Simons Foundation: COVID-19 Microgrants for Nonprofits That Promote Science Engagement

The Simons Foundation will award microgrants to science engagement-focused nonprofit organizations that face operations and staffing challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Awards will be unrestricted, with informal, low-touch reporting requirements. The program is open to existing and previous Science Sandbox awardees and other organizations within the science communication field.

The Foundation recognizes that COVID-19 has disproportionately affected Black and Hispanic/Latinx communities. The application form will require applicants to describe their efforts to reach these communities. Organizations that serve these communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Amount: Up to 10 $25,000 awards will be made.

Eligibility: Small to medium-sized grassroots nonprofit organizations.

Deadline: October 26, 2020.

Link: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/2020/10/12/announcing-covid-19-microgrants-for-nonprofits-that-promote-science-engagement/ ... See more

Announcing COVID-19 Microgrants for Nonprofits That Promote Science Engagement on Simons Foundation

National Geographic: COVID-19 Remove Learning Emergency Fund for Educators

The National Geographic Society recognizes that educators, who are among the many dedicated individuals on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, are pioneering new ways of teaching so that students can continue learning. Educators are doing much more than simply adapting their approach in a socially distant and remote learning world. Educators are pushing boundaries, testing new skills, and advancing learning in profoundly new ways. They are discovering new solutions to enrich your teaching and help students understand the significance of the moments they are currently living through.

Specific interests include:

* Use the power of science, social studies, and/or geography to help students understand the challenges and impacts of pandemics such as COVID-19
* Use the power of science, social studies, and/or geography to help educators teach social and/or environmental justice
* Adapt one of National Geographic’s science or social studies units for elementary, middle, or high school audiences (refer to our online Resource Library) to address your curricular needs and for use in a hybrid learning environment and develop a teacher’s guide accordingly
* Draw on the concepts and pedagogy in the National Geographic Learning Framework or the National Geographic Geo-Inquiry Process to design instructional resources or projects that meet the goals of this opportunity
* Design innovative methodologies and practices for science, social studies, and/or geography teaching and learning in a hybrid environment
* Design innovative ways to bring the world to students and help them bridge their personal experiences to a more global perspective on critical issues (e.g., pandemics, social or environmental justice, racial justice, sustainability, climate)
* The resources developed via this funding must be scalable across different schools and communities and will be made accessible to all educators through the National Geographic Society website.

Amount: $1,000-$8,000 to individual educators (or to an individual educator working in collaboration with other educators or National Geographic Explorers) to design instructional resources that help educators effectively teach in remote or hybrid learning environments. Priority for this opportunity will be given to educators working in communities that have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic, and who have not previously received National Geographic funding.

Eligibility: K-12 (or equivalent) teaching professionals worldwide who work, including the following:

* Classroom teachers of any subject
* Instructional leaders/teacher coaches
* Teacher specialists
* Special education teachers
* Informal educators

Deadline: Rolling.

Link: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/funding-opportunities/grants/what-we-fund/covid-19-emergency-fund-educators/ ... See more

The National Geographic Society recognizes that educators, who are among the many dedicated individuals on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, are pioneering new ways of teaching so that students can continue learning.

U.S. Department of Commerce: Sprint Challenge

The Sprint Challenge seeks to support regional innovation economies to address the economic, health, and safety risks caused by the coronavirus pandemic through entrepreneurship and innovation. The Challenge will support the development, creation, or expansion of programs that accelerate technology-based economic development in pursuit of vibrant, innovative economies and economic growth, and respond to the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

* Applicants should articulate a clearly defined strategy to leverage grant funds to support one or more of the following activities to help address the needs of and unique operating environment necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic:
* Scaling innovative biotechnology, health security, and supply chain technologies and solutions to market
* Increasing regional, national, and government connectivity across innovation clusters to support commercialization and entrepreneurship
* Developing new and unique investment capital models to address the financial needs of entrepreneurs
* Developing and scaling innovative entrepreneurship support models to address the pandemic's virtual and remote work environment

Amount: $25,000,000 is available to make awards of up to $500,000 over a 12-month period of performance or up to $750,000 over an 18-month period of performance.

Eligibility: District Organization of an EDA-designated Economic Development District; Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian Tribes; state, county, city, or other political subdivision of a state; an institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education; or public or private non-profit organization or association acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision of a state.

Deadline: December 3, 2020

Link: https://www.eda.gov/oie/sprint/ ... See more

EDA is excited to announce that the SPRINT Challenge is now live and accepting applications! Applications are due December 3, 2020 by 11:59 pm EST. For more information, please access the Notice of Funding Opportunity.