Black Girl Ventures Pitch Program

The Digital Sandbox KC Grant provides early-stage technology entrepreneurs and startups in the Kansas City region with up to $20,000 in proof-of-concept funding to support the development and validation of new digital technology innovations. Administered by the Technology Venture Studio within the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Innovation Center and supported by partners including the Missouri Technology Corporation, the program is designed to help founders advance early-stage concepts toward commercialization and prepare them for follow-on funding. Awardees are selected quarterly and, in addition to funding, receive critical project feedback, mentorship, and industry support. Funds may be used for proof-of-concept needs such as project personnel and consultants, market research and validation, equipment, prototyping, and beta testing. Notably, the program does not fund businesses directly — instead, approved projects are funded through a contract between Digital Sandbox KC and a project vendor selected by the client business, and that vendor cannot hold any ownership stake in the company. The program broadly serves new innovation in information technology, with past recipients working in areas such as mobile apps, big data, software platforms, hardware, tangible products, and health care IT.

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) invites applications for Clinical Research Center Grants designed to advance the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and amelioration of human sensory and communication disorders. For this announcement, Clinical Research is defined as research involving individuals with a sensory and/or communication disorder, or data/tissues from individuals with a sensory and/or communication disorder. Examples of such research include but are not limited to, studies of the prevention, pathogenesis, pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, management or epidemiology of a disease or disorder of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, or language. Although the intent is that all the research will involve individuals with sensory and/or communication disorders or data/tissues from individuals with sensory and/or communication disorders, when the clinical research goal(s) warrant(s) limited departures from this intent, alternatives (e.g., non-human research, human subjects without a sensory or communication disorder, human at risk for a sensory and/or communication disorder) are possible with appropriate and strong scientific justification and in consultation with NIDCD staff. Applications may propose a low-risk clinical trial but are not required to (optional).

NC IDEA offers two grant programs to startups in North Carolina: IDEA Micro Grants and IDEA Seed Grants. NC IDEA MICRO: Through small, project-based grants, NC IDEA MICRO awards $10K in funding to startups actively moving their companies forward by validating assumptions and developing a business model. We have found that funding, paired with mentorship and guidance, early in a company’s lifecycle, can make a significant impact on future success. NC IDEA SEED: NC IDEA SEED offers early stage companies the critical funding they need to scale faster. Our $50K grants are awarded to innovative startups with a proven concept — even if they are not yet profitable. The funds, along with mentorship and guidance, push companies forward and reduce risk associated with growing startups.

The Workforce Training Fund Program provides Massachusetts businesses with funding to train current and newly hired employees. Administered by Commonwealth Corporation, the goal of this program is to strengthen business productivity, competitiveness, and the state's pipeline of skilled workers. The program offers four grant pathways tailored to different training needs: the Express Program, which provides fast, smaller-scale grants for just-in-time training using a pre-approved directory of training options and no waiting period between awards; the General Program, which funds larger, customized, strategic training initiatives for employers of any size who work with training vendors of their choice; the General Program ESOL Bridge Grant, which allows organizations that have completed (or are completing) a General Program grant supporting English language learners to continue ESOL training through the standard one-year waiting period; and the Technical Assistance Grant, offered on a limited basis to expand training opportunities for employees.

The MIOSHA Workplace Improvement to Safety and Health (MIWISH) Grant awards Michigan employers a dollar-for-dollar matching grant of up to $5,000 to purchase safety and health-related equipment and equipment-related training. Administered by the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) under the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, the program is designed to create safer, healthier workplaces and reduce the risk of injury and illness to Michigan workers. Eligible expenses include equipment such as eyewash stations, fall protection systems, machine guarding, lockout/tagout systems, noise monitoring equipment, and lifting equipment for small nursing care facilities, along with related training on the use of that equipment. To qualify, employers must have 250 or fewer employees company-wide, fall under MIOSHA jurisdiction, complete a site-specific evaluation justifying the equipment purchase, and demonstrate the knowledge and commitment to fully implement the project. The grant period begins annually on October 1, with awards made on a first-come, first-served basis until funding is exhausted. The program operates on a reimbursement basis, and grants are limited to one award per company. Preference is given to employers in high-hazard industries identified in the current MIOSHA Strategic Plan and to applications aligned with current MIOSHA emphasis programs.