Open

Limit: 1 // Available: 0

R. Shroff (Medicine)

Only one application per institution (normally identified by having a unique UEI or NIH IPF number) is allowed.

The NCI National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) was established for the conduct of large-scale, national, oncology treatment and advanced imaging clinical trials in an era of precision medicine.

Recent advances in deciphering the cancer genome, along with the emergence of successful targeted agents, immunotherapies, and cellular therapies, have fundamentally changed our approach to cancer treatment and have introduced new challenges to performing clinical trials. Due to the low incidence of certain molecular abnormalities, the development of targeted therapies often requires an infrastructure for the conduct of clinical trials that can screen large numbers of patients with the same or different cancer type to identify those patients whose tumors contain the distinct molecular targets of the therapies being tested. Immunotherapeutic approaches also present a similar challenge in that not all tumor types respond to this approach, and selecting the cancer types most likely to respond is critical for success.

The NCTN's integrated and collaborative network infrastructure has allowed the Program to meet the challenges of evaluating emerging therapies within its broad investigator base drawn from NCI-designated Cancer Centers, the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP), Minority/Underserved NCORPs, and other academic and community hospitals and private practitioners across the U.S. and internationally. The primary focus of the NCTN is the conduct of multi-center, late-phase, clinical treatment trials (i.e., randomized phase 2 and phase 3 trials) and investigation of new advanced imaging techniques; however, appropriate preliminary studies needed for development of potential definitive trials, especially umbrella/basket trials and rare tumor trials oriented to discovery, are also conducted when an extensive, national patient catchment area is required. With its state-of-the-art clinical trials infrastructure, the NCTN can implement and completes trials rapidly. The NCTN has streamlined trial registration, data management, and tumor banking processes. It has a Cancer Trials Support Unit (CTSU) to provide online access to all necessary study materials and a Central Institutional Review Board (CIRB) to make ethics review easier and less redundant across the country. The NCTN also has appeal for industry partners such as biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies that collaborate on NCTN trials, including precision medicine trials harnessing next generation DNA and RNA sequencing methods to inform treatment choices. NCTN's resources are ideal for screening large numbers of patients to identify patients whose tumors exhibit the molecular features that may be responsive to new, targeted treatments and/or immunotherapy approaches. In addition, biospecimens collected from patients on NCTN trials are available to help determine the underlying biological reasons for response and resistance to therapy.

The NCTN also promotes the evaluation of multi-modality treatments, including surgery and radiotherapy in combination with novel agents, and has a commitment to the conduct of trials in special populations (e.g., children, adolescents, young adults, and underserved populations) as well as in rare tumor types. This focus allows the NCTN Program to complement, rather than duplicate, research conducted by the private sector. Annual accrual to NCTN trials has remained in the 17,500 to 22,000 patient range in mostly large phase 2 and phase 3 trials, but with a larger number of patients screened on study to determine whether they might benefit from the therapy under evaluation.

Each of the key components of the NCTN Program is described briefly below.

• Network Group Operations Centers: The Operations Centers provide scientific leadership for developing and implementing multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional trials in a range of diseases and special populations with specific scientific strategy and goals. The Operations Centers' scientific goals may include strategic innovation in advanced technology for specific research areas (e.g., advanced imaging methods/agents, radiotherapy) and the testing of innovative concepts and tools in prospective, multi-institutional clinical trials. Operations Centers are responsible for trial operations including timely protocol development and management, compliance with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) regulatory and patient protection requirements, audits, training, quality assurance, and site support. The Operations Centers are expected to be closely integrated with their corresponding Statistics and Data Management Center in all aspects of trial operations through jointly developed policies and procedures for clinical trial development and conduct. The Operations Centers are also responsible for Network Group administration, including financial management, monitoring of member institution/site performance, coordination of biospecimen collection from patients on clinical trials, and adherence to all applicable NIH/NCI policies and regulations. Network Group Operations Centers may also provide trial operations for NCI Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP), Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (NCI/DCTD, approved, multi-center phase 2 and phase 3 trials originating outside the Network Groups in special situations.
• Network Group Statistics and Data Management Centers: These Centers are responsible for providing the statistical expertise required to ensure effective scientific design and conduct of clinical trials as well as leadership in innovation in statistical methodology. These Centers are also responsible for data management, data analysis, and statistical analysis for NCTN trials led by their affiliated Network Group Operations Center as well as for translational and other ancillary studies associated with the trials.
• Network Group Integrated Translational Science Centers - These awards provide support for leadership and expertise to facilitate incorporating translational science into Network Group clinical trials.
• Network Lead Academic Participating Sites: These academic institutions/sites provide scientific leadership in development and conduct of clinical trials in association with one or more adult U.S. Network Groups as well as substantial accrual to clinical trials conducted across the entire NCTN.
• Network Radiotherapy and Imaging Core Services Center: This institution/organization provides scientific and technical expertise for incorporation of appropriate, integrated quality assurance/control and image data management for applicable clinical trials conducted by the NCTN that require specialized quality assurance/control or imaging data management and/or assessment for radiotherapy and imaging interventions. In addition, the Center may also provide similar services for other approved NCI-supported clinical trials network programs (e.g., NCI/DCTD/CTEP early phase clinical trial network program and the NCI Division of Cancer Prevention (NCI/DCP) NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP).
• Canadian Collaborating Clinical Trials Network: This Canadian organization is a non-profit clinical trials organization capable of being a full partner with the U.S. Network in the conduct of large-scale, multi-site clinical trials that have relevance for U.S. cancer patient populations. Incorporation of a Canadian Clinical Trials Network as a collaborating partner brings an additional advantage as U.S. Network Groups are anticipated to have Canadian member sites. A Canadian network can help reduce duplicative regulatory staff at U.S. NCTN Group Operations Centers.

Interactions with Other NCI-supported Programs. In addition to the six key components of the NCTN that are described above that are directly funded by the NCTN Program, other NCI grant and contract-supported Programs and their awardees as well as NCI Advisory Committees have important supporting roles in carrying out the research objectives of the NCTN Program. Thus, the NCTN awardees are expected to interact as appropriate with such entities/programs as the NCI Clinical Trials Tumor Banks, the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) and Minority/Underserved NCORPs, the NCI Cancer Trials Support Unit, the pediatric and adult NCI Central Institutional Review Boards, and NCI Advisory and Scientific Committees, including the NCI Scientific Steering Committees.

Main Research Objectives and Requirements of this NOFO

The Network Lead Academic Participating Site application must address the following 2 required functional components related to clinical treatment trials and advanced imaging trials for adult cancer patients only:

Clinical Trial Program - This functional component encompasses the LAPS scientific leadership in helping to develop and conduct clinical trials in association with one or more Network Groups, including the LAPS support of NCTN initiatives and mentorship of junior investigators.

Site Accrual Program This functional component provides robust accrual to NCTN trials across the Network, including accrual to rare cancers and accrual from special populations (e.g., minority and underserved communities, adolescents and young adults), as well as timely activation of trials and good clinical trial stewardship.

Limit: 1 // Available: 0 

M. Glaubach (Cooperative Extension)

Reinvestment Fund, in its capacity as National Fund Manager for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative at USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service, requests applications for America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative Food Access and Retail Expansion Fund (HFFI FARE Fund) for the 2024-2025 funding cycle.  

Over the next five years, the HFFI FARE Fund will provide $60 million in loans, grants and technical assistance to food retail and food retail supply chain projects. For the 2024-2025 funding cycle, at least $9,000,000 is available for implementation grants, at least $1,500,000 is available for technical assistance, and at least $16,000,000 is available for loans. The purpose of HFFI is to support food supply chain resiliency, improve access to healthy foods in underserved areas, create and preserve quality jobs, and revitalize low-income communities by providing financial and technical assistance, either directly or through other partners and intermediaries, to eligible fresh, healthy food retailers and enterprises to overcome the higher costs and initial barriers to entry in underserved areas. Eligible applicants for grants and technical assistance include for-profit, nonprofit, and cooperatively owned businesses, institutions of higher education, state and local governments and tribal governments. Eligible applicants for loans include for-profit, nonprofit, and cooperatively owned businesses, and institutions of higher education. Applicants may include food retailers or non-retail food enterprises.  Grants and loans will be available to eligible organizations in eligible underserved areas to implement a project that is designed to improve access to fresh, healthy food through food retail. 

This notice identifies the objectives for the HFFI FARE Fund, deadline dates, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application requirements and associated instructions needed to apply for an HFFI FARE Fund grant, loan, or technical assistance. 

The HFFI Food Access and Retail Expansion (FARE) Fund will only accept one Funding Inquiry per entity in a 12-month period. If there are multiple entities involved in a project, they can each submit a Funding Inquiry. However, each project will only be able to apply for each type of assistance (loan, grant, TA) once in a 12-month period, regardless of how many entities are involved. For example, If Entity A and Entity B are working on Project Grocery, each can submit a Funding Inquiry on behalf of the project. But they need to decide which entity will apply for which type of funding. Therefore, Entity A could apply for a loan and Entity B could apply for TA and a grant, but they cannot both apply for a grant for Project Grocery within a 12-month period.

Limit: 20*// Available: 2

Advanced Product Manufacturing- RFI: Limit: 5 // Available: 0
H. Budinoff (Systems and Industrial Engineering) 
P. Deymier (Materials Science & Engineering)
P. Lucas (Materials Science & Engineering)
M. Shafae (Systems and Industrial Engineering) 
A. Wessman (Materials Science & Engineering)
Advanced Weapon System Capabilities - RFI: Limit 5 // Available: 0
V. Yurkiv (Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering)
B. Parent (Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering)
B. Potter (Materials Science & Engineering)
B. Revil Baudard (Materials Science & Engineering)
O. Cazacu  (Materials Science & Engineering)
Collaborative Autonomy - RFI: Limit 5// Available: 1
J. Thanga (Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering)
H. Rastgoftar (Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering)
B. Liu (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
E. Lee (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
High Assurance Networks (HAN)- RFI: Limit 5 // Available: 1
M. Krunz (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
B. Bash (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
J. Thanga (Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering)
E. Lee (Electrical and Computer Engineering)

RTX University Research is looking for novel ideas and innovative concepts that are aligned with the specific technology needs stated below. In your application, please provide a 700-word description of the proposed research or technology:

• Clearly outline the relevance of your proposed project to the specific technology needs.
• Articulate how it will advance the field of research.
• Explain how deliverables and outcomes would lead to a continued and deeper research partnership with RTX businesses.
• Discuss opportunities for future collaborations with institutions, organizations or experts.
• Discuss follow-on funding opportunities and specific funding agencies who would have interest in the technology, and the outcomes that will be necessary to stimulate that interest.

Please provide a statement of work (SOW) that breaks down the proposed project into tasks

• Explain in brief terms how you would secure and allocate resources, including facility, equipment, personnel (must include graduate or undergraduate students or both), and any other funding sources that would complement the RTX funding
• Discuss in brief terms how you would address any risks, including potential delays.
• In bullet point format, clearly define tasks and their associated milestones, schedule, and deliverables.

Please provide budget details to include all expected costs to be covered by the RTX funding.

AZ State Parks Recreational Trails Program for Safety and Environment Education

Limit: 1// Available:0

E. Gornish (School of Natural Resource and the Environment) 

Limit: 3* // Available: 1

Each institution may submit up to three nominations, one in each disciplinary category: 

1. Life Sciences Limit: 1 // Available: 0
   H. Ding (Pharmacy Practice and Science)
2. Physical Sciences & Engineering Limit: 1 // Available: 0
   T. Adegbija (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
3. Chemical Sciences Limit: 1 // Available: 1
    

One Blavatnik National Awards Laureate in each disciplinary category will receive $250,000 in unrestricted funds, and additional nominees will be recognized as Finalists.

The nominee must: 

• Have been born in or after 1982.
• Hold a doctorate degree (PhD, DPhil, MD, DDS, DVM, etc.).
• Currently hold a tenured or tenure-track academic faculty position, or equivalent, at an invited institution in the United States.
• Currently conduct research as a principal investigator in one of the disciplinary categories in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, or Chemical Sciences.

The Blavatnik Awards strongly encourages all those submitting nominations to the Awards--including institutional nominators, Scientific Advisory Council members, and past Blavatnik Awards Laureates--to diversify the population of candidates nominated for this Award.

Non-winning nominees from prior Blavatnik Awards nomination cycles are eligible to be re-nominated by their institutions as one of their three nominees, provided they still meet all eligibility requirements. 

Please contact Marie Teemant, Associate, Honors & Awards, for assistance with this nomination. This nomination is "open" and on a first-come-first-serve basis. 

1 Ticket / 0 Available

Angela Cruze (Inst Future Data Computation)

This Notice of Funding Opportunity solicits applications for the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program (“Competitive Grant Program” or “Program”), the third of three digital equity programs authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, Division F, Title III, Public Law 117-58, 135 Stat. 429, 1209 (November 15, 2021) (“Infrastructure Act”) also known as the (“Digital Equity Act” or “DE Act”). The Digital Equity Act appropriated $2.75 billion to be awarded by the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information (“Assistant Secretary”) to promote digital equity and inclusion.

The Digital Equity Act consists of three funding programs:

1. the $60 million State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program;
2. the $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program; and
3. the $1.25 billion Competitive Grant Program.

The Digital Equity Planning Grant Program was launched in May of 2022 and is now complete. Under the Planning Grant Program, 56 States and U.S. Territories created Digital Equity Plans that identified the barriers to digital equity faced by certain populations defined by the statute (i.e., “Covered Populations”)1 and measurable objectives for addressing those barriers. The State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity was released on March 29, 2024, and will provide funds to States and U.S. Territories to implement the Digital Equity Plans created through the Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, as well as provide funds for Indian Tribes, Alaska Native entities, and Native Hawaiian organizations (“Native Entities”) to address the digital equity needs of the Covered Populations within those communities. The Capacity Grant Program is on-going and will continue to address the needs of the Covered Populations as identified in the State and U.S. Territories’ Digital Equity Plans and as identified by Native Entities.

The Competitive Grant Program will make funds available to a wide range of entities to address barriers to digital equity faced by Covered Populations as defined by 47 U.S.C. §1721(8). The Competitive Grant Program will support efforts to achieve digital equity, promote digital inclusion activities, and spur greater adoption and meaningful use of broadband among the Covered Populations. Specifically, the Digital Equity Act authorizes funds to be used for the development and implementation of digital inclusion activities that benefit the Covered Populations; programs that facilitate the adoption of broadband by Covered Populations to provide educational and employment opportunities; training programs that cover basic, advanced, and applied skills; workforce development programs; access to equipment, instrumentation, networking capability, hardware and software, or digital network technology for broadband services at low or no cost; and the construction or operation of public access computing centers for Covered Populations. Awards will focus on addressing the needs of the Covered Populations not met by the Capacity Grant Program and will strive for a diverse pool of recipients. To ensure funds are directed to the most effective programs with the greatest reach, and to minimize administrative overhead, NTIA encourages proposals that demonstrate a broad partnership of entities with the ability to administer significant resources and address the varied concerns of the Covered Populations.

1 Ticket / 0 available

Forrest Baker (School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness)

Guidelines for Qualifying Applicants:

Each grant is reviewed by our Medical Advisory Board and recipients are selected based on their grading.

Goal and Focus:

The goal of these grants is to overcome barriers to clinical application of new treatment approaches for childhood cancer. A priority is to fund projects that have already shown great promise, but that have a specific funding need to move forward. The three main focus areas for this RFP are:

• Cancer immunotherapy/Targeted therapy
• High-grade brain tumors or other difficult-to-treat pediatric cancers
• Epigenetic modifying therapy or gene editing

Applications of novel technologies in these areas are welcome.

General Guidelines and Eligibility:

• Limit of one application per institution with endorsement of the Division Chief of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

• Two types of one-year grants will be awarded:

  • Collaborative: Up to 1 multi-institutional collaborative grant of $300,000 will be awarded
    • There must be at least 2 collaborating divisions of pediatric hematology/oncology.
    • Collaborative project can either include a new proposal or a proposal where preliminary data has already been gathered
  • Individual: 2-4 individual grants of $150,000 each will be awarded

  *Applications to fund correlative studies associated with clinical trials in the focus areas will be considered. Funding for the associated clinical trial must have already been secured and applications must include a description of the developmental pathway for the therapeutic approach.

Limit one submission:

Doane, CJ. (UAC)