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

STEM Talent Challenge

Agency
Department of Commerce (DOC), Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Sector
Advanced Manufacturing, Agriculture, Economic Development, Education & Workforce, Information Technologies, Innovation
Deadline
Closed
The STEM Talent Challenge aims to increase STEM talent training systems to strengthen regional innovation economies. This competition seeks applications from eligible applicants that are creating and implementing STEM talent development strategies that complement their respective region’s innovation economy, particularly as they relate to emerging, transformative sectors and future industries such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, advanced manufacturing and robotics, space exploration and commerce, bioscience, quantum information science, and aqua- and agricultural technologies.
Go visit STEM Talent Challenge

funding

FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Build Back Better Regional Challenge

Agency
Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Sector
Advanced Manufacturing, Broadband, Economic Development, Education & Workforce, Entrepreneurship, Information Technologies, Infrastructure, Innovation
Deadline
Open
Build Back Better is a two-phase competition to (1) help regions develop transformational economic development strategies and (2) fund the implementation of those strategies that will create and grow regional growth clusters.
Go visit FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Build Back Better Regional Challenge

funding

FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks

Agency
Department of Commerce (DOC), Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Sector
Economic Development, Research
Deadline
Closed
This grant will fund the development of economic development plans that identify new or existing industry clusters that would benefit from specific infrastructure, studies, and/or workforce investments to facilitate rapid expansion of such industry clusters.
Go visit FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks

funding

Cyberinfrastructure for Sustained Scientific Innovation (CSSI)

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Sector
Big Data, Education, Information Technologies, Infrastructure, Innovation, Research
Deadline
Closed
The Cyberinfrastructure for Sustained Scientific Innovation (CSSI) umbrella program seeks to enable funding opportunities that are flexible and responsive to the evolving and emerging needs in cyberinfrastructure (CI).
Go visit Cyberinfrastructure for Sustained Scientific Innovation (CSSI)

funding

NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program (PSIAP)

Agency
Department of Commerce (DOC)
Sector
Public Safety
Deadline
Closed
The NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program 2022 (PSIAP-2022) is seeking applications to accelerate research and development (R&D) around the use of mission critical voice (MCV), location-based services (LBS), and user interface/user experience (UIUX) for improving public safety communication technologies.
Go visit NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program (PSIAP)

funding

NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program (PSIAP) - Mission Critical Voice

Agency
Department of Commerce (DOC)
Sector
Broadband, Information Technologies, Infrastructure, Innovation, Public Safety
Deadline
Closed
The mission of the NIST Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) Division is to research, develop, and test technologies to improve first responder communications and operations. PSCR created this funding opportunity to stimulate external research and development (R&D) activities addressing critical technology gaps identified by stakeholders and to build a public-safety-focused R&D ecosystem with long-lasting impact.
Go visit NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program (PSIAP) - Mission Critical Voice

funding

FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Good Jobs Challenge

Agency
Department of Commerce (DOC), Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Sector
Economic Development, Education & Workforce, Workforce Development
Deadline
Open for at least 30 days
This ARPA Good Jobs Challenge NOFO is designed to help get Americans back to work by developing and strengthening regional systems to develop and execute sectoral partnerships that will lead to well-paying jobs. The goal of regional workforce training systems is to create and implement effective employer-driven training programs that will connect the existing and emerging skills needs of employers with workers and will help workers find and keep quality jobs and advance along their chosen career path.
Go visit FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Good Jobs Challenge

funding

FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Good Jobs Challenge

Agency
Department of Commerce (DOC), Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Sector
Community Development, Economic Development, Education & Workforce, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Workforce Development
Deadline
Closed
EDA’s American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge aims to get Americans back to work by building and strengthening systems and partnerships that bring together employers who have hiring needs with other key entities to train workers with in-demand skills that lead to good-paying jobs.
Go visit FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Good Jobs Challenge

funding

NOAA Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase II

Agency
Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Sector
Advanced Manufacturing, Big Data, Energy, Infrastructure, Innovation
Deadline
Closed
The Department of Commerce (DOC) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) invites small businesses to submit research proposals under this NOFO. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program is not a substitute for existing unsolicited proposal mechanisms.
Go visit NOAA Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase II

funding

E-Rate Program/ Universal Service Program for Schools and Libraries

Agency
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Sector
Broadband, Education, Education & Workforce
Deadline
Open
This program helps schools and libraries to obtain affordable broadband under telecommunication services and internet access to a school or library, and services that deliver Internet access within schools and libraries (internal connections, basic maintenance of internal connections, and managed internal broadband services).
Go visit E-Rate Program/ Universal Service Program for Schools and Libraries

funding

Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program

Agency
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
Sector
Education & Workforce, Information Technologies, Research
The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (LB21) supports developing a diverse workforce of librarians to better meet the changing learning and information needs of the American public by: enhancing the training and professional development of library and archives professionals, developing faculty and library leaders, and recruiting and educating the next generation of library and archives professionals.
Go visit Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program

funding

National Leadership Grants for Libraries

Agency
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
Sector
Community Development, Digital Equity, Education & Workforce, Research
Deadline
Open
This program is designed to support projects that address critical needs of the library and archives fields and have the potential to advance practice in these professions to strengthen library and archival services for the American public. Projects are expected to generate results such as new models, new tools, research findings, services, practices, and/or alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend and leverage the benefits of federal investment.
Go visit National Leadership Grants for Libraries

funding

FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Economic Adjustment Assistance

Agency
Department of Commerce (DOC), Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Sector
Big Data, Broadband, Community Development, COVID-19, Economic Development, Education & Workforce, Entrepreneurship, Information Technologies, Infrastructure, Innovation, Workforce Development
Deadline
Open for at least 30 days
Grants made under this program will help hundreds of communities across the nation plan, build, innovate, and put people back to work through construction or non-construction projects designed to meet local needs.
Go visit FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Economic Adjustment Assistance