Alachua Small Grant Initiative

The Bend Small Business Assistance Grant Program provides Bend, Oregon small businesses with grants to strengthen operations, invest in employees, improve services, adapt to changing conditions, and invest in climate-smart projects. Administered by the City of Bend's Economic Development Department, the current program cycle offers a total of $130,000 to be distributed among qualifying businesses, allocated across two tracks: $100,000 for economic development projects and $30,000 for climate and sustainability projects. Individual grant amounts are determined based on project scope, funding requests, and available program funds. Eligible projects fall across six broad categories: Business Growth and Customer Engagement (such as website updates, online sales tools, marketing and outreach, customer service enhancements, and multilingual communication materials), Employee Development (workforce training, professional certifications, leadership development, and employee retention tools), Operations and Technology (technology upgrades, cybersecurity improvements, financial system improvements, business planning and consulting, and HR or compliance support), Business Resilience (business continuity planning, risk reduction projects, supply chain improvements, and economic or environmental preparedness), Planning and Innovation (market research, feasibility studies, strategic planning, and product or service testing), and Climate and Sustainability Projects (energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy planning, waste reduction initiatives, transportation improvements, and environmental tracking and reporting tools). Eligible uses of grant funds include professional services and consultants, employee time dedicated to the project, equipment, tools, and technology, training and certifications, marketing and communications, translation services, project supplies, technical studies and assessments, and environmental planning and support services. To qualify, businesses must be registered in Oregon, hold a current City of Bend business registration, employ 50 or fewer people, operate within the City of Bend, and propose a project that benefits business operations in Bend and supports program goals. Applications are reviewed by City staff for eligibility and completeness, then evaluated by either the Bend Economic Development Advisory Board (for economic development projects) or the Environment and Climate Committee (for climate and sustainability projects). Staff develop funding recommendations, and the City Manager makes final award decisions. Applications are scored across five categories: Project Impact (42 points), Business Capacity and Readiness (12 points), Feasibility (12 points), Alignment with Program Goals (12 points), and Equity and Accessibility (12 points), for a total of 100 possible points. Grant recipients are required to provide project updates every six months for two years following award. Businesses applying for climate-related projects are encouraged to first explore incentives available through utility and energy-efficiency programs (including Energy Trust of Oregon and Central Electric Cooperative) and explain in the application how those opportunities were considered before requesting grant funding.

The GO TEXAN Marketing Enhancement Grant Assistance (MEGA) Program is designed to provide grant funds to GO TEXAN partners to assist with the marketing and promotion of certified Texas agricultural products, including those that have been produced, processed, or otherwise had value added to the product in Texas; certified Texas non-agricultural products; Associate GO TEXAN Registrants; and the GO TEXAN Program. Applicants may request up to $40,000 for promotional activities, such as direct mailing campaigns, newspaper advertisements, tradeshow fees, and website creation. Qualifying products must be products produced, processed, or value added in Texas. Selected grant projects will receive funding via cost reimbursement.

The KeyBank Foundation is investing $300,000 to support small businesses and commercial property owners located in the city of Rochester’s EMMA and Beechwood neighborhoods. The program will provide grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 for capital improvements such as façade upgrades, lighting, signage, interior repairs, accessibility enhancements and safety improvements—projects designed to immediately improve the appearance, functionality and walkability of neighborhood business corridors.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites applications for Diabetes Research Centers (DRCs) that are designed to support and enhance the national research effort in diabetes, its complications, and related endocrine and metabolic diseases. The purpose of this Centers program is to bring together basic and clinical investigators to enhance communication, multidisciplinary collaboration, and effectiveness of ongoing research in Diabetes Research Center topic areas. By providing shared access to specialized technical resources (research cores) and supporting a Pilot and Feasibility Program (P&F), DRCs are intended to create an environment that provides the capability for accomplishments greater than those that would be possible by individual research project grant support alone. New Center programs that bring in diverse perspectives, propose unique scientific themes, or provide innovative resources are encouraged. Emphasis will be placed on Center programs that propose enhanced synergies with other NIDDK-funded programs as well as providing a rich mentoring environment for future diabetes researchers.

The Local Agriculture and Seafood Act Grant Program supports a variety of activities associated with promoting the growth and sustainability of local food and seafood industries in Rhode Island. Maximum grant awards are $20,000 for qualifying farms, businesses, and individuals. Funding priorities include, but are not limited to, new or existing agricultural or fishery businesses, new product development, safety improvements, or the development of new marketing, promotion, sales, and distribution channels.