Royal Credit Union Small Business Grant

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites researchers to submit applications for support of clinical projects that address critical needs for clinical trial readiness in rare diseases. The initiative seeks applications that are intended to facilitate rare diseases research by enabling efficient and effective movement of candidate therapeutics or diagnostics toward clinical trials, and to increase their likelihood of success. This could be through the development and testing of rigorous biomarkers and clinical outcome assessment measures, or by defining the presentation and course of a rare disease to enable the design of upcoming clinical trials.

​The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection administers a Dairy Processor Grant program whose goal is to foster innovation, improve profitability and sustain the long-term viability of Wisconsin’s dairy processing facilities. Eligible applicants must operate a licensed dairy processing plant in Wisconsin engaged in pasteurizing, processing or manufacturing m​ilk or dairy products. Recipients are chosen through a competitive process. A total grant up to $50,000 is available per dairy processor per year. The dairy processor is required to provide a match of at least 20% of the grant amount.​

Work Immersion is an internship support program available to Rhode Island employers. It is designed to boost the employment prospects of new and returning workers (i.e., eligible students and unemployed or underemployed adults) through meaningful paid work experiences. It provides a 50% or 75% reimbursement for wages paid to eligible participants. All Rhode Island employers who meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the program guide may apply.

The DBIA Dairy Grants provide dairy farms and dairy manufacturing and processing businesses across 11 Midwestern states with reimbursement grants of up to $150,000 to support value-added projects, business diversification, and industry-wide initiatives. Administered by the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service, the program serves for-profit dairy businesses based in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Funding is offered through two grant tracks. -The Dairy Business Builder Grant: Awards reimbursements of up to $150,000 to small-to-medium farmers and processors for projects focused on dairy farm diversification, the creation of value-added products (such as cheese, yogurt, and beverages), enhancement of dairy by-products, or expansion of dairy export programs. -The Dairy Industry Impact Grant: Awards up to $100,000 for projects in targeted topic areas (e.g. dairy exporting and sustainability) that have the potential to positively impact the dairy industry as a whole. Applicants may apply to both grant programs in the same cycle if they have two separate qualifying projects, and may receive awards from both. Grants are issued as reimbursements after eligible project expenses have been incurred and documented; recipients have 12 months from the date of award to complete spending and submit reimbursement requests. Since launching in 2020, DBIA has distributed nearly $24 million across more than 290 awards to dairy farmers and processors throughout the region.

The Community Investment Fund provides Franklin County, Maine businesses, nonprofits, and individual entrepreneurs with grants of $5,000 to $15,000 to launch and grow projects that benefit the local community. Administered by the Greater Franklin Development Council (GFDC), the fund fills a gap identified by GFDC after evaluating what funding options are actually available to small operators in Franklin County (many block grants go to towns, county TIF dollars are restricted to unorganized territories, and innovation funding often requires a patentable product, leaving small operators without an accessible source of early stage capital). The fund is made possible through GFDC's funding accord with the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) transmission line, which reinvests a share of the transmission line's negotiated community benefits back into local businesses, organizations, and jobs across Franklin County. Projects must advance at least one of six focus areas: workforce development (training, credentialing, apprenticeships, recruitment and retention efforts), business expansion or creation (equipment, buildout, new product lines, new locations, new hires), organizational programming (new or expanded programs that serve county residents), entrepreneurial support (coaching, shared space, startup services, technical assistance), community development (projects that make the county a better place to live and work), or services for low-income residents (direct services that reduce cost, remove barriers, or expand access). Two themes run through all funded projects: innovative programming and job creation. To qualify, applicants must be a for-profit business operating in Franklin County, a nonprofit organization serving Franklin County, or an individual entrepreneur or resident with a project that meets the fund's purpose, with proof of Franklin County residency or operation required. A documented funding match is required for all applications, and applications with a higher match percentage score higher (personal funds, in-kind contributions, and other grants all count as match). Projects must run 12 months or fewer, with recipients required to submit a progress report at six months and a final report at twelve months. Applications include a project summary of 100 words, an alignment narrative of 300 words, and an impact and measurement narrative of 300 words, along with attachments including a project budget, letters of support, proof of Franklin County residency, and documentation of matching funds. Applicants are also expected to describe a defined return on investment (with estimates of margin, sales, volume, people served, or jobs created) and to name real risks and barriers to project success.