DIVISION OF RESEARCH
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Stimulus Bill)
Letter from Mark Rudin, Vice President for Research (pdf)
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) offers exciting opportunities for the advancement of research and education at Boise State University. New details are emerging quickly about federal agency funding priorities and application processes. This site has been created as a central clearinghouse to assist Boise State University’s research community to find straightforward information about stimulus funding.
Please continue to check this website for updates. The Division of Research will continuously refresh and upload this site as information becomes available or is revised.
TIMELINE
(from Office of Management and Budget, “Memorandum for the Heads of Departments and Agencies,” February 18, 2009)
2/25/09 – All federal agencies must have dedicated web pages on their websites which will link to Recovery.gov and provide a single portal for recovery efforts
3/9/09 – Federal agencies must post abstracts (synopses) of funding opportunities to Grants.gov
3/9/09 – 3/19/09 – Synopses must link to information about when the full announcement is expected to become available
3/19/09 – Agencies must post the full funding opportunity announcements to Grants.gov or FedBizOps (federal contracts/procurement)
Funding announcements will also be posted on Fastlane (NSF programs only) and Research.gov
FACTS ABOUT THE STIMULUS BILL:
- The Stimulus Bill invests $21.5 billion for federal research and development projects
- These funds are UNIQUE:
- The Act is fundamentally an economic stimulus package
- Intended to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery
- A one-time investment to boost economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health
- Agencies must distribute funds quickly with an emphasis on responsible investment
- All funds must be obligated by the agencies as of September 30, 2010
- Federal agencies must report funding decisions to the White House and to Congress by May, 2009
- Awards made by the recovery act will require more rigorous and transparent management such as frequent fiscal and programmatic reports
- Projects must demonstrate measureable outcomes directly related to ARRA objectives
- Agencies will likely prioritize continuations, renewals and supplements for existing successful projects
The Division of Research is here to help:
- Staff in the Office of Sponsored Programs are monitoring websites used by federal agencies to post funding opportunity announcements (grants.gov, fastlane.gov, research.gov, recovery.gov, FedBizOps.gov) and will issue information about those announcements on this website and via the fundingopps listserv (to sign up for the listserv, click here)
- OSP staff will verify and post additional Recovery Act information as it is received
- Senior research administrators in the Office of Sponsored Programs are available to help interpret funding opportunity requirements, develop proposal budgets and submit electronic proposals. Please contact your senior research administrator for assistance as soon as you know you are responding to a solicitation (link to OSP Quick Guide)
- College of Arts and Sciences: Lisa Nelsen, 6-1535, lnelsen@boisestate.edu
- College of Engineering: Lisa Jordan, 6-1425, lisajordan1@boisestate.edu
- All other colleges: Robert Buel, 6-4430, robertbuel@boisestate.edu
Tell us what you know
- Researchers at Boise State are “in the trenches” –if you learn anything that you believe would be of use to the Boise State University research community, please send a message to osp@boisestate.edu.
FUNDING HIGHLIGHTS:
National Science Foundation (NSF)
$2.5B for “research and related activities” partially identified as follows
- $300M for the Major Research Instrumentation Program
- $200M for Modernization (grants to repair renovate and replace obsolete science and engineering facilities)
- $400M for Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction
- $60M for Robert Noyce Scholarship program
- $25M for math and science partnerships
Expectations
- NSF plans to use stimulus funds to increase the number of successful proposals
- Will review unfunded proposals back to October 2008; there are approximately 3,000 proposals rated as “Very Good” to “Excellent” – will draw from these proposals for new awards
- NSF will not fund proposals that have been declined
- Standard grants issued will have 2-5 year project periods; all funds will be obligated in the first year
- Funding expected to be issued by July 2009
Other considerations
- Geographic distribution of funding will not be taken into account
- Additional fiscal and programmatic reports will be added to current reporting requirements
- NSF has also proposed to bring in more faculty rotators and Intergovernment Personnel Act (IPA) appointees to administer the stimulus funds. The agency may take on the rotator and IPA salaries. This would free up faculty positions at universities to enable them to hire new postdocs in spite of hiring freezes.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- NIH is receiving $10.4 billion, of which $8.2 billion is for extramural programs
- $1.3 billion to the National Center for Research Resources
- $1 billion for competitive awards for construction and/or renovation of research facilities
- $300 million for shared instrumentation, capital research equp
- $7.4B to the institutes and centers
- $800M to NIH Director
- New Challenge Grant program: grants to focus on health and science programs where progress can be expected within 2 years http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/challenge_award/
- $500,000 per year for two years (RFA yet to be released)
- Broad, cross-cutting research to advance science in a substantive way – programs that represent unique challenge to the discipline(s)
- Additional funding to be allocated at the discretion of the Director for “purposes that can be completed within two years”
- $400M Comparative Effectiveness Research (transferred from AHRQ- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
- The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute will receive about 10 percent of the $7.4 billion provided to NIH Institutes and Centers to support scientific research. This amount is proportional to the institute's share of the overall NIH appropriation
- Approximately $1.26 billion will go to the National Cancer Institute
- Approximately $405 million to the National Institute of Neurological
- Diseases and Stroke
- Approximately $175 million to the National Eye Institute
- Approximately $350 million to the National Institute of Mental Health
- There will be no stimulus funds set aside for Small Business Innovation Research or Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) projects.
Funding mechanisms
- Focusing on recently peer reviewed R01s – institutes will select from high meritorious projects that were under the pay line prior to the Act
- Supplements to current grants, which might be competitive or they might add equipment
- Jumpstart NIH Challenge program (above)
Other considerations
- Geographic distribution of funding to be balanced
- Projects must be effective with only TWO YEARS OF FUNDING – project aims and expenditures must be completed within two years
- Extensive reporting requirements – quarterly reports to contain information on local economic impact (i.e., new jobs and other metrics)
- Expects immediate hiring of personnel
- All PIs with pending applications should be reviewing projects to determine if aims can be adjusted or reduced to be accomplished within two years
- Contact Program Officers
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
- $1.6 billion to fund research
- Climate science, biofuels, high-energy physics, nuclear physics and fusion energy science
- $400 million to fund a new agency, the Department of Energy Advance Research Projects Agency established to support high-risk, high-payoff research on energy sources and energy efficiency in collaboration with industry.
- $2.5 billion for energy efficiency and renewable research, development, demonstration, and deployment programs.
- Clean fossil energy technology will receive $3.4 billion dollars and $800 million will be spent on biofuels research.
- The Office of Science will receive $1.6 billion dollars for facilities renovation, basic research, and advanced scientific computing.
- ARRA also makes supplemental appropriations for the Energy Policy Act (EPACT) of 2005 Section 721, which authorizes the establishment of a competitive grant pilot program to be administered through the Clean Cities Program, to provide up to 30 geographically dispersed project grants to state governments, local governments, and/or metropolitan transportation authorities in partnership with an active designated Clean Cities Coalition.
NASA
- $1 billion overall
- $400 million for science
- $150 million for aeronautics
- $50 million cross-agency
- $400 million for exploration
National Institute of Standards and Technology
NIST will receive $610 million, a portion of which will be dedicated to the following priorities:
- $220 million for NIST laboratory research, measurements, and other services supporting economic growth and U.S. innovation through funding such items as competitive grants; research fellowships; and advanced measurement equipment and supplies;
- $180 million for a competitive construction grant program for funding research science buildings outside of NIST;
- $20 million in funds transferred from the Department of Health and Human Services for standards-related research that supports the security and interoperability of electronic medical records to reduce health care costs and improve the quality of care via the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act
Additional information about the HITECH Act:
The "Research and Development" component of the Act will be managed by a joint partnership between NIST and NSF (National Science Foundation). The Act requires that NIST, in consultation with NSF, establish a program to assist higher education institutions in establishing multidisciplinary Centers for Health Care Information Enterprise Integration, the purpose of which is to use cutting-edge research to develop health information technologies and to generate innovative approaches to integrating health care information systems. The bill specifies certain grant application requirements.
Note: The Information Technology Professionals on Healthcare component of the Act will be administered solely by HHS.
Information Technology Professionals on Healthcare
The US Department of Health and Human Services is directed to provide assistance to higher education institutions to establish or expand medical health informatics education programs, including certifications, undergraduate, and masters degree programs, for both health care and information technology students. Allowable activities include, but are not limited to, developing and revising curricula in medical health informatics and other related fields; recruiting and retaining students to the programs; acquiring necessary instructional equipment; and establishing bridge programs between community colleges and universities. Priority in assistance must be given to existing education and training programs, and programs designed to be completed in less than six months.
Funds are appropriated as necessary for fiscal years 2009-2013.
For institutions participating in the “information technology professionals on healthcare” program, HHS is authorized to provide financial assistance for 100 percent of the costs to establish information technology training programs.
All funds must be expended by September 30, 2010.
Section of ARRA that pertains to HITECH (pdf - scroll down to the bottom of this document)
Information about other federal agencies implementation of ARRA will be posted as it is made available.
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
- NEA has received $50 million from ARRA to support projects that focus on the preservation of jobs in the arts. The funds will be split between state arts agencies, regional arts organizations and competitive grants to nonprofit organizations.
- Local, state, and regional arts agencies and organizations are expected to sub-grant a portion of the funds they receive to individual institutions.
- The organizations offering sub-grants have also been urged by NEA to have an early April deadline for applications. NEA's website http://www.nea.gov/partner/state/SAA_RAO_list.html lists the relevant groups that will be eligible for this funding.
- Direct questions to the discipline staff http://www.arts.gov/grants/apply/GAP10/Contacts.html appropriate to your project.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- USDA has received a total of $28 billion in ARRA funding
- $50 million for the Aquaculture Assistance Grants Program
- $20 million for Rural Business Development Grants
- $2.5 million for Distance Learning, Telemedicine, & Broadband Loan Program to expand broadband access.
U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC)
- $7.9 billion for economic development and job creation.
- The Economic Development Administration (EDA) received $150 million for grants to economically distressed areas to generate private sector jobs
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
- $300 million to develop energy-efficient weapons technologies
- $120 million for the Energy Conservation Investment Program.
U.S. Department of Education (ED)
- ED's portion of ARRA funding is approximately $81.1 billion. The majority of this funding, approximately $53.6 billion, will be awarded directly to states under the State Stabilization Fund
- Of the $53.6 billion, approximately 81.8 percent of the funds must be used for education-related expenses.
- 18.2 percent must be used for other government services, including "modernization, renovation, or repair of public school facilities and institutions of higher education (IHE) facilities, including modernization, renovation, and repairs that are consistent with a recognized green building rating system."
- $13 billion for Title I, Part A grants to states and school improvement grants
- $12.2 billion for special education grants to states, preschool grants and grants for infants and families-all under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
- $650 million for education technology grants
- $300 million for teacher quality, with $200 million for the Teacher Incentive Fund and $100 million for Teacher Quality Partnership Grants
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- $59 billion allocated for the following areas:
- scientific research and facilities
- community services and early childhood education programs
- community health
- and health information technology.
- The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will allocate $2.5 billion through the following mechanisms:
- $500 million for grants to community health centers
- $1.5 billion for grants for construction, renovation, equipment, and acquisition of health IT systems for health centers and health center controlled networks
- $500 million for scholarships, loan repayments, and grants for training program equipment to address health professions workforce shortages.
- The Administration for Children and Families (ACF)'s
- $2 billion package will largely go to states for the Child Care and Development Block Grant to provide child care assistance for low-income families. Of that amount, nearly $256 million will fund activities that support the quality of child care services including training, education and other professional development activities to enhance the skills of the child care workforce, and $94 million will support activities that improve the quality of infant and toddler care.
- $1 billion for Head Start and $1.1 billion for Early Head Start of which 10 percent will be used for training and technical assistance (programs in which IHEs may take part); $1 billion for selected activities under the Community Services Block Grant which provides for state child-care services for low-income families; the grant requires that 90 percent of the state awards be administered to eligible private and public entities; and $50 million for cooperative research and demonstration projects related to programs authorized under the Social Security Act.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- $2.8 billion under ARRA to fund border protection, aviation security, bridge construction and repair programs, and railroad and port security assistance
- $100 million for Non-Intrusive Inspection technology
- $1 billion for explosives detection systems and checkpoint screening equipment through the Transportation Security Administration
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- $13.6 billion. Approximately 75 percent has already been awarded to state and local jurisdictions.
- Remaining funding will be awarded through grant competitions over the next few months.
- $4.8 billion for Promoting Energy Efficiency and Creating Green Jobs
- $5.2 billion for Supporting Shovel-Ready Projects and Assisted Housing Improvements
- $3.5 billion for the Promoting Stable Communities and Helping Families Hardest Hit by the Economic Crisis.
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
- $4.8 billion allocated from ARRA
- $3.95 billion for Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs including Adult Employment and Training Activities; Youth Activities, including summer jobs; Dislocated Worker Employment and Training Activities; Program of Competitive Grants for Worker Training and Placement in High Growth and Emerging Industry Sectors; and YouthBuild Activities
- $400 million for Employment Service Grants to States
- $120 million for Community Service Employment for Older Americans
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
- DOT has received a total $26.6 billion for states and local transportation authorities to repair and build highways, roads, and bridges. Many of these projects, totaling more than $750 million, will start in late March.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- $7.22 billion for projects and programs to promote green jobs and a healthier environment
- The Brownfields Grant Program received $100 million to clean up former industrial and commercial sites and $600 million for the cleanup of hazardous sites.