Youth Social Entrepreneurs

[From Philanthropy News Digest] Each year, YouthActionNet selects twenty young social entrepreneurs to participate in its Global Fellowship Program. Participants are chosen for the program based on their records of success in achieving positive change in their communities, their innovative approaches, and their ability to mobilize their peers and community members in support of their social change efforts.

The year-long fellowship program includes a seven-day leadership retreat, year-long skills-building programs and resources in leadership and organization management, and networking opportunities.

The program is open to all young people between the ages of 18 and 29 (as of September 1, 2010). Applicants must be the founder or co-founder of an existing organization, or a project within an organization, with a demonstrated one-year track record of leading societal change. Proficiency in English is required; applications must be submitted in English.

Applicants must be available to attend the program's full retreat, October 1-8, 2010, in Washington, D.C. (all expenses paid).

Visit the YouthActionNet Web site for complete program guidelines and an application form.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Small biz and clean energy report

WASHINGTON – The Department of Energy today released a new report highlighting the benefits of the Recovery Act to small businesses throughout the clean, renewable energy industry and environmental management sector. The report found that as of early March 2010, small businesses have been selected to receive nearly $5.4 billion in funding across a number of Recovery Act and related programs, including loans, loan guarantees, grants, contracts and tax incentives, in partnership with the Department of Treasury. The report highlights 26 small businesses in a range of clean energy technologies, such as wind, solar, biofuels, along with critical new infrastructure, like Smart Grid, advanced batteries, energy storage, and energy efficiency tools. It also notes small businesses that are helping advance responsible environmental clean-up efforts.

Read the full report.

Scholarships for Federal careers

[From Philanthropy Today] The Robertson Foundation for Government is establishing a scholarship fund to encourage graduate students to pursue careers in federal service, The Washington Post reports.

The foundation, operated by heirs to the A&P supermarket fortune, will provide full financial support to students in the fields of national security, foreign policy, and international development who pledge to work at least three years for a federal agency within five years of graduating. The foundation will select four or five partner universities in the coming weeks, director Bill Robertson said.

The Robertson family was involved in a protracted donor-intent fight with Princeton University during the past decade over Princeton's use of a $35-million, 1961 gift intended to prepare students for careers in public service. The case was settled last year, with the university agreeing to pay some $60-million to the foundation.

Read a Chronicle of Philanthropy article about the Robertson/Princeton dispute.

Small Business Technology Program

The small business programs stimulate technological innovation in the private sector by strengthening the role of small business concerns in meeting Federal research and development needs, increasing the commercial application of federally supported research results, and fostering and encouraging participation by socially and economically disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses.The Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) requires researchers at universities and other research institutions to play a significant intellectual role in the conduct of each STTR project. These university-based researchers, by joining forces with a small company, can spin-off their commercially promising ideas while they remain primarily employed at the research institution.

Small Businesses Helping Investigators to Fuel the Translation of Scientific Discoveries

Purpose. The primary objectives of the SHIFT SBIR initiative are: (1) to foster research that is translational in nature and (2) to transform academic scientific discoveries into commercial products and services. Academic researchers can be a driving force for new products and services in a small business concern (SBC). A major feature of the SHIFT program includes the requirement for an investigator who is primarily employed by a United States research institution at the time of application to transition to a small business concern (SBC) and be primarily employed (more than 50% time) by the SBC by or at the time of award. A SHIFT SBIR grant enables an SBC to increase both its scientific research staff and its core competencies. The Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) may also facilitate SBC licensing of intellectual property (IP) from the PD/PIs prior academic institutions, promote collaboration opportunities with academic investigators, and enable better access to academic resources. Mechanism of Support. This FOA will utilize the SBIR (R43/R44) grant mechanisms for Phase I, Phase II, and Fast-Track applications. Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards. Awards issued under this FOA are contingent upon the availability of funds and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. The total amount awarded and the number of awards will depend upon the quality, duration, and costs of the applications received. More details are available here.