Search Through Grants for Robotics in the U.S.

Mini Tech Skills Workshop Grant

The Best Buy Foundation® seeks local or national non-profit organizations to join the Tech Skills Partner program. Tech Skills Partners work with local Best Buy Teen Tech Centers® (BBTTC) and provide STEAM skills workshops and learning opportunities to BBTTC members. These workshops and learning opportunities will increase technical skill proficiency and/or provide career exploration opportunities that are suitable for youth ages 13-19. Eligible programs and opportunities will be included in a menu of optional “Mini Tech Skills Workshops” offerings that BBTTC staff can request for their youth members.

Mini Tech Skills Workshops are supplemental STEAM skills programs of varying lengths delivered as workshops, weekly sessions or immersive camps. Workshops are generally facilitated by the Tech Skills Partner organization and hosted on-site at the BBTTC site. Offsite programs (such as filmmaking workshops that take place on location at a film set) and virtual programs are also permitted to apply.

Some of the most highly requested workshop topics include:

• Coding
• Filmmaking
• Game Design
• Music Production
• Photography
• Robotics

While hands-on, external facilitator led workshops are preferred, organizations that provide other ad-hoc programming opportunities will also be considered. Some examples of ad-hoc programming may include:

• Curriculum and resource material.
• Paid Apprenticeships.
• Other opportunities to be considered on case-by-case basis

Funding

The maximum grant award is $24,999.

Supporting Our Communities

We care deeply about the communities where we live and work. That’s why we support programs and organizations that address unmet medical needs, help students grow through STEM education, and deliver basic human services to our neighbors.

For all community giving applications, we strongly urge you to submit your application at least 12 weeks in advance of the date of required funding

Our initiatives

Addressing Unmet Needs

Each year, we work with nonprofit partners to improve access to treatment, eliminate health disparities and promote healthy lifestyles throughout our communities.

Neighbors help neighbors. Together with our nonprofit partners, Bristol-Myers Squibb works to improve access to treatment and eliminate health disparities for those that live in and around the communities we also call home. Working with our nonprofit partners, we’re able to provide programs that address the health challenges of our underserved citizens.

Improving Science Education

Because today’s students will discover tomorrow’s medicines, we’re committed to improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) studies in schools and community organizations.

Science and technology are at the core of everything we do. We're always eager to open young minds to the exciting possibilities of both. Through grants and other programs, we've introduced students to genetics, robotics, engineering, alternative energy, and environmental science. Our employees also serve on advisory boards at career academies and two- and four-year colleges.

We're improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in the communities where our employees work and live.

Helping People In Need

Through philanthropy, volunteerism and partnerships, we provide essential human needs to the our hungry, homeless, elderly and underserved citizens.

• Feeding the Hungry: Bristol-Myers Squibb provides volunteer and financial support to groups that help feed families.
• Fighting Homelessness: Bristol-Myers Squibb is proud to assist a number of organizations working to provide shelter and other necessities to those suffering from homelessness
• A Helping Hand for the Elderly and Homebound: With limited mobility and financial resources, elderly people that live alone often require help with the simplest tasks of daily life
• Helping neighbors when disaster strikes: In the aftermath of emergencies such as fires and floods, the American Red Cross is there. Bristol Myers Squibb supports the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey and its Emergency Services Program, which enables vulnerable families to recover from disasters that may otherwise push them into poverty and homelessness.
• Making the holidays – and every day – brighter for children: Our employees lend their support to various organizations focused on making the holidays – and every day – a little brighter for children in need. 

The Disability and Rehabilitation Engineering program is part of the Engineering Biology and Health cluster, which also includes:

• the Biophotonics program;
• the Biosensing program;
• the Cellular and Biochemical Engineering program; and
• the Engineering of Biomedical Systems program.

The Disability and Rehabilitation Engineering program supports fundamental engineering research that will improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities through the development of new theories, methodologies, technologies, or devices. Disabilities could be developmental, cognitive, hearing, mobility, visual, self care, independent living, or other. Proposed projects must advance knowledge regarding a specific human disability or pathological motion or understanding of injury mechanisms. Research may be supported that is directed toward the characterization, restoration, rehabilitation, and/or substitution of human functional ability or cognition, or to the interaction between persons with disabilities and their environment. Areas of particular interest are neuroengineering, rehabilitation robotics, brain-inspired assistive or rehabilitative systems, theoretical or computational methods, and novel models of functional recovery including the development and application of artificial physiological systems.Emphasis is placed on significant advancement of fundamental engineering knowledge that facilitates transformative outcomes. The DARE Program encourages high-risk/high-reward proposals that surpass incremental technological improvements. The DARE Program also encourages participatory design and the inclusion of trainees with disabilities as part of the proposed research or broader impacts.Innovative proposals outside of the above specific interest areas may be considered. However, prior to submission, it is recommended that the PI contact the Program Director to avoid the possibility of the proposal being returned without review.NSF does not support clinical trials; however, feasibility studies involving human volunteers may be supported if appropriate to the project objectives. The development and application of artificial physiological systems that do not model functional recovery and instead improve fundamental understanding of physiological and pathophysiological processes would be appropriate for EBMS.More information can be found here.

The Energy, Power, Control, and Networks (EPCN) Program supports innovative research in modeling, optimization, learning, adaptation, and control of networked multi-agent systems, higher-level decision making, and dynamic resource allocation, as well as risk management in the presence of uncertainty, sub-system failures, and stochastic disturbances. EPCN also invests in novel machine learning algorithms and analysis, adaptive dynamic programming, brain-like networked architectures performing real-time learning, and neuromorphic engineering. EPCN’s goal is to encourage research on emerging technologies and applications including energy, transportation, robotics, and biomedical devices & systems. EPCN also emphasizes electric power systems, including generation, transmission, storage, and integration of renewable energy sources into the grid; power electronics and drives; battery management systems; hybrid and electric vehicles; and understanding of the interplay of power systems with associated regulatory & economic structures and with consumer behavior.

Areas managed by Program Directors (please contact Program Directors listed in the EPCN staff directory for areas of interest): Control Systems Distributed Control and Optimization Networked Multi-Agent Systems Stochastic, Hybrid, Nonlinear Systems Dynamic Data-Enabled Learning, Decision and Control Cyber-Physical Control Systems Applications (Biomedical, Transportation, Robotics) Energy and Power Systems Solar, Wind, and Storage Devices Integration with the Grid Monitoring, Protection and Resilient Operation of Grid Power Grid Cybersecurity Market design, Consumer Behavior, Regulatory Policy Microgrids Energy Efficient Buildings and Communities Power Electronics Systems Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Machines Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicles Energy Harvesting, Storage Devices and Systems Innovative Grid-tied Power Electronic Converters Learning and Adaptive Systems Neural Networks Neuromorphic Engineering Systems Data analytics and Intelligent Systems Machine Learning Algorithms, Analysis and Applications

The Engineering for Civil Infrastructure (ECI) program supports fundamental research that will shape the future of our nation's constructed civil infrastructure, subjected to and interacting with the natural environment, to meet the needs of humans. In this context, research driven by radical rethinking of traditional civil infrastructure in response to emerging technological innovations, changing population demographics, and evolving societal needs is encouraged.

The ECI program focuses on the physical infrastructure, such as the soil-foundation-structure-envelope-nonstructural building system; geostructures; and underground facilities. It seeks proposals that advance knowledge and methodologies within geotechnical, structural, architectural, materials, coastal, and construction engineering, especially that include collaboration with researchers from other fields, including, for example, biomimetics, bioinspired design, advanced computation, data science, materials science, additive manufacturing, robotics, and control theory.

Research may explore holistic building systems that view construction, geotechnical, structural, and architectural design as an integrated system; adaptive building envelope systems; nonconventional building materials; breakthroughs in remediated geological materials; and transformational construction processes. Principal investigators are encouraged to consider civil infrastructure subjected to and interacting with the natural environment under “normal” operating conditions; intermediate stress conditions (such as deterioration, and severe locational and climate conditions); and extreme single or multi natural hazard events (including earthquakes, windstorms, tsunamis, storm surges, sinkholes, subsidence, and landslides). Principal investigators are expected to bear in mind broader impacts associated with, for example, economic, environmental, habitant comfort, and societal benefits, which may include implications for resource and energy efficiency, life cycle, adaptability and resilience, and reduced dependence on municipal services and utilities.

Principal Investigators are encouraged to leverage NSF’s investments in the national experimental facilities of the National Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) program. Principal Investigators are also urged to make full use of resources available through the NHERI Cyberinfrastructure and NHERI Computational Modeling and Simulation Center awards, especially to both use and share experimental and simulation data, as well as computational models and simulation tools, to accelerate advances in engineering the constructed environment.

The ECI Program does not support research on mission agency responsibilities, such as nuclear power plants and energy-related infrastructure, transportation infrastructure (e.g., bridges and pavements), and natural resource exploration or recovery. The ECI Program also does not support research on: hazard characterization for and hazard mitigation of the impact of explosions, fire, blast loading, flooding, and solar wind and storms on civil infrastructure; sensor and measurement technologies; field instrumentation and monitoring; induced seismicity; and construction safety. Research on natural hazard characterization is supported through programs in the NSF Directorate for Geosciences.

Program Outline

Grants will be made to organizations supporting Middle and High School students participating or interested in advanced STEM programs and who ultimately want to pursue a college degree in a STEM-related field. Organizations that have invested in careful planning and consideration of various elements of their STEM program who are providing students with a comprehensive and engaging educational experience and who meet some or all of the below objectives should apply:

•  Basic Objective:
  • The supported programs’ primary goals should include but are not limited to, fostering a love for STEM, preparing students for college and careers in STEM fields, and promoting problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
• Curriculum Development:
• Have developed or are developing a rigorous and integrated STEM curriculum that aligns with national and state standards and could offer a mix of core STEM subjects, including mathematics, science, technology, and engineering.
• Integrate hands-on, project-based learning to encourage students to apply their knowledge and solve real-world problems.
• Include interdisciplinary courses that emphasize the connections between STEM disciplines and careers.
• Grade Levels and Progression:
  • Programs that are designed with a curriculum that progressively builds on concepts and skills year by year.
• Specialized Tracks:
  • Programs that offer specialized tracks within their existing framework, such as computer science, biomedical science, environmental science, or robotics, based on student interests and local industry demands.
• Highly Qualified Teachers:
  • Programs that emphasize hiring and retaining experienced, certified STEM teachers who are passionate about their subjects and skilled in project-based learning methodologies.
• State-of-the-Art Facilities:
  • Programs that have access to well-equipped laboratories, maker spaces, and technology resources for hands-on experimentation and innovation.
• Partnerships and Externships:
  • Programs that forge partnerships with local universities, research institutions, and STEM-based companies to provide students with opportunities for internships, mentorships, and real-world experiences.
• Enrichment Activities:
  • Offer extracurricular activities such as STEM clubs, science fairs, hackathons, and robotics competitions to extend learning beyond the classroom.
• Professional Development:
  • Provide ongoing professional development opportunities for teachers to stay current with STEM advancements and teaching methodologies.
• Assessment and Evaluation:
  • Develop a system for assessing student progress and program effectiveness. Consider using a mix of standardized tests, project assessments, and teacher evaluations.
• Parent and Community Engagement:
  • Involve parents and the community in STEM education by hosting events, workshops, and STEM-related family activities.
• Resources and Funding:
  • Organizations seeking funding should be able to show a history of secure and adequate funding through grants, partnerships, and budget allocations to support the program's infrastructure, materials, and technology needs.
• Continuous Improvement:
  • Establish mechanisms for continuous program evaluation and improvement based on feedback from students, teachers, and stakeholders.
• College and Career Guidance:
  • Provide college and career counseling services to help students navigate STEM-related educational and career paths.
• Showcase Achievements:
  • Celebrate student achievements and projects through exhibitions, showcases, and publications to inspire and motivate others.
• Adapt to Technological Advancements:
  • Stay current with emerging technologies and trends in STEM fields and update the curriculum accordingly.
• Sustainability:
  • Develop a long-term sustainability plan to ensure the program's viability over time understanding that the success of funded programs will depend on a collaborative effort involving educators, administrators, parents, and the community. Organizations should be regularly assessing and adjusting their programs to meet the evolving needs and interests of their students.

Amount

Grant awards for the STEM Stars program are capped at $25,000 per grant.

Program Outline

Grants will be made to schools and organizations interested in creating, implementing, and participating in a Teen Tech Competition within their school or a partner organization. The Teen Tech Competition aims to foster creativity, innovation, and problem-solving skills among its participants. The basic outline of the parameters of the event should include:

• Timeframe: The Competition can take place any time of the year and only once per year.
• Categories for the Competition:
  • Software Development
  • Hardware Design
  • Robotics
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • IoT or Internet of Things
  • Mobile App Development
  • Game Development
  • Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR)
• Age Groups:
  • Create age-specific groups, such as 10-12, 13-15, and 16-18, to ensure fair competition and age-appropriate challenges.
• Team Size:
  • Allow participants to compete individually or in teams. Teams can consist of 2-4 members.
• Registration:
  • Open a registration period well in advance of the competition date. Participants should provide necessary information, such as name, age, contact details, and category of interest. Our Foundation will furnish all registration forms for use.
• Competition Phases:
  • Ideation and Proposal (Pre-Competition): Participants submit project ideas, including a description, goals, and a plan for implementation. Judges evaluate the proposals and select the most promising ones to move forward.
  • Development Phase: Participants work on their projects. This phase can last for several weeks or months, depending on the complexity of the projects.
  • Mentorship and Workshops: To help participants enhance their technical skills and refine their projects, offer mentorship sessions and workshops led by experienced professionals.
  • Midway Checkpoint: Conduct a midway checkpoint where participants present their progress to judges and receive feedback.
  • Final Presentation: Participants present their completed projects to a panel of judges. This can be done through live presentations or pre-recorded videos.
• Judging Criteria:
• Establish clear and transparent criteria for judging the projects. Common criteria include:
• Innovation and Creativity
•  Technical Complexity
•  Practicality and Real-World Application
•  Presentation Skills
•  Problem-Solving Abilities
•  Teamwork (if applicable)
• Originality

Prizes and Recognition:

• Offer attractive prizes, certificates, and recognition to winners in each category and age group. Prizes can include tech gadgets, scholarships, internships, or mentorship opportunities.
• Sponsors and Partnerships: Seek sponsorships from tech companies, local businesses, or educational institutions to help cover the costs of organizing the competition and provide additional prizes and resources.
• Promotion and Marketing: Promote the competition through social media, local schools, tech clubs, and relevant online communities. Organizations are encouraged to create a website or online platform for registration and updates.
• Timeline: Plan a timeline for the competition, including registration deadlines, development phases, mentorship sessions, and the final presentation date.
• Event Day: Coordinate the final presentations either in person or virtually, depending on the circumstances. Invite the finalists and judges, and ensure a smooth and fair evaluation process.

Amount

Grant awards for the Teen Tech Competition are capped at $50,000 per grant.

About The La Crescent Community Foundation

In 1995, the City of La Crescent received several generous donations in honor of city councilman, Frank Kistler. Based on donor wishes, the city used the funds to support community projects. A committee of local citizens was formed by the City Council to manage and distribute the donations. That committee became the La Crescent Community Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Since then, the La Crescent Community Foundation has funded a number of efforts to benefit the community, and continues its mission today through endowments and trusts from funds raised to provide grants to a number of initiatives.

Grants - Our Projects

The La Crescent Community Foundation's first project was to assist the city in securing 32-acres of land along Jonathan Lane for creating Old Hickory Park. The group not only guaranteed funds for purchasing the land, but also worked with the Lions Club and the Rotary Club to secure a grant from the Department of Natural Resources which funded the entire purchase of the 32-acres of land.

The La Crescent Community Foundation has supported many other local projects including a new pool table for the Boys & Girls Club, materials for the gazebo at Vetch Park, improvements at the A.B.L.E. facilities in La Crescent, a founding and continuing sponsorship of the La Crescent FIRST Robotics High School Program, and funding towards the playground equipment at Old Hickory Park. 

We continue to fund a variety of other projects and needs as the community continues to development services, programs, events and initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life for people in the La Crescent area. Recent projects have included establishing a fund to support community-wide efforts to build an event center within La Crescent.

General Fund Grant Policy

We have targeted what we fund. Our goal is to support our Purpose and Mission Statements. Those statements are paraphrased as follows:

The purpose of the La Crescent Community Foundation, Inc. is to support charitable, recreational, scientific, literary, cultural, or educational purposes within the La Crescent area. Grants will be used for local improvement projects including, but not limited to, city beautification, improvement of the park system and local recreational areas, and other projects in response to community needs.

Rural Technology Education Grants

We provide grants for Rural Technology Education projects and Assistive Technology projects.  Most of our work manifests through our funding of teacher and student-led projects in public schools and libraries. Projects we fund are designed to help spark student interest in technology-based careers like computer science, computer engineering, information technology, programming, cyber security, robotics, or similar areas. In some cases, these project donations may include a few smaller items like a Raspberry Pi microcomputer or a robotics kit. In other situations, we partner with school districts to provide entire Maker Spaces equipped with things like circuit development kits, 3-D printers, robotics kits, and classroom sets of individual microcomputers to build upon. We also frequently fund early-stage robotics classes, teams, and clubs interested in project-based learning that culminates in competitive events like FIRST. There are several examples of projects have funded on our social media feeds and our impact page.

Our average grant ranges from $500-$2500. Larger amounts are considered for projects whose impact reaches large groups of students.

While we don’t have a perfectly rigid set of guidelines we apply toward selecting projects we fund, we do have a set of principles we use to make our decision. We typically fund rural projects that:

• Help introduce and teach students about computer technology. This includes computer science, programming, robotics, engineering, and design.
• Teach students to solve real-world, human service, and community impacting problems using computer technology.
• Are conducted by schools in rural or high-poverty areas.
• Are designed to reach multiple students within a school, equitably.
• Help establish ongoing student interest groups like maker spaces and coding clubs.

Coding and Robotics with a Cultural LensThe AISES SPRK-ing Interest in Computer Science (CS) program is a fun coding program that combines STEM and computer science to increase awareness, interest, and competency in STEM+CS among Indigenous K-12 students. The SPRK program uses cutting edge technology, powered by Sphero BOLT and Indi robots, that gets students out of their seats to experience real-world applications with hands-on STEM activities that incorporate their culture.

Participating Schools Receive:

• Sphero BOLT PowerPack that includes 15 Sphero BOLT Robots
• 15 Bluetooth capable tablets with the Sphero Edu app installed
• Virtual or on-site (depending on COVID-19 restrictions) 2-hour teacher/staff training, introducing teachers to Sphero Education resources and recommendations for incorporating Sphero and coding into curricula
• Virtual preparation or onsite (depending on COVID-19 restrictions) 2-hour activity for the students
• AISES’ SPRK-ing Interest Lesson Booklet
• Sphero Educator Guide
• Educator access to customized Sphero online training at the virtual Sphero Academy,
• Access to 100’s of BOLT activities and curriculum on Sphero Edu.

Guidelines for Capacity Building Grants

The Webber Family Foundation funds capacity building projects that:

• Are aligned with the Foundation’s mission and one of the four focus areas.
• Build the organization’s capacity to provide expanded, higher quality, and/or more sustainable services.
• Benefit predominantly low-income youth. This means at least 50% of the population served by the organization comes from families earning less than the median US family income, adjusted for family size.
• Benefit predominantly high-achieving youth. This means the focus of the organization or program is to help students who already exceed grade-level expectations develop their full potential. Accordingly, at least 2/3 of the population served exceeds grade-level expectations and/or exhibits superior aptitude.
• Operate in Austin TX.

Currently the Webber Family Foundation is not accepting unsolicited grant proposals from organizations located in and around Washington DC.

Grant Info

The Webber Family Foundation offers grants to organizations that are aligned with its mission of helping lower-income youth perform at the highest levels of achievement in academics and the arts. Currently there are three areas of focus:

• School readiness/early literacy
• Out-of-school time programs for grades 6-12
• Charter schools
• College readiness, access & persistence

Each is discussed below in more detail. The report: Achievement Trap: How America is Failing Millions of High-Achieving Students from Lower-Income Families published by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation in September 2007 may be useful in better understanding the Foundation’s areas of focus.

School readiness/early literacy for age 3 - grade 3

The objective of this initiative is to increase the number of lower-income students who enter Kindergarten as high-achievers (at or above grade-level norms) and achieve reading proficiency by third grade.

Grants will fund quality preschool programs that provide structured, school- or center-based education for children ages 3-5, with a focus on early literacy and parent engagement. Grants will also fund early literacy programs – for students in Kinder to 3rd grades – working to decrease the post-PreK fadeout that can occur once children enter the public school system.

Out-of-school time enrichment for grades 4-12

The objectives of this initiative are to increase the number of lower-income students who:

• Develop academic and artistic skill during out-of-school time enrichment.
  • We define enrichment as activities that extend learning beyond the content/expectations of the school curriculum.
• Enrichment could be academic (robotics clubs, book clubs, summer space camp, etc.) or in the arts (music lessons, screenwriting workshop, dance program, etc.).
  • Not included are remedial programs to help struggling students achieve grade-level expectations.

Grants will fund long-term, intensive programs that serve lower-income students in grades 4-12 who are exceeding grade-level norms. Specific interests include:

• Enrichment programs that help students fulfill their potential through academics and/or the arts. This initiative does not include development of leadership and/or social skills, mentoring (except in the context of academics or the arts), nor remedial programs to help struggling students achieve grade-level expectations. In the arts, grants will fund programs that allow students to study music, dance, visual arts, and/or theater in depth. Artistic skill development – not exposure – is the goal.

The objective of this initiative is to expand the capacity of outstanding charter schools that serve predominantly lower-income students. Grants will fund schools serving grades 4-12 that produce exceptionally well-prepared graduates.

Charter Schools for grades PreK - 12

The objective of this initiative is to expand the capacity of high performing charter schools that serve predominantly lower-income students.

Grants will fund schools serving grades PreK-12 that produce well-prepared graduates.

College Readiness, Access & Persistence for grades 6-12+

The objective of this initiative is to increase the number of exceptionally well-prepared graduates who enroll in and succeed in college.

Grants will fund college preparation and access programs serving middle and high school students. Grants will also support college persistence initiatives for organizations working in the 6-12 space.

Grant Sizes

Capacity Building Grants are one-year grants that allow an organization to improve its systems and/or operations in order to work better and more efficiently. Capacity building grants can benefit both direct-service organizations as well as backbone organizations leading systemic work in one or more of the Foundation’s current focus areas. Grant request amounts range up to $25,000 per year.

Future of Work Grant Program

The Russell Sage Foundation’s program on the Future of Work supports innovative research on the causes and consequences of changes in the quality of jobs for low- and moderately paid workers and their families in the U.S. We seek investigator-initiated research proposals that will broaden our understanding of the role of changes in employer practices, the nature of the labor market and public policies on employment, earnings, and job quality. We are especially interested in proposals that address questions about the interplay of market and non-market forces in shaping the wellbeing of workers.

RSF prioritizes analyses that make use of newly available data or demonstrate novel uses of existing data. We support original data collection when a project is focused on important program priorities, projects that conduct survey or field experiments and qualitative studies. RSF encourages methodological variety and inter-disciplinary collaboration. Proposed projects must have well-developed conceptual frameworks and rigorous research designs. Analytical models must be well-specified and research methods must be appropriate.

RSF priorities do not include analyses of health or mental health outcomes or health behaviors as these are priorities for other funders. For the same reason, RSF seldom supports studies focused on educational processes or curricular issues but does prioritize analyses of inequalities in student achievement or educational attainment

The kinds of topics and questions of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

Emerging Technologies and the Future of Work and Workers

• What are the effects of emerging technologies (including advanced communication systems, industrial robots, flexible manufacturing systems, computer-assisted design and manufacturing, and artificial intelligence-mediated decision making) on worker productivity, employment, employer decision-making, job skills, and labor-management relations? How do these effects vary with workers’ education, race/ethnicity, gender, immigration status, region, industry?
• When does automation contribute to replacement (or substitution) of human decision-making and when does it enhance it?
• How does reliance on algorithms in hiring and promotion affect opportunities for low-income workers?
• Can newly available data, such as those obtained through online employment sites, help us better understand changes in occupations, job skill requirements, hiring biases, or labor market shifts?

“The Big Shift”? Changes in Labor Force Participation and Increased Turnover During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

• To what extent have concerns about workplace health and safety issues, family pressures due to schooling and daycare uncertainty, remote work options, spatial relocation of workers, and changes in the meaning of work contributed to increased labor force exits and reduced entrances post-pandemic?
• Even though the economy has recovered from the pandemic-induced job losses, many workers are searching for new or different jobs. What factors have contributed to this shift?
• Has the pandemic changed workers’ perceptions about their work environment (e.g., remote work, flexible schedules, compensation)?
• To what extent did pandemic relief, expanded unemployment benefits, rent moratoria, student-loan forgiveness, and other public policy changes contribute to increased quits and reduced labor force participation?
• What changes in employer practices are likely to emerge from their experiences during the pandemic? To what extent will firms increase wages and job quality and to what extent will they accelerate the adoption of labor-saving technologies?
• To what extent has the pandemic encouraged union members to strike and nonunion members, including independent contractors, to seek to form unions or other forms of workplace representation or to otherwise pursue workplace changes?
• How does working from home affect worker wellbeing and productivity?
• How has the growth in remote work affected the geography of work, firms’ use of low and moderately paid workers and their reliance on independent contractors?
• To what extent does working from home contribute to (or interfere with) work-life balance? How do any effects vary with workers’ education, race/ethnicity, gender, immigration status, region, industry?

Labor Market Power and Institutions

• How have changes in the availability of stable jobs at good wages affected the likelihood that the children of working-class parents will graduate from college and/or move into the middle-class? How do these effects vary by race/ethnicity/immigration status/gender?
• How do perceptions about the workplace vary for workers with and without a college degree, women versus male workers, white workers versus workers of color?
• How might alternative governance structures affect the balance of power in employment relations? To what extent do labor organizing and collective action improve worker voice and labor market outcomes?
• What are the employment and wage effects of recent minimum wage increases on diverse groups of workers across industries and occupations and in various parts of the country?
• What has been the effect of mergers, inter-firm and noncompete agreements on labor market competition and wages?
• What are the causes and consequences of employer concentration of corporate power and their effects on employment and wages?
• What is the role of public policy in the amelioration of failures of labor market competition?
• How does the fissuring of the workplace impact the structure of the labor market and what are the implications for the preservation of middle-class jobs?

Workforce Development, Training, and the 21st Century American Workplace

• To what extent do labor market intermediaries, such as community colleges, temporary employment agencies, social service providers, and labor unions, promote job mobility and opportunity?
• When is re-training appropriate and effective? What policies have been effective for developing the skills of workers over the course of their careers?
• How do employers experience and respond to the challenges posed by technology, globalization, and demographic changes in the workforce?

Changes in Employer Practices and Alternative Work Arrangements

• How have changes in the incidence of nonstandard work arrangements, firm-to-firm contracting, and new business models that concentrate workers with similar skills levels in the same firm (sometimes known as “fissuring”) affected wage and nonwage compensation and other aspects of job quality? How have these effects varied by demographic group and contributed to the growth in inequality?
• To what degree do low- and moderate-income individuals turn to independent contracting or informal, nonemployee work arrangements to make ends meet? Has sporadic reliance on these types of work risen recently, and if so, why?
• The types of intermediated employment—which include temporary help firms, other contract firms, managed service providers, vendor services management, and online platforms—have grown in recent years. How do these arrangements affect the way firms recruit workers and their wages and benefits, employment, and longer-term career opportunities?
• With the difficulty businesses face in recruiting workers and, in some areas, the adoption of scheduling regulations, how have firms changed their practices to make work hours more predictable and stable? What are major barriers to changing scheduling practices?
• What kinds of data and partnerships (inter-agency and other) could clarify the scope of worker misclassification and inform enforcement?

Changing Economies, Changing Families and Policy Responses

• What have been the effects of recent work-family legislation in cities and states on employers, workers, and families, and how do they affect racial and gender inequalities?
• What changes in employer practices and government policies can foster flexible working conditions at good wages?
• To what extent have the demands and culture of the contemporary workplace affected working parents’ ability to maintain work-life balance?

Use of FundingFunding can be used for:

• research assistance,
• data acquisition,
• data analysis, and
• investigator time for conducting research and writing up results.

Grant Award

Trustee Grants are capped at $200,000, including 15% indirect costs, over a two-year period. Presidential Awards are capped at $50,000 (no indirect costs) over a two-year period. However, when research projects have special needs for gathering data (e.g., qualitative research or survey experiments), gaining access to proprietary or restricted-use data, or when the proposal budget includes salary support for multiple assistant professor PIs, applicants may request up to $75,000 (no indirect costs).

The AIAA Foundation believes that one of the most significant means to inspire and advance the future of Aerospace is to fund grants to meet the unmet and unfunded educational need of students. Each school year, AIAA awards grants of up to $500 to worthy projects that significantly influence student learning.

Grable Foundation

Dedicated to Improving the Lives of Children.

At The Grable Foundation, we believe in possibilities: that a child will experience something new that will change his or her life; that a teacher will have the resources to nurture students; that kids will play and learn and grow on their own time, in their own way, guided by a community of people and places keen to make these possibilities a reality. We provide support to organizations that improve the lives of children in the Pittsburgh region from early childhood through the formative years, inside the classroom and out. Are you willing to provide that spark, embrace the wonder of young minds and their infinite possibilities? If so, we welcome the conversation.

Areas of Focus

Early Childhood

Even before they start kindergarten, young children deserve to participate in rich learning experiences in high-quality settings, led by caring and well-trained adults. Parents should have access to the support they need to encourage their children's development.

Today’s children emerge into a world that presents ever greater opportunities for success. To grow as individuals, however, they need to be ready from the beginning. Early childhood programs, and the efforts that support them, are the stepping stones that will lead to later achievement as they provide moments of inspiration, support and learning. From a busy, high-quality child care center and family activities at the local library, to advocacy efforts and new developments in children’s media, we are inspired by the people and organizations ready and willing to nurture the next generation. It is our honor to partner with them.

Public Schools

From pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, schools should ignite students’ interests, stretch their abilities, and set the path toward a successful future. Students, teachers, principals, superintendents, parents, and community members each play a crucial role in this process.

Students from kindergarten through high school rely on capable, energetic teachers and visionary school and district leaders to create a learning environment where they can experiment, learn, and thrive. Even in the face of substantial pressures upon public education, we see great potential for innovative and engaging classroom experiences, teachers and school leaders who feel supported and inspired, and districts rethinking their approach to education in order to help young people be better prepared for a successful future.

Out-of-School Time

Children and youth should be able to choose from a variety of high-quality afterschool, summer, and mentoring programs that create vital opportunities for exploration, creativity, learning, and meaningful connections with caring adults.

The vast majority of children’s hours are spent not in the classroom, but out of school. Important learning and inspiration happen here too; that’s why Grable invests in high-quality afterschool programs, engaging summertime experiences, and mentoring programs that foster meaningful connections with caring adults. By exploring the arts, robotics, volunteerism, or a new physical challenge, kids can unlock new interests that inspire them to stretch and grow.

Families

Young people and their families should have easy and frequent access to innovative learning and play spaces, community resources that support their well-being, and celebrations and cultural events that delight them — all designed with kids in mind.

We are committed to helping Pittsburgh be the best place in the world to be a child or a parent. This depends, in part, on a wide and varied group of community resources and cultural institutions that embrace families. Playgrounds and playing fields, museums and libraries, performances and festivals — all of them offer opportunities for families to have fun and enjoy new experiences together. We also know children learn best when they are free from worries about hunger or safety at home, so we support organizations that attend to the well-being of children and their families.

Community

Children, families, and other caring adults should be able to draw upon a vibrant community of strong nonprofit organizations, capable leaders, and robust multimedia resources focused on helping them succeed.

The organizations and professionals who serve children and families also need care and support in order to thrive. We support collaborative networks that help leaders accomplish more together than they can alone, innovative multimedia programming that builds community understanding and support for children and learning, and efforts to strengthen the nonprofit sector so that it can continue its vital work.

Our Story

Serving our communities has always been an important piece of GPD Group’s culture. From volunteer relationships with local organizations around our offices to holiday giving programs, we have always believed that it is our responsibility to give back to the communities that have given us so much.

In 2014, GPD Group took our desire to give back to the next level and created “The GPD Employees’ Foundation,” a 501©(3) that focused on bettering the lives of children in our communities. Our Foundation awards grants to K-12 public schools that enrich the educational experience of all students and to local non-profit organizations that support children who are at-risk or who live with special and medical needs.

We believe that by focusing our efforts on improving the lives of children, we are, in turn, making a long-term commitment to the future of the communities we serve.

Due to our strong family values, we place a high value involving ourselves within the communities we live in and serve.

Mission

To encourage the enrichment of the public education experience for K-12 students and to support at-risk children or those with medical and special needs in the communities we serve.

Background

We are constantly inspired by the sheer number of great organizations and hard-working educators out there working hard to make a difference. While we wish we could give to everyone, it is important that we allocate our money to causes and people who align with our mission and who match the interests of our employees. Additionally, we know that our applicants are busy, and we don’t want anyone to waste time applying for a grant that does not align. 

Types of Programs We Fund

• Learning technology
• Special needs day camps
• STEAM programs
• Literacy programs
• Animal assisted therapy
• Hospital therapy programs
• Classroom supplies
• Art programs
• At-risk youth programs
• Field trips
• Foster care support
• Robotics
• Hygiene closets
• ADA assistance
• Music therapy
• Food programs
• Life skills programs
• …and more!

Japan Smart Healthy Aging QuickFire Challenge

Imagine a future where healthy aging is prioritized, and innovations drive transformative change.

In Japan, the population is aging faster than anywhere else in the world. With more than one in ten people now aged 80 or older for the first time, cutting-edge advancements may be more crucial than ever. Therefore, addressing frailty, a condition in older adults that increases their risk of poor health outcomes, is a top priority for research and innovation.

To help inspire innovations that can prolong healthy life expectancy in Japan and be leveraged globally, Johnson & Johnson launched the Japan Smart Healthy Aging Initiative (SHAI) aims to improve the lives of the aging population by working with other partners from hospital institutions, academia, government, business, and the healthcare industry, expanding both the breadth and depth of our offerings, and delivering a truly holistic approach to healthy aging. The platform serves to test, prove, and build holistic, data-driven smart healthy aging solutions.

In support of this initiative, Johnson & Johnson is proud to launch the Japan Smart Healthy Aging QuickFire Challenge 2024. Japan-based innovators and those from across the globe working on Japan-focused innovations are invited to submit promising science or technologies that aim to potentially increase healthy life expectancy – to help people live longer, happier lives. Innovations should focus on driving scientific progress within Japan and serving the needs of the Japanese population.

The submitted innovation must be centered on advancing science within the Japan region and benefitting the Japanese population.

What We’re Looking For

We are searching for innovators who share a vision where aging does not limit an individual’s ability to live a full and vibrant life.

Japan-based innovators and those from across the globe working on Japan-focused innovations are invited to submit promising science or technologies that aim to potentially increase healthy life expectancy. Innovations should focus on driving scientific progress within Japan and serving the needs of the Japanese population. We are specifically interested in advancements in:

Innovative Medicine

• Oncology
  • Breakthrough therapies and transformational approaches for bladder, lung, prostate, and hematological cancers
  • Technologies that improve prognostic forecast
  • Approaches for engaging with aging populations for recruitment to clinical trials
• Data Science & Digital Health Technologies
  • AI/ ML technologies to improve and accelerate therapeutics discovery
  • AI/ML-assisted precision medicine & digital health approaches to advance patient identification and enhance clinical development
  • Holistic evidence generation technologies to augment, and contextualize randomized controlled trials to inform decision-making

MedTech

• Vision
  • Cataract Surgery and IOL Technologies:
    • Extending range of vision, improved quality of vision, and optical adjustability
    • Streamlining cataract surgical workflow for improved efficiency and patient outcomes
    • Novel presbyopia correction technologies/treatments Inc. accommodating IOLs
  • Contact Lens Technologies:
    • Novel presbyopia solutions for improved range of vision
    • Ocular Drug Delivery Technologies for anterior and posterior segment diseases and ocular health
• Robotics and Digital: Enabling technologies such as AI, AR, analytics, navigation, robotics and tech-guided, smart sensors, and implants that aim to support advanced visualization and facilitate planning and decision-making in the treatment of complex diseases.
• BioMedTech: Development of biomaterials and biologics to enable early intervention and promote healing.

Awards

The innovator(s) with the best potential solutions will have the chance to receive grant funding from a total pool of $200,000, virtual access to the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Asia Pacific ecosystem for one year, and mentorship from experts across Johnson & Johnson.

About the Motorola Solutions Foundation

At Motorola Solutions, we are good citizens by design. Our work makes a difference in the critical moments that shape lives, businesses and the world, but our contributions don’t end there. The Motorola Solutions Foundation acts as the charitable and philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions and focuses on giving back to the community through strategic grants, employee volunteerism and other community investment initiatives. The Foundation is one of the many ways in which the company lives out its purpose to help people be their best in the moments that matter.

Grant Program Focus

The Motorola Solutions Foundation, which has donated $100 million over the past 10 years, aims to partner with organizations that are creating safer cities and thriving communities, and prioritizes underrepresented and/or underserved populations, including people of color and women, within the three focus areas below:

• Technology and engineering education
• First responder programming
• Blended first responder programming and technology/engineering education programs

Overarching Priorities

• Reach people of color, women and other underrepresented and/or underserved populations within our focus areas
• Leverage robust partnerships with other nonprofit organizations and institutions
• Support organizations that exhibit strong financial health
• Support organizations with data-driven evaluation methods, including quantifiable metrics

Focus Areas

First Responder Programming

• Provide leadership development and training opportunities for underrepresented first responders, including people of color and women
• Provide mental wellness and stress management trainings for first responders and their families
• Provide wellness and scholarship support to families of fallen first responders
• Prepare youth and young adults for careers in public safety through outreach, scholarship and educational programs
• Offer safety preparedness and response training to schools, adults, students and first responders
• Lead safety and disaster preparedness trainings for the public

Technology & Engineering Education

• Engage students in innovative, hands-on technology and engineering activities, such as design, coding and robotics
• Provide vocational skills, scholarships, certifications and workforce placement opportunities in engineering, information technology and data science
• Equip teachers with the skills and training necessary to enhance instruction in technology and engineering
• Prioritize school-aged students ages 8-18, college/university students and young adults

Mission

The Aaron & Rachel Meyer Memorial Foundation is a family operated private foundation established in 1964. Our mission is to improve the quality for people and animals in our region through local charitable organizations. Our family is dedicated and proud to support many local and regional charities throughout New Jersey and New York. The Aaron and Rachel Meyer Memorial Foundation has funded projects big and small, from a medical robot, giraffe beds for neonatal intensive care patients to local police and fire special projects and unrestricted funds to local human service organizations. This personal attention has led to many great relationships over the years. More importantly we have learned to appreciate many of the challenges facing non-profit organizations in the tri-state area and local communities.

Our philanthropy traditionally focuses on the areas of:

• Healthcare
• Research
• Education
• Animal Welfare

Purpose

To provide support to charitable organizations, which benefit the quality of life for families & society in general and primarily in Northeast New Jersey.

Social Impact

We’re building brighter futures through technology.

Every teen has dreams, and we’re working to make sure they have the opportunity to achieve them. Our programs connect young people with resources to realize their potential and channel their talent, energy and ideas into brighter futures. We believe that with technology, training and mentorship, anything is possible.

The Best Buy Foundation™ is on a mission to build brighter futures through technology.

By partnering with nonprofit organizations that share our focus on supporting young people through tech access, career training, and the cultivation of vibrant communities, we are better able to prepare the next generation for the tech-reliant jobs of the future. Together, we open a door that transforms teens from consumers to creators – a new generation of engineers, entrepreneurs, teachers, designers and dreamers.

Community Support

The Best Buy Foundation is committed to strengthening the communities where our employees and customers live. Every year, we provide funding to local and national nonprofit partners, schools and libraries to support tech education programs for underserved youth to help them prepare for the future.

Seattle Fund

Grant funding supports organizations serving teens through technical education and career training. Funding is available in two areas of focus: Career Pathways grants support out-of-school programming focused on career development, including and especially in fields related to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics); Teens & Tech grants encourage technological exploration for teens and young people. Please note that you may only apply to one program. Preference is given to programs that emphasize cutting-edge technology and/or promote rigorous tech-related curriculum; programs that include wraparound support for participants; and programs that encourage Best Buy employee volunteerism.

Teens and Tech programs

Teens and Tech programs that encourage teens to learn, experiment and collaborate with the latest technologies, developing skills and experiences to help them succeed in their careers, contribute to their communities and lead outstanding lives.

Programs should help teens build tech skills by utilizing cutting-edge technology such as computers, digital cameras, video cameras and professional software in a wide range of areas including, but not limited to

• Audio production (including music mixing & recording)
• Website development
• Computer maintenance and repair
• UX/UI (user experience/user interface)
• Digital arts, such as graphic design and photography
• Cybersecurity
• Mobile & game app development
• 3D Animation
• Programing & coding
• Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality
• Robotics
• Green technology

Grant Program Guidelines and Expectations:

• Engage youth from disinvested communities.

• Request amount must not exceed 49% of the program budget.

• Completion of an online impact report for program evaluation purposes. Components include program length, progress made towards goals, number of program participants and demographics, Best Buy volunteer engagement (if applicable), community collaboration, technology and work life skills gained, organizational change and teen engagement.

Career Pathway programs

The Best Buy Foundation seeks nonprofit partners that provide programming outside of school time that generates interest and awareness in tech-related careers, improves access to training, credentialing and employment and supports tech career progression. Our goal is to help teens from disinvested communities obtain the tech skills and training they need to be prepared for a successful career.

Grant Program Guidelines and Expectations:

• Build awareness of the program to drive youth participation.

• Ensure access to teens from disinvested communities to programs outside of school time.

• Request amount must not exceed 49% of the program budget.

• Completion of an online impact report for program evaluation purposes. Components include program length, progress made towards goals, number of program participants and demographics, Best Buy volunteer engagement (if applicable), community collaboration, technology and work life skills gained, organizational change and teen engagement.

The Catalyst Awards—part of the broader Healthy Longevity Global Competition—reward bold, new, potentially transformative ideas to improve the physical, mental, or social well-being and health of people as they age, in a measurable and equitable way.

The National Academy of Medicine (“NAM”), with support from Johnson & Johnson Innovation, the Bia-Echo Foundation, and the Yun Family Foundation, will issue up to 18 Catalyst Awards in 2024 to U.S.-based innovators. Each Catalyst Award includes a $50,000 cash prize as well as exclusive access to additional funding opportunities, occasions to connect and collaborate with innovators from around the world, amplification of your award-winning idea, and resources to enhance your project and professional development.

The NAM is currently seeking bold, new, and innovative ideas that aim to extend the human healthspan (i.e., the number of years lived in good health), especially approaches that challenge existing paradigms or propose new methodologies or concepts. High-risk ideas that could potentially yield high rewards and, in turn, dramatically change the field of healthy longevity are encouraged.

Ideas may focus on any stage of life, as long as they ultimately promote health, functioning, meaning, purpose and/or dignity as people age.

Applications may also originate from any field or combination of fields (e.g., biology, chemistry, medicine, engineering, behavioral and social sciences, technology, data science, and policy). Examples of topic areas include but are not limited to:

• Behavioral health (e.g., social connectedness, engagement, and well-being)
• Biology of aging and molecular pathways
• Built environment and urban planning
• Disease prevention, including biomarkers and indicators of disease
• Health care delivery (e.g., technologies simplifying access to care, elder care services)
• Housing (e.g., smart-enabled homes, intergenerational housing models)
• Physical health (e.g., mobility and functionality)
• Policy (e.g., economic, health, and science)
• Reproductive longevity and equality
• Technology (e.g., telehealth; artificial intelligence; robotics; medical, assistive, and information technology)

The NAM strongly encourages individuals with diverse backgrounds, ideologies, and perspectives to apply. Ideas or projects that aim to reduce health disparities, promote health equity, combat ageism, or apply human-centered design principles to engage older adults in the work, are also of strong interest to the NAM.

Twin Cities Fund

As a worldwide company headquartered in Minnesota, the Best Buy Foundation considers proposals from nonprofit organizations that serve the seven-county Twin Cities metro area, providing access to opportunities for teens through technology, and Arts and Culture organizations that add to the vibrancy of the Twin Cities area.

Teens and Tech Program Grant

The Teens and Tech program grant supports organizations that encourage teens to learn, experiment and collaborate with the latest technologies, developing skills and experiences to help them succeed in their careers, contribute to their communities and lead outstanding lives.

• Technologies include computing, robotics (robotics club funding is done through Best Buy Community Grants program), 3-D printing, digital photography, filmmaking and videography, graphic design, audio production, game development, programming and app development.

Mission

Founded in 1999, Creative Capital Foundation uplifts risk-taking, underinvested artists with unrestricted project grants, professional development, and community-building services to advance freedom of expression and foster sustainable careers. Known as the “gold standard in artist support,” Creative Capital Awards are made via a democratic, national open call process. 

Creative Capital Award & State of the Art Prize

The Creative Capital Award provides individual professional artists with unrestricted project grants for the creation of bold, innovative, original, and imaginative new artistic works in the Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Film and Literature. Multidisciplinary, technology, and/or socially engaged projects are welcome in all disciplinary categories. In addition to unrestricted project grants from $15,000 up to $50,000, the Award offers transformative professional development support including strategic advising, peer mentorship, industry connections, and community-building opportunities. Creative Capital engages Awardees over a five-year relationship, during which artists can utilize Creative Capital funding and services to complete their projects. Grants are awarded via a national, democratic, open call, external review process.

Through the Open Call process for the Creative Capital Award, Creative Capital will also select recipients of the State of the Art Prize, a new national, two-year initiative, which aims to recognize one artist residing in each U.S. state and its territories, with an unrestricted grant of $10,000 per artist. All applicants to the Creative Capital Award will be automatically considered for the State of the Art Prize and will be evaluated for the Prize using the same criteria; there is no separate application process. State of the Art Prize recipients will also have access to a suite of online professional development resources, including the Creative Capital Curriculum and Artist Labs, Artist Opportunities, and online community-building opportunities.

State of the Art Prize recipients may apply again to future open calls for the Creative Capital Award. However, artists who have already received the Creative Capital Award may not apply for the State of the Art Prize. Both the State of the Art Prize and the Creative Capital Award are one-time awards.

Project Disciplines

Applicants must select one primary discipline, and up to three sub-disciplines within that primary discipline.

The four primary disciplines and their respective sub-disciplines are as follows:

• Visual Arts:
  • Architecture & Design, Craft, Drawing & Illustration, Ecological Art, Installation, Painting & Printmaking, Performance Art, Photography, Public Art, Sculpture, Social Practice, Socially Engaged Visual Art, Sound Art, Technology, Video Art
• Performing Arts:
  • Dance, Jazz, Multimedia Performance, Music, Music Theater, Opera, Puppetry, Socially Engaged Performance, Technology, Theater
• Film:
  • Animation, Documentary, Experimental Film, Narrative Film
• Literature:
  • Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry

Visual Arts and Performing Arts applicants have the option of selecting “Technology” as one of their project’s three sub-disciplines if technology (including but not limited to: games, digital media, artificial intelligence, robotics, AR/VR, internet art, bio art, etc.) plays a significant role in the form of the work.

Manufacturing Workforce Training Grant

The Teshinsky Family Foundation (TFF) is dedicated to helping people develop skills for employment, education opportunities, and through them, personal liberty. TFF is seeking proposals to support workforce training for manufacturing careers. Grants will be awarded to select organizations whose programs best align with the TFF mission and goals.

Required Program Elements

• Training:
  • Training to acquire skills needed for jobs in manufacturing (including but not limited to: additive manufacturing, assembly, blueprint reading, CAD/CAM & other design software, CNC machining, composites, drilling, engineering for manufacturing, fabrication, industrial maintenance, industry 4.0, installation and service, LEAN processes, machine vision systems, material handling, mechatronics, milling & turning, painting for manufacturing, pneumatics and hydraulics, precision measurement, product technician, quality assurance, robotics, shop mathematics, tooling, welding).
  • Training to build skills needed to succeed in a professional manufacturing work environment leading directly to being hired in a manufacturing workplace and the ability to sustain employment long-term.
  • No cost for participants; Compensation/stipend for participants preferred.
• Employer Relations / Jobs Pipeline:
  • Relationships with area manufacturing employers leading to successful career placements in entry-level manufacturing with growth potential for program graduates.
  • Relevant and responsive training connected to specific manufacturers and their hiring needs. Direct involvement of employers in the training curriculum preferred.
  • Track record of a high percentage of career placement in sustainable manufacturing careers with benefits for program graduates.
• Case Management Services:
  • Services system to provide support and resources to program participants.
  • Intensive career counseling and career retention support.

Funding

One-time grants between $25,000 and $100,000 will be awarded in the following categories, specifically meant to increase effectiveness, efficiency, or growth:

• ​Program Grants - To cover direct training and program costs.
• Equipment and Capital Grants - To update equipment, purchase new equipment, and update or enhance facilities leading to more effective and efficient training.

​Funding amounts will vary depending on strength of application, need, program type, number of participants served, efficiency, track record and potential for growth. Future funding may be available, but these funds should be considered one-time only.

At Johnson & Johnson we believe good health is the foundation of vibrant lives, thriving communities and forward progress. We strive to not only innovate across MedTech and Innovative Medicine but to improve access and affordability to lifesaving and life-enhancing treatments and medical solutions around the world. We are able to do this because for more than 80 years, our commitment to helping people has been built into our mission statement and purpose.

Johnson & Johnson works across the innovative medicine and medical technology sectors to accelerate early-stage, transformational solutions by catalyzing the best ideas, wherever they are in the world. We do this by harnessing our deep scientific capabilities coupled with a wide range of tools, including customized deal structures, company creation, incubation and startup services, capital investments and other innovative business models that aim to meet the diverse needs of entrepreneurs, scientists, and emerging companies. Our goal is to help life science and health technology innovations thrive through collaboration and partnership with the global ecosystem, so that together we can change the trajectory of human health.

Polyphonic AI Fund for Surgery QuickFire Challenge

Imagine an operating room where artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, enabled by advanced connectivity and fueled by device, patient and surgical data seamlessly work together. This vision is becoming a reality as innovators seek to unleash the full potential of these advanced technologies to drive real-time insights and continuous learning.

Around the world, more than 330 million surgical procedures are performed each year. To help meet this great patient need, over 90% of hospitals and healthcare systems in the United States now have an AI or automation strategy, a significant increase from 53% in 2019. These digital technologies are emerging as game changers in surgical environments where every second matters, playing a pivotal role in transforming outcomes for patients. Through connected systems and fueled by real-time collection, integration and analysis of surgical data, surgeons aim to leverage these tools to drive efficiencies, inform decision-making, and extend surgical training and education across the surgical continuum.

The Surgery QuickFire Challenge: To help accelerate the use of AI in surgery, Johnson & Johnson MedTech has launched the Polyphonic™ AI Fund for Surgery QuickFire Challenge. Researchers and innovators in the Surgical Data Science field worldwide are invited to submit ideas for AI technologies that have the potential to improve surgical decision-making, strengthen data management & governance processes, and drive surgical efficiency across the connected operating room (OR).

At Johnson & Johnson, we seek to identify and source promising AI-driven innovation that has the potential to transform surgical care. This challenge builds on J&J MedTech’s commitment to progress what’s next in surgery to help improve patient outcomes.

• Selected applicant(s) will have the opportunity to receive grant funding up to $100,000 and mentorship from experts across Johnson & Johnson.* Awardees may also be eligible to receive computing tools and technologies to help advance their innovations, including access to: GPUs and related software for accelerated computing, cloud platform and application services, Machine Learning (ML) and AI modeling toolkits and other Software Development Kits (SDKs).

• Each participating company is limited to submitting one application per novel solution or technology. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and awardees will be announced quarterly through the end of 2026.

• We are interested in tangible innovations at a variety of stages – including ideation, prototyping, piloting, and commercial launches. Submissions should align with our focus areas and not be limited to academic research projects. 

Bell Textron Corporate Grant

We lift each other up to elevate what matters

We know that our work has the power to transform lives, and we always strive to go beyond what is expected. This is just as true for our responsibility to help our communities, our cities and other citizens of the world. 

Our corporate giving priorities:

• Supporting our Heroes: Military, Veterans & First Responder Initiatives
• Integrity. Trust. Respect. Commitment to excellence. We see these values in our current and former servicemen and women. They're our friends, our family, our coworkers and our heroes. We proudly support those who have served and continue to protect our communities and nation.
• Investing in our Future: Education & STEM Initiatives
  • Career days, STEM events, mentoring, robotics, drone competitions - we do it all. Our education committee and employees are always teaching and challenging students to be the creators and leaders of tomorrow.
• Inspiring Humanity: Health & Human Service Initiatives
  • We are committed to strengthening the communities where our employees work and live by forming strong partnerships with national and local non-profit organizations that focus on health and human services.

Funding

There is no limit to the amount for which you may apply. However, most of our grants fall within the $1,000 to $10,000 range.

John Deere and FIRST are united in our dedication to STEM for All by cultivating a culture of inclusion and belonging, enabling teams to drive innovation, foster creativity, and enhance decision-making capabilities. We encourage teams to advocate for and embody these values within their own team cultures.  As a FIRST Strategic Partner since 2016, John Deere's commitment to FIRST continues to grow through our John Deere Inspire global youth education program. In 2023, the Inspire program supported over 113,00 youth in eight countries and 36 John Deere home communities.  The John Deere Foundation provides support for FIRST teams and events in two ways:

• Providing funding to support FIRST strategic events and FIRST teams through this grant application and through FIRST Program Delivery Partners outside the U.S. and Canada for FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge. 
• Providing funding supporting our John Deere employee volunteers as FIRST mentors and event volunteers through our Power for Good, Employee Giving Program.  Employee earn rewards for the time they volunteer that they can donate to FIRST including to FIRST teams along with receiving 100% matches on any donations they make.

Funding levels will vary for new and returning teams based on team financial need. The grants cover costs normally paid to FIRST by teams such as team registration, robot kits or parts, and field setup kits. Examples of costs that are not covered with John Deere grants include registration for local FIRST events, open events, travel costs, and team shirts.

FIRST Tech Challenge

FIRST Tech Challenge students learn to think like engineers. Teams design, build, and code robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Robots are built from a reusable platform, powered by Android technology, and can be coded using a variety of levels of Java-based programming

Background

Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) is soliciting Expressions of Interest (EOI) for collaborative, multidisciplinary research at any time and for any location and year identified as an area of operation for R/V Falkor (too). EOIs and full proposals are accepted on a rolling basis and are reviewed twice per year. Investigators may request R/V Falkor (too)’s full berthing allotment for science in an EOI or may be partnered with additional projects at the full proposal stage to maximize the use of the vessel.

SOI provides investigators and teams with free access to the full range of the capabilities of R/V Falkor (too), its onboard scientific facilities, analytical tools, and lab equipment, as well as pertinent technical, operational, communications, and informational services. A requirement of this asset and support is the timely sharing of the data, research and development outcomes, and real-time sharing of expedition research.

SOI expects that investigators will provide the funds and associated resources to bring forth their research program and to meet the objectives of projects conducted aboard R/V Falkor (too). This includes salary, travel, shipping, and research analysis. Limited support is available for the provisioning of robotic platforms, sensors, instrumentation, high-performance shipboard computing, and open-source publication.

Research Priorities & Locations

Schmidt Ocean Institute’s (SOI) mission is to catalyze the discoveries needed to understand our Ocean, sustain life, and ensure the health of our planet through the pursuit of impactful scientific research and intelligent observation, technological advancement, open sharing of information, and public engagement at the highest levels of international excellence. SOI’s Strategic Framework describes seven topical areas for support aboard R/V Falkor (too): 

• Mapping the Seafloor: Including systematic mapping of uncharted regions, plate boundaries, deep sea floor environments and seamounts.
• Frontiers of Biodiversity: Including discovery and preservation of life, extreme environments, deep sea biodiversity, and microbiology.
• Stability of Ocean Health: Including research into poorly monitored marine gases and nutrient cycles, ocean carbon cycle, deoxygenation, and microplastics.
• Power of Nature: Including boundary layer dynamics, dynamical features, fine-scale physical processes, and vertical mixing.
• Exploring the Deep: Including full ocean depth exploration, trench and back-arc basins, volcanoes and hydrothermal vents, seamounts and deep-sea coral.
• Technologies for the Future: Including autonomous, remotely operated, coordinated robotics, biorobotics, biomimicry, brain-computer interface, smart, miniature, efficient technology, virtual and augmented reality, and intelligent use of data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
• Human Effect: Including characterization of the high-seas and deep-ocean, research and mitigation of marine pollutants, scientific study of deep sea resources, and solutions for mitigation of extreme anthropogenic climate impacts.

SOI is committed to supporting the fundamental representation of the populations from the geographies in which R/V Falkor (too) operates and strongly encourages the teams assembled for EOIs to meaningfully engage these communities in research planning, execution, outreach, and data-sharing activities.

Maximizing Vessel Utilization

Submitted EOIs should request the berthing required to meet research project goals, up to 25 science party members, including students. In cases where projects do not fully utilize all of the available berths aboard R/V Falkor (too), those projects, in collaboration with the investigators, may be matched with other proposed projects to maximize the use of the vessel. Those matched projects will be invited to submit a combined full proposal leveraging their strengths and meeting the objectives of all participants.

Data Management

The open sharing of data is a pillar of SOI’s Mission. All data collected by the suite of systems aboard R/V Falkor (too) will be openly shared by SOI. We encourage investigators to consider how all types of data sets collected during the proposed research cruise will be processed post-cruise, managed, and shared with the public. At the full proposal stage, investigators will be required to document their open data-sharing policies, plans, and commitments regarding any additional data collected by systems they bring aboard R/V Falkor (too).

Expedition Outreach

SOI will provide communications support, including the collaborative development of an expedition outreach plan aligned with SOI’s goals and the science team’s objectives. Investigators are invited to propose innovative outreach opportunities that complement SOI’s communications support, such as: 

• Citizen science projects, especially those with a regional focus.
• Technology development for outreach (e.g. websites, 3-D modeling, image tagging, AR/VR).
• Related curriculum or lesson plan development.
• Collaborations with educators, education institutions, museums, and aquariums.
• Collaborations with artists, art installation projects, or related arts-based activities.
• Featured stories or articles in magazines, papers, television programs, or documentaries.
• Multidisciplinary outreach programs or projects.