Tools

Federal Funding Opportunities

The Federal Funding Opportunities database contains a curated summary of existing federal programs supporting broadband and smart city projects. Community leaders familiar with federal funding programs should explore the database below and follow the links provided to the relevant agency site for further details. Sectors covered in the database include: Transportation, Big Data, Infrastructure, Energy, Healthcare, Broadband, Economic Development, Education, Public Safety and Information Technologies.

For users who are less familiar with federal funding programs the Opportunity Wizard to the right offers a quick way to identify the best funding for your projects.

Find your perfect funding opportunity

Answer 5 easy questions and find federal funding for your project.

funding

Newton Award for Transformative Ideas during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Agency
Department of Defense (DOD)
Sector
Advanced Manufacturing, COVID-19
Deadline
Closed
Proposals should aim to produce novel conceptual frameworks or theory-based approaches that present disruptive ways of thinking about fundamental scientific problems that have evaded resolution, propose new, paradigm-shifting scientific directions, and/or address fundamental and important questions that are argued to be undervalued by the scientific community.
Go visit Newton Award for Transformative Ideas during the COVID-19 Pandemic

funding

Accelerating Innovative Mobility (AIM) Challenge Grants

Agency
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Sector
Information Technologies, Transportation
Deadline
Closed
FTA through this grant is seeking to fund development and demonstration projects that can accelerate the development, implementation and adoption of innovative technologies, practices, and service models to improve mobility and promote accessibility, including equitable and equivalent accessibility for all travelers.
Go visit Accelerating Innovative Mobility (AIM) Challenge Grants

funding

Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP): Assistive Technology to Promote Independence and Community Living

Agency
Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services
Sector
Broadband, Digital Inclusion, Healthcare, Information Technologies, Infrastructure, Innovation, Public Safety
Deadline
Closed
NIDILRR seeks to fund development activities toward assistive technologies that help people with disabilities – particularly seniors with disabilities -- maintain or improve their independence and quality of life in their homes and communities.
Go visit Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP): Assistive Technology to Promote Independence and Community Living

funding

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase II

Agency
Department of Commerce (DOC)
Sector
Economic Development
Deadline
Closed
The statutory purpose of the SBIR Program is to strengthen the role of innovative small business concerns (SBCs) in Federally funded research or research and development (R/R&D). Specific program goals are to: (1) stimulate technological innovation; (2) use small business to meet Federal R/R&D needs; (3) foster and encourage participation by socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses and by women-owned small businesses in technological innovation; and (4) increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal R/R&D, thereby increasing competition, productivity, and economic growth.
Go visit The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase II

funding

Ocean and Coastal Mapping Centers

Agency
Department of Commerce (DOC)
Sector
Education, Education & Workforce, Environment, Information Technologies, Infrastructure, Public Safety
Deadline
Closed
The purpose of this notice is to solicit proposals for a single cooperative agreement between NOAA and an institution of higher learning. This center will focus on coastal and ocean research, applied hydrography, disaster response, forecasting, remote sensing technologies, and graduate education.
Go visit Ocean and Coastal Mapping Centers

funding

University Transportation Centers Program Tier 1 Competition 2020

Agency
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Sector
Education, Information Technologies, Infrastructure, Transportation
Deadline
Closed
RFP Summary provided by the agency The UTC Program advances the state-of-the-art in transportation research and technology, and develops the next generation of transportation professionals. The Congressionally-mandated program has been in place since 1987 to help address our nation’s ever-growing need for the safe, efficient and environmentally sound movement of people and goods. Each UTC is…
Go visit University Transportation Centers Program Tier 1 Competition 2020

funding

NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program – Augmented Reality

Agency
Department of Commerce (DOC), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Sector
Public Safety
Deadline
Closed
This program seeks applications from eligible applicants for activities to enhance augmented reality (AR) capabilities in support of first responder operations. The PSIAP-AR aims to attract experts and innovators from industry and academia to focus on conducting research and development of visual interfaces using AR technology, and improve the general usability and ecosystem of AR applications and technology built around the public safety use case.
Go visit NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program – Augmented Reality

funding

NIST Manufacturing USA National Emergency Assistance Program

Agency
Department of Commerce (DOC)
Sector
Advanced Manufacturing, COVID-19
Deadline
Closed
Funding will be awarded to eligible Manufacturing USA® institutes, a network of 14 public-private partnerships that work with academic and private sector manufacturing organizations on research and development and manufacturing skills training. Each institute focuses on a particular advanced manufacturing specialty such as biofabrication, 3D manufacturing or advanced functional fabrics.
Go visit NIST Manufacturing USA National Emergency Assistance Program

funding

Lab-to-Market Inclusive Innovation Ecosystem Prize Competition

Agency
Small Business Administration (SBA)
Sector
Innovation
Deadline
Closed
This prize competition aims to highlight successful examples of innovation ecosystems, particularly existing resources that support underrepresented communities or remarkable responses to the pandemic environment. The prize competition will also recognize the most impactful ideas for using prize funds to develop strong connections and support within the research and development (R&D) innovation ecosystem.
Go visit Lab-to-Market Inclusive Innovation Ecosystem Prize Competition

funding

Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Sector
Big Data, Information Technologies, Innovation
Deadline
Closed
RFP Summary provided by the agency Sustainable regional systems are connected urban and rural systems that are transforming their structures and processes collaboratively with the goal of measurably and equitably advancing the well-being of people and the planet. The purpose of the SRS RNs competition is to develop and support interdisciplinary, multi-organizational teams of investigators and sta…
Go visit Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks

funding

Connected Communities

Agency
Department of Energy (DOE)
Sector
Energy, Information Technologies, Infrastructure, Innovation
Deadline
Closed
The Connected Communities funding program will select projects that will demonstrate how groups of buildings combined with other types of distributed energy resources (DERs), such as electric vehicle (EV) charging and photovoltaic (PV) generation, can reliably and cost‐effectively serve as grid assets by strategically deploying efficiency and demand flexibility. It is a collaborative effort across three Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) offices—the Solar Energy Technologies Office, Vehicle Technologies Office, and Building Technologies Office—and the Office of Electricity.
Go visit Connected Communities