Competition/Prize

ICLEI Action Fund

This is an opportunity to develop and deploy highly visible and replicable projects that demonstrate community-led, data-driven, and lasting innovation in local climate action through the Action Fund. ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA, Inc. (ICLEI USA) is accepting expressions of interest (EOI) from nonprofit and civil society organizations or consortiums of organizations (located in the US or US territories) that have a plan to accelerate the implementation of a city climate action plan while addressing inequality. Each of the two awardees or consortiums will receive $1,000,000 to fund activities identified by the awardee and ICLEI USA and supported by local government leadership.

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AWS Sustainable Cities Accelerator

The Sustainable Cities Accelerator is a virtual six-week, technical, business, and mentorship accelerator delivered by Freshwater Advisors and Public Spend Forum, along with other industry-leading partners. You will get to work with leading AWS technical experts to build and scale your cloud platform. Mobility and Transportation is the first cohort of 2022 for the AWS Sustainable Cities Accelerator.

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Ray of Hope Prize

The Ray of Hope Prize identifies the top nature-inspired startups in the world and fosters their growth by providing sustainable business training, communications support, and opportunities for non-dilutive funding—the top being a $100,000 equity-free prize. Armed with nature’s billions of years of research and development, these startups are uniquely suited to address critical environmental and social issues at scale.

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CTIA Wireless Foundation Catalyst

Catalyst is a competitive grants program for ambitious social entrepreneurs using the power of 5G and leading edge wireless technologies to enhance our lives and address pressing challenges in American communities. Up to six applicants will receive financial and non-financial benefits, with a first-place grant of $100,000.

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Deploying Solar with Wildlife and Ecosystem Services Benefits (SolWEB)

The DOE will award $10 million for innovative solutions and strategies that maximize benefits and minimize impacts to wildlife and ecosystems from solar energy infrastructure.

DOE is interested in projects that will produce results with broad relevance to solar stakeholders by establishing methods, technologies, models, best management practices, or resources that facilitate ground-mounted photovoltaic energy generation, including utility-scale and community solar, or concentrating solar-thermal power that is compatible with surrounding wildlife. DOE is also interested in assessing and optimizing ecosystem benefits that solar energy facilities can provide, such as soil formation, pollination of food crops, and carbon sequestration.

To facilitate the formation of teams, SETO is providing a forum where interested parties can add themselves to a Teaming Partner List,  which allows organizations that may wish to apply to the FOA, but not as the prime applicant, to express interest to potential partners.

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Phase II: Small Business Research Innovation/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR)

The DOE has released Phase II of the FY23 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. This funding opportunity is open to small businesses that have previously received DOE SBIR or STTR grants to provide additional opportunities to compete for funding to develop working prototypes of their discoveries.

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DOE Research Development and Partnership Pilot (RDPP)

The DOE has announced $1.5 million for new grants to colleges and universities that are underrepresented in DOE’s climate, Earth, and environmental science investments to help provide technical assistance to build capacity and achieve the goal of broadening institutional participation. 10-20 awards will be given.. Institutions with a history of training students from populations that are underrepresented in climate and environmental sciences, such as those served by Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions (MSIs), are encouraged to apply.

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Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities – USDA

Up to approximately $1 billion will be made available for the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities projects through this funding opportunity, which will build markets and invest in America’s climate-smart farmers, ranchers, and forest owners to strengthen U.S. rural and agricultural communities. Through the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, USDA will support the production and marketing of climate-smart commodities through a set of pilot projects that provide voluntary incentives through partners to producers and land owners, including early adopters, to:

  • implement climate-smart production practices, activities, and systems on working lands,
  • measure/quantify, monitor and verify the carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits associated with those practices, and
  • develop markets and promote the resulting climate-smart commodities.
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Early Entrepreneur Bootcamp

Future Founders invites you to apply for the Early Entrepreneur Bootcamp, which is sponsored by the AB InBev Foundation (ABIF) with the financial and technical support provided by ZX Ventures. A six-month program focused on supporting founders from underrepresented populations (e.g., Black, Hispanic, female, non-binary), the Early Entrepreneur Bootcamp will guide early-stage entrepreneurs as they navigate the journey of launching their own business. Participation in the program will be 100% virtual and built on a framework of live skill-development workshops covering topics ranging from design thinking and customer discovery, to leadership, communication, and pitching. Founders who successfully complete the attendance and participation requirements of the Early Entrepreneur Bootcamp will also receive a $5,000 non-dilutive grant to help kickstart their business.

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Mining Cleantech Challenge 2022

The Mining Cleantech Challenge efficiently provides targeted connections between mining industry operators, OEMs, and clean technology solution providers with a mutually beneficial goal of meeting industry’s needs while at the same time introducing innovative solutions to the marketplace. Innovative solutions providers will complete a competitive vetting process, after which 10 – 12 companies will be invited to present their technologies to the partners and sponsor/judges. There are no geographic restrictions or requirements for participating companies. The program will be held virtually on zoom on April 21, 2022.

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Carbon Utilization Technology: Improving Efficient Systems for Algae

This FOA specifically seeks to increase the carbon utilization efficiency of algal growth systems, in order to to lower the cost of fuels and products made from algal feedstocks while increasing the positive greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts that can be achieved through the deployment of algae-based technologies.

Under this funding opportunity, BETO is interested in the following Topic Areas: (1) Carbon Utilization Efficiency from Biomass- or Atmospheric-Based Sources of Carbon Dioxide, and (2) Algae-Based Technology to Utilize Anthropogenic CO2 from Utility and Industrial Sources.

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NREL American-Made Challenges: Diversity Partner

The goal is to have 2-3 Power Connectors with skillsets in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion service and support to quickly and easily engage as new prizes join the American-Made Challenges platform and as current prizes have repeat or overlapping needs, or as new needs are identified for other DOE/EERE commercialization programs.

The Power Connector shall provide expertise in the areas of JEDI, energy security, and environmental justice. Willingness to help expand and enhance the ability and impact of our programs to reach and serve individuals in groups historically underrepresented, in STEM, and disadvantaged communities. This work
could include, but not be limited to, focusing on providing access to resources that will help improve commercialization opportunities for individuals and businesses in these communities, building regional/place-based hubs to assist these communities in preparing for program/prize participation, recruiting diverse organizations into appropriate support network programs, assisting with developing new programs and incentives for these communities, reviewing and providing feedback for program plans, goals, incentives/rewards, and submissions with a JEDI focus, and more.

To apply, submit a two-page letter of intent (LOI) and a slide by March 3rd.

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