Best Lake County Grants for Nonprofits in Montana

About Us

Wisconsin Sea Grant is a statewide program of basic and applied research, education, outreach and technology transfer dedicated to the stewardship and sustainable use of the nation’s Great Lakes and ocean resources.

Headquartered at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the institute is housed in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research’s Aquatic Sciences Center. (See our Water and Land Acknowledgement.) Wisconsin Sea Grant is part of a national network of 34 university-based programs funded through the National Sea Grant College Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce and through matching contributions from participating states and the private sector. 

John A. Knauss Marine (and Great Lakes) Policy Fellowship

The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program is accepting applications from graduate students statewide for the National Sea Grant College Program’s John A. Knauss Marine (and Great Lakes) Policy Fellowship Program. The program, established in 1979, provides a unique educational experience to applicants who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. The program matches highly qualified graduate students with “hosts” in the legislative and executive branch of government located in the Washington, D.C. area, for a one year paid internship. Placement opportunities are numerous and very diverse and have typically included offices within Congress, the Executive Office of the President, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Departments of State, Treasury, Transportation, and Energy, in addition to others. Applicants from a variety of backgrounds including natural and social sciences, law, engineering, and communications can be competitive for this fellowship. Fellowships begin June 1, 2027.

The DoW Rare Cancers Concept Award for FY26 promotes groundbreaking ideas in rare cancer research. This award encourages innovative applications that explore novel courses of investigation without requiring preliminary data. Unique to this program is the prohibition against mentioning the Principal Investigator or collaborators in the proposal materials, ensuring an unbiased review process. This funding opportunity aims to advance scientific discovery in the rare cancer domain.

The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) aims to enhance broadband access and adoption on Tribal lands, supporting initiatives for remote learning, telework, and telehealth. Administered by NTIA, this program provides vital funding to eligible entities under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. This funding is crucial for fostering digital inclusion and improving connectivity in underserved Tribal communities.

The Native Entities Grant Program, initiated by NTIA under the Digital Equity Act of 2021, aims to support Indian Tribes, Alaska Native entities, and Native Hawaiian organizations. This program streamlines funding through a unified application for two significant initiatives: the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant and the Digital Equity Competitive Grant. By focusing on reducing administrative burdens, it enhances access to digital resources and equity in underserved communities.

The DoW Bone Marrow Failure Idea Development Award supports innovative, high-impact research aimed at understanding and curing bone marrow failure diseases. This grant is available to both Established Investigators and Early-Career Investigators, with no preliminary data required for applications. Reviewers assess proposals based on specific criteria tailored to the investigator's career stage. The focus is on achieving interpretable results that contribute significantly to the field.

The DoW Bone Marrow Failure Investigator-Initiated Research Award supports innovative research aimed at advancing the understanding and treatment of bone marrow failure. This funding opportunity encourages applications for translational and clinical studies, requiring preliminary data to strengthen proposals. Unique features include the ability for a partnering Principal Investigator to contribute to the research, thereby fostering collaboration while maintaining a focus on significant advancements in patient care.

The DoW Rare Cancers Idea Development Award promotes innovative research ideas for rare cancers, encouraging applicants to provide preliminary data and exploratory aims. This funding opportunity, offered by the US DOD: U.S. Army Medical Command, seeks projects with the potential for high-impact findings that can significantly benefit the patient community. It aims to foster new avenues of investigation and support discovery-driven research in the field of rare cancers.

The 2026 Rare Cancers Research Program Resource and Community Development Award aims to enhance rare cancer research through improved resources and datasets. It addresses critical gaps in research resources, communication strategies, and data sharing infrastructures. Key features include engaging patient advocates throughout the research process and ensuring sustainability of community platforms. This funding opportunity emphasizes community building and the dissemination of findings to benefit scientific and patient communities alike.

The FY26 Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program's Military Medical Research and Development Award aims to fund the continuation of previous Department of War-funded research addressing high-priority medical needs for Service Members and Military Health System beneficiaries. It supports various projects, including late-stage preclinical studies and clinical research. Eligibility requires prior DOD funding, and a Clinical Research Option is available for studies involving human subjects or biological samples.

The FY26 Bone Marrow Failure Research Program's Resource Development Award aims to create a multiomic atlas from human bone marrow failure samples. This resource will be open-access, providing essential data for researchers and clinicians to enhance their understanding of bone marrow failure diseases. A comprehensive Data Resource Sharing Plan is required to ensure timely availability of the developed resource, fostering collaboration within the scientific community.

The DoW Kidney Cancer Early-Career Scholar Award is a unique initiative by the Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators, established in FY19. It aims to foster innovative kidney cancer research through a mentoring program that pairs early-career scholars with experienced mentors. This program not only enhances research capabilities but also builds a robust network of kidney cancer researchers. By supporting promising scholars, the initiative aspires to advance the field and improve treatment outcomes for kidney cancer patients.

The FY26 Parkinson’s Research Program Investigator-Initiated Research Award supports innovative, multidisciplinary research projects aimed at advancing the understanding and treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The award encourages collaboration among multiple principal investigators, requiring preliminary data and allowing clinical trials to enhance research outcomes. This initiative is vital for fostering impactful discoveries within the four specified focus areas of the program, ultimately improving patient care and management.

The FY 2027 DoN HBCU/MI Program aims to enhance the research capabilities of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions. This initiative promotes innovative solutions to naval science challenges while engaging students and faculty in STEM fields. Key objectives include strengthening research infrastructure and fostering collaborative efforts across institutions. White papers are due by September 18, 2026, and should clearly outline the proposed advancements in naval-relevant science and technology.

The FY26 Kidney Cancer Research Program's Idea Development Award supports innovative research that enhances understanding of kidney cancer, aimed at improving patient outcomes. Proposals should feature a strong hypothesis and a detailed research plan, with team members experienced in kidney cancer research. A unique aspect is the Partnering Principal Investigator option, fostering collaboration between two investigators, ensuring comprehensive project development while allowing for distinct submissions. This award emphasizes impactful partnerships to drive advancements in the field.

The FY26 Parkinson’s Research Program (PRP) Early Investigator Research Award supports early-career researchers in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research. It offers two funding levels: Level 1 for fellows requiring a Mentor and Level 2 for independent investigators. The PI must show potential in PD research, with Level 1 emphasizing mentorship and Level 2 needing preliminary data. Research must align with one of the four FY26 PRP Focus Areas, excluding clinical trials.

Economic Development Grants

Montana’s CDBG Economic Development Program is designed to stimulate economic development activity by assisting Montana’s private sector to create or retain jobs for LMI Montanans. Specifically, this includes individuals earning less than 80% of the area median income.

The program can assist businesses by awarding grants to local governments and making fixed-rate financing available to those businesses at low interest rates. In addition, the program can offer payment deferrals, lower first-year payments, and interest-only payments.

Businesses work with local governments to apply to the program, and the local government then loans to an eligible business or grants to a nonprofit. CDBG-ED funds are intended to be used in situations where a funding gap exists and alternative sources of public and private financing are not adequate.

The focus of the program is to support the creation or retention of full-time permanent jobs for Montanans. Loan amounts are based on the number of employees a business will retain or the number of new positions to be created. Loan terms are determined according to the use of funds and the businesses financial position. The business must ensure that at least 51% of the jobs are made available to, or held by, individuals earning less than 80% of the area median income.

The DOW Combat Readiness – Medical Research Program's FY26 Translational Research Award supports innovative research aimed at improving trauma care outcomes. This program emphasizes hypothesis-driven studies that can transition promising technologies into practical solutions for enhancing casualty survivability. Applicants must provide preliminary data and utilize validated animal models, with a focus on projects that meet a minimum technology readiness level of 4, ensuring a mature translational research effort.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is funding research to enhance drug susceptibility testing (DST) for mycobacteria. This initiative aims to improve testing for tuberculosis (TB) and non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections, which are on the rise. Current methods are slow and ineffective against drug-resistant strains, making rapid DSTs essential for effective treatment and reducing transmission rates. Innovative approaches, including rapid genotypic and phenotypic methods, will be supported to address these challenges.

The Childhood Asthma in Urban Settings Clinical Research Network (CAUSE) aims to enhance asthma prevention and treatment in economically disadvantaged pediatric populations. Funded by the NIH, CAUSE supports multi-site clinical studies to identify innovative strategies and treatment targets for asthma. Utilizing systems biology, the network seeks to discover specific disease endotypes suitable for new therapeutic approaches, addressing the high burden of asthma in urban settings.

The BRAIN Initiative seeks to develop innovative tools and approaches for neuroscience research, focusing on cell-specific and circuit-specific processes within the central nervous system. This initiative encourages projects that enhance our understanding of brain architecture and function through novel technologies for characterizing neural components and advancing methods for recording and modulating neural activity. Applications are invited to address significant challenges and promote transformative breakthroughs in neuroscience.

The National Institute of Mental Health is inviting research applications for the AIDS Research Center program, which includes Developmental Centers and full Research Centers. This initiative aims to enhance interdisciplinary HIV/AIDS research through collaboration and innovative approaches across various scientific domains. The program emphasizes alignment with national strategies and encourages applications from teams skilled in fostering partnerships with diverse stakeholders. Although applications are currently not being solicited, this notice allows potential applicants time to prepare strong proposals.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is advancing research on immune tolerance through its Collaborative Network. This program aims to clarify the mechanisms of immune tolerance and develop interventions for related diseases, including transplant rejection and autoimmune disorders. Key objectives include conducting clinical trials on tolerogenic strategies and refining immune assays. This initiative is supported by regulations under the Public Health Service Act, ensuring a structured approach to improving patient outcomes.

The Clinical Data, Safety and Statistical Centers (CDSSC) program, supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), aims to enhance clinical research through comprehensive support. This includes statistical analysis, protocol development, and oversight of safety monitoring in studies related to asthma, autoimmune diseases, and transplantation. By coordinating these efforts, the program seeks to facilitate impactful research outcomes and improve public health outcomes through informed data-driven decisions.

The Translational Transplantation Tolerance Cooperative Study Group, supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, aims to advance transplant tolerance strategies that promote long-term graft survival without lifelong immunosuppression. This initiative focuses on developing, optimizing, and evaluating methods to induce immune tolerance in allogeneic transplants through collaborative efforts across multiple centers, utilizing translationally relevant models to ensure effective outcomes.

The NIAID aims to enhance our understanding of the interplay between chronic and infectious diseases through innovative precision systems biology research. By utilizing advanced technologies such as multi-omics and artificial intelligence, the initiative focuses on uncovering critical pathways that connect infections to chronic health issues. This multidisciplinary approach leverages longitudinal patient data to inform and improve prevention and treatment strategies, ultimately seeking to provide insights into disease progression and host-pathogen interactions.

The Asthma and Allergic Diseases Cooperative Research Centers (AADCRC) program, supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), aims to enhance research on asthma and related allergic diseases. This initiative fosters multi-center, multidisciplinary research to explore disease mechanisms and treatment responses. By promoting clinical trials and observational studies, the AADCRC seeks to advance understanding and improve interventions for conditions such as asthma and food allergies, ultimately benefiting public health.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is advancing organ transplantation outcomes through the Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation in Children and Adults (CTOT-CA) program. This initiative supports multicenter clinical trials and mechanistic studies related to heart, lung, kidney, liver, and intestinal transplants, as well as non-hematopoietic cellular transplantation. By exploring immune mechanisms and innovative therapies, the program aims to enhance the success and efficacy of organ transplantation.