Environmental Sciences

Limit: 3  // PIs: 
O. Zhupanska (Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering)
E. Butcher (Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering)
H. Fasel (Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering)

For more information about this funding program, please contact:

• Cody Nicholls, PhD, Associate Director, National Security Programs
• Nate Gahr, Senior Director, National Security Programs

UArizona may submit three (3) applications.

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), in the Department of Defense (DOD), released a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for the fiscal year (FY) 2024 DOD Research and Education Program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI).  As you know, this effort is DOD’s premiere program in providing support to advance basic research at HBCUs and MIs.  In particular, this FOA seeks to:

• Improve the programs and capabilities of HBCUs/MIs in science and engineering disciplines relevant to DOD;
• Increase the participation of HBCUs and MIs in flagship DOD research programs by furthering HBCU/MI capacity; and
• Increase the number of underrepresented minority graduates in STEM fields relevant to the Department.

Principal Investigators (PIs) should consider novel approaches for proposed projects, with a focus on enhancing the capabilities of their institutions to develop stronger STEM programs to better HBCU/MI participation in competitive defense research programs.  The ultimate goal of the program is to promote STEM research to underrepresented students and encourage them to pursue STEM careers in disciplines of importance to DOD.  Proposed research should align with the areas of interests that have been identified by each of the branches, which can be found in previous broad agency announcements (BAAs) from the Army Research Laboratory (ARL), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR).  More information on each of these BAAs can be found in the full solicitation.  

DOD anticipates awarding a total of $50 million, up to $1 million per grant, for a performance period of 48 months. 

D. Sand (Astronomy)
J. Su  ( Optical Sciences)

The University of Arizona may submit up to two nominations.

the Polymaths Program intends to make long-term bets on professors who have recently achieved tenure or an equivalent status with remarkable track records, promising futures, and a desire to explore interdisciplinary research. Each Polymath is awarded $500,000 per year for up to five years, paid through their institution. These funds are intended to make possible the exploration of new ideas across disciplines, using emerging technologies and insights to test bold hypotheses that may not otherwise receive funding or support. To find out more about the program and our current Polymaths, please visit our website.

We ask that you only nominate exceptional candidates who satisfy the following criteria:

1. Have achieved tenure or an equivalent status within the past three calendar years (2020 or later),
2. Have a remarkable record of accomplishment in area(s) of science and engineering,
3. Have a demonstrated history of pursuing and publishing results in more than one field,
4. Demonstrate a need for additional funding to enable new experiments, explorations, or shifts in research directions.

Limit: 1  // PI selected: T. M. Bishop (Cooperative extension Gila County - Globe / Gila County - Payson, 4-H Youth Development)

UArizona may submit one proposal.

NIFA requests applications for the Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) program for fiscal year (FY) 2023 to increase agricultural literacy through K-12 education. The anticipated amount available for FY 2023 is approximately $960,000 and will support funding for the initial year. Continuation funding of similar funding levels may be awarded for an additional three years provided performance has been satisfactory, appropriations are available for this purpose, and continued support is in the best interests of the Federal government and the public. Applications should be submitted for the full four years. USDA is not committed to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards.

The disciplines of agriculture and education have been related for much of our nation's history. When most Americans lived on farms or in small towns, students often did farm chores before and after school. Old schoolbooks have numerous agricultural references. As the farming population began to decline, agricultural emphasis decreased in educational materials as well.

A core group of educators and agriculturalists pushed for more youth education about agriculture. They recognized the interlocking role of farming and food and fiber production with environmental quality, which included wildlife habitat, clean water, and the preservation of forests.

NIFA's AITC serves nearly five million students and 60,000 teachers in developing awareness and skills as they relate to food, agriculture, and disciplines supportive of the agricultural enterprise. AITC supports this awareness through workshops, conferences, field trips, farm tours, and other educational activities and includes working with state AITC organizations and activities engaged in a variety of issues relating to agricultural literacy.

This notice identifies the objectives for AITC projects, deadlines, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions.

Limit: 1  // PI:  N.E. Ruiz ( Cooperative Extension, Santa Cruz County - Nogales, 4-H Youth Development)

The South32 Hermosa Community Fund, a fund of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona and its geographic affiliate, the Santa Cruz Community Foundation, supports nonprofit organizations based in Santa Cruz County.  Supported areas include education and leadership, economic participation, good health and social well-being, and natural resource resilience.

South32 is a globally diversified mining and metals company.  The South32 Hermosa Project is located in Southern Arizona in the Patagonia Mountains in Santa Cruz County.  The project is approximately six miles south of the town of Patagonia, 50 miles southeast of Tucson, and 15 miles northeast of Nogales, Arizona. The company’s purpose is to make a difference by developing natural resources and improving people’s lives now and for generations to come.

Since its inception, the South32 Hermosa Community Fund has awarded 95 grants totaling $801,950.

Up to $80,000 will be available each cycle; requests up to $10,000 will be considered.

No applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program aims to advance the job quality of the American workforce by providing disadvantaged, underserved, low-income, or other hard-to-reach, at-risk workers hazard awareness, avoidance, and control training to protect them from on-the-job hazards, and to inform workers of their rights and employers of their responsibilities under the OSH Act.

The program and this funding opportunity announcement prioritizes investment and funding to train workers and employers impacted by working in high-hazard industries, industries with high fatality rates, or whose workforce has historically had disadvantaged access to occupational safety and health training, including young workers, temporary, minority, low literacy, limited-English speaking, and other disadvantaged and hard-to-reach workers and worker communities. The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program seeks to increase access to life-saving training by encouraging grantees to provide the training in other languages.

Applications submitted under this FOA are competing for a Targeted Topic Training grant. Targeted Topic Training grant applicants must propose to develop and conduct instructor-led training addressing one of the OSHA-specified training topics for an audience identified in this funding opportunity. 

No applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

The program and this funding opportunity announcement prioritizes investment and funding to train workers and employers impacted by working in in high-hazard industries, industries with high fatality rates, or whose workforce has historically had disadvantaged access to occupational safety and health training, including young workers, temporary, minority, low literacy, limited-English speaking, and other disadvantaged and hard-to-reach workers and worker communities. The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program seeks to increase access to life-saving training by encouraging grantees to provide the training in other languages.

The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program seeks applications based on proven strategies to reach the target training populations while also developing innovative solutions to expand access. 

No applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

The Susan Harwood Grant Program awards funds to qualifying organizations who have demonstrated capabilities to achieve the program’s performance expectations outlined in this FOA. This includes experience in employing subject matter experts, delivering and administering adult training programs, recruiting students, and managing grants. Following the grant awards, OSHA monitors each organization’s progress in achieving their performance goals and training targets. OSHA accomplishes this by conducting orientation meetings, training material reviews, training observations, program and financial monitoring visits, and quarterly and year-end report reviews.

Applicants must propose to develop new training materials addressing one of the OSHA-specified training topics. The materials must include learning objectives, course matrices, presentation/training materials including videos, instructor and participant guides, student handouts, training evaluations, and learning assessments. Grantees must validate the training materials in a live classroom training session. 

M. McClaran (School of Natural Resources and the Environment, Arizona Experiment Station)


UArziona may submit one proposal to this funding program.

The purpose of the Research Facilities Act Program (RFAP) is to assist qualifying institutions with the costs related to constructing, purchasing, updating, renovating, or modifying agricultural research buildings to conduct research in the areas of agriculture and food sciences. The proposed agricultural research facility must expand the institution's capacity for long-term impactful research and must be the result of thorough strategic planning. Awards may be used to fund the construction of buildings or sites for agricultural research facilities or other facilities that store agricultural research experimental samples or specimens, as well as the purchase of real estate or durable equipment. Activities might include, but are not limited to:

1. Evaluating infrastructure and sites.
2. Conceptual planning and design for a newly constructed, restored, or rebuilt structure or place.
3. Creating construction plans and schematics for the facility or site that is being built, restored, or rebuilt.
4. Building, restoring, or remodeling a facility or location.
5. Investing in and putting in permanent equipment for research monitoring and safeguarding samples and specimens.
6. Investing in and putting in essential building systems like electricity, climate control, security, life safety, lighting, utilities, telecommunications, and energy management.

Match Required – Applicants MUST provide at least 100% matching contributions on a dollar-for-dollar basis for all Federal funds awarded under the Research Facilities Act Program. The non-Federal share must be paid in cash and may include funding from private sources or from units of State or local government. In-kind matching will not be considered.

Range of Awards: $75,000 - $500,000

E. Orr (School of Government and Public Policy)

Uarizona may submit one application to this funding program. 

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), invites applications for grants under the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. This notice is being issued to allow applicants sufficient time to leverage financing, prepare and submit applications, and give the Agency time to process applications within FY 2023. Funding of $5.8 million will be available for FY 2023. Successful applications will be selected by the Agency for funding and subsequently awarded. All applicants are responsible for any expenses incurred in developing their applications.

No applicants // Limit: 2 // Tickets Available: 2 

UArizona may submit no more than two (2) applications in response to this announcement.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is an independent agency, established by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, tasked with licensing, and regulating the Nation’s civilian use of byproduct, source, and special nuclear material to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety, to promote the common defense and security, and to protect the environment.

The program provides funding to support research and development (R&D) for nuclear science, engineering, technology, and related disciplines to develop a workforce capable of supporting the design, construction, operation, and regulation of nuclear facilities and the safe handling of nuclear materials. University R&D activities provide an opportunity to complement current, ongoing NRC-led research.

More specifically, the program shall be used to provide financial assistance for R&D projects relevant to the programmatic mission of the NRC referenced above, with an emphasis on providing financial assistance with respect to research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of new and advanced nuclear technologies. New this year, nontechnical research will be considered under this announcement (for example, projects that would foster the development of innovative community engagement strategies, including incorporation of principles of equity and environmental justice).