The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is accepting applications for the Zoos, Botanical Gardens and Aquariums Program. Funding may be requested through two categories. Category I, Collection Care Costs, is funding for expenses directly related to the care, security and interpretation of the collections. Category II, Special Purposes, is funding for the development of new exhibits or the rehabilitation of existing exhibits for the permanent collections and for new, innovative projects or programs for the institution.

ELIGIBILITY: Applicants must be public or non-profit organizations; zoos, botanical gardens, herbariums, arboretums, aquariums, bird sanctuaries, natural habitat preserves, natural science museums, or nature and environmental centers which own, house and care for living or systematically organized collections of biological specimens. Organizations must provide such services to the general public on a regular and predictable basis.

FUNDING: $4,951,600.

DEADLINE: September 6, 1999.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Kevin Burns, Chief, Bureau of Grants Management, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, Empire State Plaza, Agency Building 1, Albany, NY 12238-0001; telephone (518) 474-8372; fax (518) 486-7377.

NYS Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

The New York State Energy and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is seeking proposals to develop, improve, and/or commercialize innovative solar electric and wind energy technology products or wind energy product manufacturing methods. This program is intended to increase the quantity and quality of solar electric and wind energy products manufactured in New York state.

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible technologies for the solar electric area include photovoltaic and solar thermal electric systems, components of these systems, and products that incorporate photovoltaics. Eligible technologies for the wind area include wind energy conversion devices, components, and products that support wind energy systems and power plants. Proposers must demonstrate their intention to have the product manufactured in New York state.

FUNDING: Projects may request up to $300,000 and must have at least 50 percent cost-sharing.

DEADLINE: September 15, 1999.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Jennifer Harvey, NYSERDA, Corporate Plaza West, 286 Washington Avenue Extension, Albany, NY 12203-6399; telephone (518) 862-1090 ext. 3264; fax (518) 862-1091. Information can also be found on the NYSERDA website: www.nyserda.org. Please refer to Program Number 484-99.

Empire State Development’s
Environmental Management Investment Group

The Empire State Development’s Environmental Investment Group (formerly the Office of Recycling Market Development) is offering funding through its Environmental Investment Program. This program invests in business waste/pollution prevention and recycling projects in all media, including solid waste, water, air, and hazardous waste (except out-of-process recycling).
Funds are available for capital projects; research, development and demonstration of new products and technologies; and technical assistance to help businesses achieve pollution prevention and recycling results.

ELIGIBILITY: Qualified New York businesses, non-profit organizations and municipalities on behalf of businesses may apply.

FUNDING: Capital projects – Up to $500,000 per project; Technical Assistance – Up to $75,000 per project; and Research, Development and Demonstration – Up to $200,000 per project.

DEADLINE: September 28, 1999.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Empire State Development, Environmental Management Investment Group, 30 South Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12245; telephone (518) 292-5340; e-mail emig@empire.state.ny.us. The website address is: www.empire.state.ny.us/environment.

Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need

This program provides fellowships in areas of national need through academic departments and programs of institutions of higher education to assist graduate students with excellent records who demonstrate financial need and plan to pursue the highest degree available in their course of study.
Projects must provide fellowships in one or more of the following areas of national need: biology, chemistry, computer and information sciences, engineering, geological and related sciences, mathematics, and physics.

ELIGIBILITY: Qualified academic departments and programs of institutions of higher education are eligible.

FUNDING: The Department of Education estimates the awards will range from $126,875-$750,000.

DEADLINE: October 4, 1999.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Cosette H. Ryan, Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Program, U.S. Department of Education, International Education and Graduate Program Service, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Suite 600-B, Portals Building, Washington, DC 20202-5247; telephone (202) 260-3608; e-mail cosette_ryan@ed.gov. The full announcement also can be found at www.ed.gov/news.html.

Sustainable Development Challenge Grant Program

The Environmental Protection Agency is soliciting proposals for the combined fiscal year 1999/2000 Sustainable Development Challenge Grant program. The objectives of this program are to : 1) catalyze community-based and regional projects that promote sustainable development, thereby improving environmental quality and economic prosperity; 2) leverage significant private and public investments to enhance environmental quality by enabling community sustainability efforts to continue past EPA funding; 3) build partnerships that increase a community’s long-term capacity to protect the environment through sustainable development; and 4) enhance EPA’s ability to provide assistance to communities and promote sustainable development, through lessons learned.

ELIGIBILITY: Community groups and other non-profit organizations, local governments, universities, tribes and states are eligible.

FUNDING: Proposals may request up to $200,000 each.

DEADLINE: September 29, 1999.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Lynn Desaulels at (202) 260-6995 or see the full announcement on the EPA website: www.epa.gov/ecocommunity/sdcg.

Small Business Innovation Research Grants

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) expects to award project grants for certain areas of research to science-based small business firms through Phase I of its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grants Program.

This program will support research in the following topic areas: Forests and Related Resources, Plant Production and Protection; Animal Production and Protection; Air, Water and Soil; Food Science and Nutrition; Rural and Community Development; Aquaculture; Industrial Applications; and Marketing and Trade.

ELIGIBILITY: Firms with strong scientific research capabilities in the listed topic areas are encouraged to apply.

FUNDING: $5 million.

DEADLINE: September 2, 1999.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact the Proposal Services Unit, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP 2245, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-2245; telephone (202) 401-5048. Applications also may be obtained by sending your request via e-mail to psb@reeusda.gov. Your request should state that you wish to receive materials for the Small Business Innovation Research Grants and include your name, mailing address (not e-mail) and telephone number.

Distance Learning and Telemedicine

The United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service is accepting applications for loans and combination loans and grants for its Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program. This program was created to encourage, improve, and make affordable the use of telecommunications, computer networks and related technology for rural communities to improve access to educational and/or medical services.

Distance Learning activities include, but are not limited to: linking rural schools within regions to share limited teaching resources; utilizing rural libraries or other community facilities as distance learning centers; and linking a rural school or a grouping of rural schools to institutions located in metropolitan or more populated centers.

Telemedicine activities include, but are not limited to: linking rural facilities to medical expertise or library resources; clinical interactive video consultation; and management and transport of patient information.

ELIGIBILITY: Rural schools, libraries, hospitals, health care clinics, Indian tribes, and related organizations which operate rural educational or health facilities are eligible to apply.

FUNDING: $100 million is available for loans and $55 million is available for loan/grant combinations.

DEADLINE: September 30, 1999.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Roberta D. Purcell, Assistant Administrator, Telecommunications Program, Rural Utilities Service, STOP 1590, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-1590; telephone (202) 720-9554; fax (202) 720-0810. The full announcement can be found at http://www.usda.gov/rus/dlt/dlml.htm.

Center for Research for Mothers and Children Grants

The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Research and Human Services is accepting applications for project grants. The objectives of the program are to stimulate, coordinate, and support fundamental and clinical, biomedical, and behavioral research and research training associated with normal development from conception to maturity and those factors or special health problems that may delay or interfere with normal development.

The Center for Research for Mothers and Children (CRMC) supports research for mothers, children, and families, and is designed to: advance knowledge about fetal development, pregnancy, and birth; identify the prerequisites of optimal growth and development through infancy, childhood, and adolescence; and contribute to the prevention and treatment of mental retardation, developmental disabilities, and other childhood and adolescent problems.

The Center offers grants under the following categories: Research Grants, National Research Service Awards, Small Business Innovation Research Grants (SBIR), and Small Business Technology Transfer Grants (STTR).

ELIGIBILITY: Each grant program has its own eligibility requirements. In general, though, universities, colleges, medical, dental and nursing schools, schools of public health, laboratories, hospitals, state and local health departments, other public or private institutions, both non-profit and for-profit, and individuals may apply.

FUNDING: Research Grants range from $36,000 - $2,300,000; Individual National Research Service Awards are $22,176; SBIR Phase I grants average around $75,000 and Phase II grants may be made up to $750,000.

DEADLINES: Research Grants – October 1, 1999 (new) and November 1, 1999 (renewals and supplementals). National Research Service Awards – December 5, 1999. SBIR – December 15, 1999. STTR – December 1, 1999.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Dr. Sumner Yaffe, Director, Center for Research for Mothers and Children, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, DHHS, Building 61E, Room 4B05, MSC 7510, Bethesda, MD 20892-7510; telephone (301) 496-5097; fax (301) 480-7773; e-mail yaffes@exchange.nih.gov.

Council on Opportunities for Professional Excellence (COPE)

The Council on Opportunities for Professional Excellence is offering two grant writing seminars in August. The first will be held in Poughkeepsie on August 23, 1999 and the second will be in Rochester on August 26, 1999. The cost for each seminar is $145.00 ($118.00 if two or more people from the same organization register).

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact COPE at (914) 756-2673 or jnb@copeinc.com.