Higher education faculty, staff and students are challenging teaching and learning paradigms through innovative connections with other colleges, universities, research labs, performing arts centers and an immense array of other resources over advanced networks.

National STEM Education Distributed Learning (NSDL)

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Website: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5487&org=NSF

This program aims to establish a national network of learning environments and resources for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at all levels. The program has four tracks: Pathways projects are expected to provide stewardship for the content and services needed by major communities of learners. Targeted research will focus primarily on educational impact. Services projects are expected to develop services that support users and resource collection providers that enhance the impact, efficiency, and value of the NSDL network.  Projects that explore specific topics that have immediate applicability to collections, services, and other aspects of the development of the NSDL network, which were submitted as Targeted Research under previous solicitations, should now be submitted as small grants to the Services section of the program. The existing NSDL Resource Center will provide collaboration assistance across all projects; undertake strategic partnership development on behalf of projects particularly with respect to non-academic entities; coordinate and, in some cases, perform thematic research and evaluation studies related to the program; synthesize findings across the portfolio; and disseminate findings of the accomplishments of the NSDL program. In FY2009, the program will accept proposals for large grants in 1) the Pathways track, 2) Pathways - II, 3) specific sub-tracks of Services, and 4) Targeted Research . In all tracks, the program will also accept proposals for small grants that extend or enhance results from existing services, collections, or targeted research activity so as to enlarge the user audience for the NSDL network or improve capabilities for the user.

Strategic Technologies for Cyberinfrastructure (STCI)

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation
Website: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=500066

The primary purpose of the Strategic Technologies for Cyberinfrastructure Program (STCI) is to support work leading to the development and/or demonstration of innovative cyberinfrastructure services for science and engineering research and education that fill gaps left by more targeted funding opportunities.  In addition, it will consider highly innovative cyberinfrastructure education, outreach and training proposals that lie outside the scope of targeted solicitations.

The National Science Foundation provides a number of targeted funding opportunities for the development of cyberinfrastructure, for the provision of cyberinfrastructure services, and for related education, outreach and training.  However, cyberinfrastructure technology and training are broad continua.  It is anticipated that, at any given time, there will be ideas that do not map neatly onto the extant portfolio of cyberinfrastructure solicitations yet have a high potential impact on research and education.  Accordingly, the Strategic Technologies for Cyberinfrastructure program will accept proposals for cyberinfrastructure development, demonstration, education, outreach and training activities that are not aligned with the specific goals of other existing cyberinfrastructure funding opportunities and which have the potential to transform multiple areas of research or education.

Full proposals are due August 13, 2009.

National Leadership Grants

Funding agency: IMLS
Website: http://www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/nationalLeadership.shtm

IMLS National Leadership Grants support projects that have the potential to elevate museum and library practice. The Institute seeks to advance the ability of museums and libraries to preserve culture, heritage and knowledge while enhancing learning. IMLS welcomes proposals that promote the skills necessary to devlop 21st century communities, citizens, and workers.

Successful proposals will have national impact and generate results—new tools, research, models, services, practices, or alliances—that can be widely adapted or replicated to extend the benefit of federal investment. The Institute seeks to fund projects that have the following characteristics:

Strategic Impact—Proposals should address key needs and challenges that face libraries and museums. They should expand the boundaries within which libraries and museums operate, show the potential for far-reaching impact, and influence practice throughout the museum and/or library communities.

Innovation—Proposals should demonstrate a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about the project area, and show how the project will advance the state of the art of museum and library service.

Collaboration—While partners are not required in all National Leadership Grant categories, the Institute has found that involving carefully chosen partners with complementary competencies and resources can create powerful synergies that extend project impact. Proposals should show understanding of the challenges of collaboration and propose means for addressing them.

Applications may be submitted in the following categories: Advancing Digital Resources, Research, Demonstration, and Library and Museum Collaboration Grants.

Collaborative Planning Grants are also available in any of the four categories to enable project teams from more than one institution to work together to plan a project for a National Leadership Grant.

http://www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/nationalLeadership.shtm

FY 2010 Deadline:

February 1, 2010

Grant
Amount:

$50,000–$1,000,000; up to
$100,000 for planning grants
21st Century Museum Professionals

Funding agency: IMLS
Website: http://www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/21centuryMuseums.shtm

Museum professionals need high levels of knowledge and expertise as they help create public value for the communities they serve. The purpose of the 21st Century Museum Professionals program is to increase the capacity of museums by improving the knowledge and skills of museum professionals in multiple institutions. 21st Century Museum Professionals grants are intended to reach broad groups of museum professionals throughout a city, county, state, region, or the nation.

Grants fund a wide range of activities, including the development and implementation of classes, seminars, and workshops; resources to support leadership development; collection, assessment, development, and/or dissemination of information that leads to better museum operations; activities that strengthen the use of contemporary technology tools to deliver programs and services; support for the enhancement of pre-professional training programs; and organizational support for the development of internship and fellowship programs. IMLS also welcomes proposals that promote the skills necessary to develop 21st century communities, citizens, and workers.

FY 2010 Deadline:

March 15, 2010

Grant Amount:

$15,000-$500,000

 

Learn and Serve America

Funding Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service
Website: http://www.nationalservice.gov/for_organizations/funding/nofa_detail.asp?tbl_nofa_id=76

The Corporation for National and Community Service announces the anticipated availability of approximately $7.3 million to award new Learn and Serve America Higher Education grants. Grants will be awarded to an estimated seven to nine individual institutions ranging from approximately $85,000 to $200,000 annually for a project period of up to three years, and an estimated seven to eleven consortia ranging from approximately $200,000 to $500,000 for a project period up to three years.

What is the purpose of Learn and Serve America Higher Education Grants?

The purpose of the Learn and Serve America Higher Education program is to support institutions of higher education that use innovative service-learning programming to meet the needs of local communities. Our programs promote institutional commitment to the local community while promoting lifelong civic engagement for student participants.

Learn and Serve America Higher Education programs:

Create or expand organized service-learning programs that increase social responsibility and commitment to the community in which the institution is located;
Promote student-initiated and student-designed projects as part of service-learning programming;
Support service-learning programs that will demonstrably address local community issues;
Improve student engagement in academic coursework through service-learning; and
Strengthen the service-learning infrastructure within institutions of higher education in the United States.
What types of Higher Education grants are available?

The Learn and Serve America Higher Education program funds two different types of grants:

Individual Institution grants to support innovative and potentially replicable service-learning programs at a single institution of higher education.

Consortia grants to support a group of institutions of higher education who will be implementing similar service-learning programs. Funding for consortia grants will be used to support both program implementation on the different campuses via subgrants as well as the training and monitoring of subgrants.

Both types of grant applicants must demonstrate that they will participate in service-learning projects in partnership with community-based organizations, local government agencies, non-profits, K-12 schools, and/or student organizations.

What are the priorities for this grant competition?

For this year’s grant competition, Learn and Serve America will fund programs that focus on one of the following priorities:

Embedding Service-Learning in Pre-Service and In-Service Teacher Training –programs will include service-learning as a key component of pre-service teacher curricula and/or professional development provided to in-service teachers.

Service-Learning in STEM-focused disciplines – programs will integrate high-quality service-learning into the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

Deadline: 3/9/10