Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is announcing the availability of up to $15 million in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) funding. The purpose of CIG is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with agricultural production. CIG projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) to agricultural producers, into NRCS technical manuals and guides, or to the private sector. CIG generally funds pilot projects, field demonstrations, and on-farm conservation research. On-farm conservation research is defined as an investigation conducted to answer a specific applied conservation question using a statistically valid design while employing farm-scale equipment on farms, ranches, or private forest lands.

CIG funds the development and field testing, on-farm research and demonstration, evaluation, or implementation of:

•  Approaches to incentivizing conservation adoption, including market-based and conservation finance approaches.
• Conservation technologies, practices, and systems.

Projects or activities under CIG must:

• Comply with all applicable Federal, Tribal, State, and local laws and regulations throughout the duration of the project;
• Use a technology or approach that was studied sufficiently to indicate a high probability for success;
• Demonstrate, evaluate, and verify the effectiveness, utility, affordability, and usability of natural resource conservation technologies and approaches in the field;
• Adapt and transfer conservation technologies, management, practices, systems, approaches, and incentive systems to improve performance and encourage adoption; and
• Introduce proven conservation technologies and approaches to a geographic area or agricultural sector where that technology or approach is not currently in use.

Technologies and approaches that are eligible for funding in a project’s geographic area using an EQIP contract for an established conservation practice standard are ineligible for CIG funding, except where the use of those technologies and approaches demonstrates clear innovation.

Up to 10 percent of the total funds available for CIG in FY 2020 is set-aside for proposals from historically underserved producers, veteran farmers or ranchers, or community-based organizations comprised of or representing these entities.

A webinar for CIG applicants is scheduled for May 13, 2020 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time to address questions on this funding opportunity. Information on how to participate in the webinar is available at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/cig/.

All applications for this Program Announcement must specifically address at least one of the following Focus Areas and must be of clear scientific merit and direct relevance to military health. If the proposed research does not specifically address at least one of these Focus Areas, the Government will administratively withdraw the application. The FY20 PRMRP Focus Areas for Emerging Viral Diseases and Respiratory Health are listed below.

Emerging Viral Diseases

• On demand identification, isolation, characterization and manufacturing of antibodies (monoclonal or polyclonal) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected from patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
• Development of a wearable sensor that provides real-time diagnostics that can be used as a point of care for emerging viral diseases to predict illness before onset of symptoms. The diagnostic platform should be applicable to COVID-19. Virus-specific markers that can identify viruses at the genus level can be included, with an emphasis on SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Surveillance and predictive modeling tools that leverage artificial intelligence approaches to predict outbreaks and epidemics and support strategies for mitigating the threat of COVID-19.
• Triage of care for COVID-19 patients requiring access to resource-intensive interventions.
• Research to understand novel molecular and biological mechanisms of COVID-19 health impacts (e.g., microbiome) and identification/validation of biochemical, physiological, or combined biomarkers for evaluating short- and long-term health impacts from COVID-19.
• Research to determine direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 on military readiness and unit climate; interpersonal/family dynamics; behavioral and mental health issues such as depression, suicide, anxiety, and loneliness and other key risk factors such as substance abuse and risky health-related behaviors.

The aim of such research should be to inform, develop, and test potential behavioral countermeasures (e.g., knowledge and information products, preparedness training, support resources, self-care and team-care recommendations) to mitigate negative impacts and maximize Service member and family readiness/resilience to stressors related to pandemics and disasters.

Respiratory Health

• Research on the etiology and prevention of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by host responses to coronaviruses, particularly COVID-19.
• Development of improved methods for assessing and treating lung injury due to coronaviruses, particularly COVID-19.
• Novel and/or innovative detection technologies or therapeutics to reduce the incidence and/or severity of ARDS and/or other lung injury secondary to coronaviruses, particularly COVID-19.
• Development of biomarker metrics to associate the long-term health outcomes of virus-induced ARDS with degradation of physiological and physical performance.
• Ventilation and Extracorporeal Life Support approaches and technologies to support lung function or airway management in response to COVID-19 that increase survivability and/or minimize care provider burden or exposure.
• Pharmacological and biologic interventions for COVID-19 induced complications, including ARDS and related sequelae.
• Research on the short- and long-term health impacts of COVID-19 diagnosed Service members on readiness, deployability, fitness for duty (e.g., ability to complete the Army Combat Fitness Test), and operationally relevant respiratory challenges such as challenges in fixed-wing aviation, diving, and high-altitude ground operations. Research on the prevention of COVID-19 (and other respiratory pathogens) in aircraft, ships, and submarines, specifically focused on ventilation systems and ease of transport of airborne pathogens (i.e., risk characterizations).

Applicants should select the FY20 PRMRP Program Announcement most appropriate to the stage of the proposed research. Applications for an FY20 PRMRP Topic Area other than Emerging Viral Diseases and/orRespiratory Health should be submitted to one of the other FY20 PRMRP Program Announcements available at Grants.gov.

All applications for this Program Announcement must specifically address at least one of the following Focus Areas and must be of clear scientific merit and direct relevance to military health. If the proposed research does not specifically address at least one of these Focus Areas, the Government will administratively withdraw the application. The FY20 PRMRP Focus Areas for Emerging Viral Diseases and Respiratory Health are listed below.

Emerging Viral Diseases

• On demand identification, isolation, characterization and manufacturing of antibodies (monoclonal or polyclonal) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected from patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
• Development of a wearable sensor that provides real-time diagnostics that can be used as a point of care for emerging viral diseases to predict illness before onset of symptoms. The diagnostic platform should be applicable to COVID-19. Virus-specific markers that can identify viruses at the genus level can be included, with an emphasis on SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Surveillance and predictive modeling tools that leverage artificial intelligence approaches to predict outbreaks and epidemics and support strategies for mitigating the threat of COVID-19.
• Triage of care for COVID-19 patients requiring access to resource-intensive interventions.
• Research to understand novel molecular and biological mechanisms of COVID-19 health impacts (e.g., microbiome) and identification/validation of biochemical, physiological, or combined biomarkers for evaluating short- and long-term health impacts from COVID-19.
• Research to determine direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 on military readiness and unit climate; interpersonal/family dynamics; behavioral and mental health issues such as depression, suicide, anxiety, and loneliness and other key risk factors such as substance abuse and risky health-related behaviors.

The aim of such research should be to inform, develop, and test potential behavioral countermeasures (e.g., knowledge and information products, preparedness training, support resources, self-care and team-care recommendations) to mitigate negative impacts and maximize Service member and family readiness/resilience to stressors related to pandemics and disasters.

Respiratory Health

• Research on the etiology and prevention of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by host responses to coronaviruses, particularly COVID-19.
• Development of improved methods for assessing and treating lung injury due to coronaviruses, particularly COVID-19.
• Novel and/or innovative detection technologies or therapeutics to reduce the incidence and/or severity of ARDS and/or other lung injury secondary to coronaviruses, particularly COVID-19.
• Development of biomarker metrics to associate the long-term health outcomes of virus-induced ARDS with degradation of physiological and physical performance.
• Ventilation and Extracorporeal Life Support approaches and technologies to support lung function or airway management in response to COVID-19 that increase survivability and/or minimize care provider burden or exposure.
• Pharmacological and biologic interventions for COVID-19 induced complications, including ARDS and related sequelae.
• Research on the short- and long-term health impacts of COVID-19 diagnosed Service members on readiness, deployability, fitness for duty (e.g., ability to complete the Army Combat Fitness Test), and operationally relevant respiratory challenges such as challenges in fixed-wing aviation, diving, and high-altitude ground operations. Research on the prevention of COVID-19 (and other respiratory pathogens) in aircraft, ships, and submarines, specifically focused on ventilation systems and ease of transport of airborne pathogens (i.e., risk characterizations).

Applicants should select the FY20 PRMRP Program Announcement most appropriate to the stage of the proposed research. Applications for an FY20 PRMRP Topic Area other than Emerging Viral Diseases and/orRespiratory Health should be submitted to one of the other FY20 PRMRP Program Announcements available at Grants.gov.

The purpose of this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is to announce the availability of
supplemental funding for the organizations that were previously awarded funding under
Funding Strategy 1 of CDC-RFA-OT18-1802: Strengthening Public Health Systems and
Services through National Partnerships to Improve and Protect the Nation’s Health. The CDCRFA-OT18-1802 recipients are eligible to submit applications for new FY20 CIO Project Plans according to the Target Population Category (A, B, or C) and Target Population Description for which they received initial funding in FY18. The goal is to fund recipients that have the capability, expertise, resources, reach, and history of providing capacity building relevant to implementing this program’s key strategies, activities,
and outcomes.

The program strategies include strengthening the capacities of public health systems infrastructure; leadership and workforce; data and information systems; communication and information technology; partnerships; laws and policies; and programs and services. The capacity-building efforts of this program are expected to strengthen and optimize the public health system and services to improve and protect the nation’s health. This supplemental funding opportunity enables recipients to strengthen the nation’s public health infrastructure; ensure a competent, current, and connected public health system; and improve delivery of essential services through capacity-building assistance (CBA).

CBA is defined as activities that strengthen and maintain the infrastructure and resources necessary to sustain or improve system, organizational, community, or individual processes and competencies. CBA is delivered through technical assistance, training, information sharing, technology transfer, materials development, or funding that enables organizations to serve customers better and operate in a comprehensive, responsive, and effective manner. Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with one (or more) of the following performance goal(s) for the OSTLTS:

• Improve the capacity and performance of state, tribal, local and territorial public health agencies to more efficiently and effectively manage and deliver high quality programs and services to protect the public’s health.
• Develop and implement training to provide for competent, sustainable, and empowered public health workforce able to meet emerging and future health challenges.

This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by CDC. If research is proposed, the application will not be considered. For this purpose, research is defined here. Guidance on how CDC interprets the definition of research in the context of public health can be found here. (See section 45 CFR 46.102(d)).

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is publishing this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) pursuant to authority provided by section 1741(f) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Pub. L. 116-92, December 20, 2019), to be codified in the NIST Organic Act at 15 U.S.C. § 278s(f), as amended.

Collectively, Manufacturing USA institutes have over 2,000 member institutions including small manufacturers, two-thirds of Fortune 50 U.S. manufacturers, and nearly every top ranked research and engineering university in the United States. Its network of research and development institutes that engage with these industry-led institutions positions it well to distribute high-impact funding into existing efforts in the manufacturing sector to both stimulate the US economy and to support efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health crises.

Projects should focus on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Projects may include medical countermeasures; non-medical countermeasures; leveraging institute capabilities to strengthen state and community resilience; grants to companies and technical support to accelerate productions of critical materials, equipment, and supplies; creation of additional production facilities; technology road-mapping for pandemic response and recovery; re-shoring the manufacture of critical conventional drugs and ensuring supply chain for critical materials related to pandemic response; or workforce development and training for a skilled advanced manufacturing workforce.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of potential proposal topics, but examples. Any proposals responsive to public needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be considered.

The Manufacturing USA institutes, for example, can direct expertise in manufacturing scale up toward critical technologies such as: wearable and environmental sensors for biothreat detection and personal protective equipment; agile, intensified and automated biomanufacturing platforms for medical counter measures; re-shoring the supply chain for critical raw materials needed to manufacture medical counter measures; and reducing the energy and environmental impact of the above. Through the Manufacturing USA network, they can also efficiently resource collaborative projects between institutes for these efforts.

In addition to developing materials for direct production of medical countermeasures, the manufacturing sector needs to alleviate shortages in advanced manufacturing technology. The Manufacturing USA institutes, working as appropriate with Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers, for example, can leverage their expertise to retool factories to convert their traditional manufacturing to advanced manufacturing facilities; retooling examples include adding smart sensing for digital tracking of supply chain, advanced automation, and digital controls.

Proposals can provide support to existing or planned state or other non-federal efforts to develop needed local manufacturing capabilities to respond to COVID-19 and other public health crises, for example. Examples include retooling of existing manufacturing equipment to support specific needs for personal protective equipment, increasing capacity for needed testing supplies, institute-led projects that speed production and increase quality control using automated production of medical implements; rapidly deployable hospital set-ups to meet the need in critical locations.

Proposals can leverage technical expertise at the Manufacturing USA institutes to provide targeted grants to accelerate production of critical materials, equipment, and supplies needed for responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health crises, for example. The institutes can also propose technical support to ensure rapid, successful deployment of new equipment. Examples include advanced manufacturing equipment for producing of critical equipment, such as equipment for producing N95 masks; additive and composites; manufacturing of tooling for critical needs; and portable and deployable equipment for emergency response.