants to a variety of public agencies, community economic development agencies, local mutual assistance associations, and voluntary agencies. The broad goals of this program are to: 1. Assist refugees in becoming economically self-sufficient by owning and managing a small business, 2. Provide seed money to refugee serving organizations to start and develop microenterprise program that will serve refugees at sustained and expanded levels, and 3. Help mainstream organizations develop the experience of serving refugee populations. In order to achieve these objectives, award recipients under this announcement will provide pre-business and post-business technical assistance as well as capital to refugee entrepreneurs.

North American leaders are calling on youth to champion bold ideas for green growth. Youth are encouraged to look beyond incremental approaches and propose innovative science, technology and business solutions that address the complex sustainability challenges facing North America. Innovative ideas will: Create better or more effective products, processes, services, technologies, business models, marketing, supply chains and/or partnerships for the benefit of society, the economy and the environment. Contribute to the natural asset base of North American economies, create green jobs and/or economic opportunities for citizens in North America. Make good business sense in terms of profitability and potential for growth.

The RBOG program promotes sustainable economic development in rural communities with exceptional needs through provision of training and technical assistance for business development, entrepreneurs, and economic development officials and to assist with economic development planning. Rural Development is participating in the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP), which is a new Administration-wide initiative that will accelerate the resurgence of manufacturing and help cultivate an environment for businesses to create well-paying manufacturing jobs in regions across the country. The IMCP is designed to reward communities that demonstrate best practices in attracting and expanding manufacturing by using long-term planning that integrates targeted investments in workforce training, infrastructure, research, and other key assets. The IMCP is being initiated in FY 2013 as EDA, USDA, SBA and EPA each provide funding for regional implementation strategy grants.

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad announces an open competition for a cooperative agreement to establish an Academic Partnership in Business Management & Environmental Sciences between a U.S. educational institution and the Karakoram International University (KIU) in Gilgit, Pakistan. Accredited U.S. four-year colleges and universities meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to pursue institutional or departmental objectives in partnership with the Karakoram International University. Objectives detailed as priorities for this partnership include: curriculum development, collaborative research, professional development for faculty by U.S. counterparts, and faculty and student exchange. The duration of faculty and student exchanges can be managed according to the time required for the specific task or activity of their exchange. KIU has indicated the primary focus areas should be the environmental sciences programs and the business management programs. In addition, KIU has expressed a desire for assistance with laboratory equipment and training, involving environmental sciences students and faculty in research, and launching a program for encouraging entrepreneurial aptitude among youth and facilitating their transition to become entrepreneurs.

The purpose of this Program Announcement is to invite proposals from Public and Private Institutions interested in obtaining funding for continuation of the VWISE National Entrepreneurship Training Program designed to train female veterans and transitioning service personnel interested in starting new small businesses, and current spouses or companions of veteran small business owners interested in expanding/diversifying existing firms. This Program Announcement is subject to the availability of funding.

The Board of Regents is seeking high quality, focused cooperative education and internship program proposals from Ohio institutions of higher education and their partners. This program has been funded  through one-time casino licensing fees; it is expected that the funds will be awarded to build systems to sustain co-ops and internships beyond the direct investment from the State and to ensure these workbased learning opportunities are relevant to the needs of students and businesses. Funds will be awarded to build the capability and capacity of programs to engage more students, more businesses,  and more faculty members in co-op and internship programs. The programs should address the talent needs of JobsOhio key industries.

Organizations -- private and public, established and entrepreneurial, designed and emergent, formal and informal, profit and nonprofit -- are critical to the well-being of nations and their citizens. They are of crucial importance for producing goods and services, creating value, providing jobs, and achieving social goals. The Science of Organizations (SoO) program funds basic research that yields a scientific evidence base for improving the design and emergence, development and deployment, and management and ultimate effectiveness of organizations of all kinds. SoO funds research that advances our fundamental understanding of how organizations develop, form and operate. Successful SoO research proposals use scientific methods to develop and refine theories, to empirically test theories and frameworks, and to develop new measures and methods. Funded research is aimed at yielding generalizable insights that are of value to the business practitioner, policy-maker and research communities. SoO welcomes any and all rigorous, scientific approaches that illuminate aspects of organizations as systems of coordination, management and governance. In considering whether a particular project might be a candidate for consideration by SoO, please note: Intellectual perspectives may involve (but are not limited to) organizational theory, behavior, sociology or economics, business policy and strategy, communication sciences, entrepreneurship, human resource management, information sciences, managerial and organizational cognition, operations management, public administration, social or industrial psychology, and technology and innovation management. Phenomena studied may include (but are not limited to) structures, routines, effectiveness, competitiveness, innovation, dynamics, change and evolution.Levels of analysis may include (but are not limited to) organizational, cross-organizational collaborations or relationships, and institutional and can address individuals, groups or tea

This notice requests applications for special projects and programs aligned with the Minority Business Development Agency's (MBDA) strategic plans and mission goals for businesses within the American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities. This notice also provides the public with information and guidelines on how MBDA will select proposals and administer discretionary Federal assistance under this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA).

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy South Africa of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a training program in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State and The University of Arizona. Funding will be made available from the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria. The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) is an educational opportunity for potential women entrepreneurs that uses a facilitated Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) called DreamBuilder as the core training curriculum. AWE participants will engage in facilitated lessons on business management and network with like-minded entrepreneurs and mentors from their regions and the United States. Led by an in-person course facilitator, participants will learn how to create business plans, hire staff, and research the market for their product or service. Participants will gather in person to view each DreamBuilder session (ten in total) and/or to discuss the topic after each participant views the session online. Facilitators selected in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate will lead the in-person discussions and serve as mentors for the participants. The implementing partner will also be expected to organize a pre-launch training program for facilitators throughout South Africa, to occur in Johannesburg. The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria seeks an implementing partner to establish and manage the training program and to design a follow-on engagement strategy for participants. This announcement does NOT seek applications for participation in the program. Please carefully follow all instructions in the full NOFO.