In This Week's Issue
Funding for TBED
EDA Appropriations up $20 Million for FY10
Congressional conferees on the FY10 Consolidated
Appropriations Act picked the higher funding level
between the House and Senate versions of the FY10 budget on many line items of interest to the TBED community. Despite
its high-wage job potential, direct support for innovation-based
regional growth strategies is not as easy to come by in the
federal budget as is money for conventional economic
development/infrastructure projects. That said, the most adaptable
source of funding – the Economic Development Administration
– received a $20 million increase over last year’s
appropriations, excluding ARRA funds. Included in the $293 million
appropriation is language encouraging EDA to support climate change
mitigation and regional cluster initiatives. Highlights from the
appropriation language [Emphasis added.]:
- No less than $25 million is to be spent for a Global Climate
Change Mitigation Fund to expand EDA support for economic
development projects beyond LEED certification. New priorities
include “renewable energy; energy efficiency; reuse,
restoration and recycling; green buildings; the development
of green products; the greening of an existing function,
process or activity; and the creation renovation of green
buildings.”
- On regional clusters, the conferees direct EDA to focus
“first efforts” on “mostly planning grants
to communities.” In the first 90 days, EDA “is
directed to identify appropriate agencies; establish coordination
and alignment of priorities, applications and working
relationships; and report” back to the two Appropriations
committees.
- EDA is to continue its current approach to supporting
business incubators at the same time it is to work on a
coordination strategy with the Small Business Administration, the Minority Business Development Agency, and the
Department of Agriculture.
- Of importance for state and local strategies to secure future
EDA funding, the conferees are committed to re-establishing a
minimum of one Economic Development Representative within each
state to control flow of project funding. Within 60 days
EDA is to report to the two appropriation committees on the costs
associated with this change, to include funding in the FY11 budget
request to ensure it happens, and to use current funding to begin
implementation.
EDA budget language is included in statement accompanying
Division B of the FY10 Consolidated Appropriations Act available
at: http://appropriations.house.gov/FY2010_consolidated.shtml.
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Nearly $200 Million Appropriated for MEP and TIP
The FY10 Consolidated Appropriations Act that passed Congress
during the past week includes $124.7 million for the Manufacturing Extension
Partnership (MEP) and $69.9 million for the Technology Innovation
Partnership (TIP). Both initiatives are within the National
Institute of Standards & Technology. MEP is a nationwide
network of centers that strives to make U.S. manufacturers leaner,
more competitive and more innovative. The partnership centers are
funded by industry, states and NIST. TIP
competitively funds high-impact applied research in areas of
critical national need. February 15 is the next suggested deadline
for submission of white papers to shape future TIP solicitations. More
information is available at: http://www.nist.gov/tip/call_for_white_papers_sept09.pdf.
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$2 Million for FAST in SBA Budget
The program has not been authorized yet, but that
did not stop Congress from including $2 million in the FY10
Consolidated Appropriations Act for the Federal and State
Technology Partnership Program (FAST). The funding, tucked in one
sentence of the conference report for the Small Business
Administration appropriations, will provide grants to state-based
SBIR/STTR outreach and assistance programs on a competitive basis.
Enabling legislation for FAST is contained in SBIR’s
Reauthorization, which has been stalled in contentious conference
negotiations for several months.
SBA’s appropriation also includes funding for 80
additional full-time staff at the Administration, $113 million for the Small Business Development Centers, and
$10 million for a proposed Entrepreneurial Development Initiative
(EDI). Within 45 days of enactment of the budget, the Administrator
is to submit a spending plan for EDI to the House and Senate
Appropriations Committees for their approval prior to making any
awards.
More information is available at: http://appropriations.house.gov/FY2010_consolidated.shtml.
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SSTI News and Analysis
AK Gov’s Capital Budget Includes $109.5M for Life Sciences Facility
To help train future scientists and support cutting-edge
research in health and environmental issues, Alaska Gov. Sean
Parnell is recommending $109.5 million in the FY11 capital budget
for the University of Alaska Life Sciences Facility in Fairbanks.
The multi-purpose teaching and research facility would house the
Department of Biology and Wildlife and accommodate a wide-range of
research programs, reports Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. The
proposal hinges on legislative approval of $88.9 million in
financing through certificates of participation and $20.6 million
in bond financing through the University of Alaska for
construction, according to the governor’s press office. Read
more at: http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=5191.
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SD Gov Asks Lawmakers to Fund Research
Priorities in FY11
To keep alive the underground deep science laboratory, a
National Science Foundation (NSF) research priority for scientific
discovery in geophysics, Gov. Mike Rounds is asking lawmakers to
approve $5.4 million in special appropriations for bridge funding
through May 2011. During his budget presentation to the legislature
last week, Gov. Rounds told lawmakers the $35 million allocated
toward the effort in 2004 and 2005 would run out this month and
$250 million in anticipated NSF funding would not be available
until 2011. South Dakota’s Homestake gold mine was selected
by NSF in 2007 as the site for the Deep Underground Science and
Engineering Laboratory, which extends more than 8,000 ft. into the
earth (see the July 18, 2007
issue of the Digest).
Gov. Rounds’FY11 budget also recommends $970,000 for the
creation of a Ph.D. program in Physics, complementing the mission of
the Sanford Underground Laboratory. Funding for both requests
totaling $6.4 million would come from other fund special
appropriations, according to budget documents.
The South Dakota Science and Technology Authority, established
by the legislature in 2004 and tasked with converting the Homestake
gold mine into a science, engineering and education center, would
receive $14.2 million in FY11, a decrease of $13.4 million in order
to “align available funding with expenditure
authority,” according to budget documents. The governor
recommends $4 million, the same amount as last year, for the
Division of Research Commerce, which serves as the state technology
transfer and innovation office.
For the Board of Regents, the governor recommends a total
increase of $68.1 million in general, federal and other fund
expenditure. This includes $106,241 to fully fund the REED, a high-speed data network connecting universities and research centers
across the state (see the Dec. 12,
2007 issue of the Digest).
The governor’s FY11 budget totals $4.1 billion, a $16.3
million increase in total funds over the FY10 budget. Budget
documents are available at: http://www.state.sd.us/bfm/budget/.
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Industry Exacts Price to Keep Idaho Ag Research Centers Open
Three University of Idaho agricultural research and extension
centers slated for possible closure this month due to budget cuts
will remain open through June following monetary pledges from
industry groups. Last week, the state Board of Education accepted a
$1.5 million offer from the J.R. Simplot Co. allowing the Parma
Extension and Research Center to remain open for the next five
years in return for up to half of the center’s 100 acres of
cropland and other facilities for the company’s own research,
reports The Idaho Statesman. University officials also
announced additional industry contributions will allow two other
centers facing closure in Sandpoint and Tetonia to remain open
through June 30. The Idaho Legislature reduced the state
appropriation to the Agriculture Research Extension Service budget
by 11.5 percent in FY09 due to declining state revenues, and in
September, Gov. Butch Otter ordered an additional 6 percent cut.
The centers conduct field crop research to create more efficient
processes for growers across the state. Read more at: http://www.idahostatesman.com/103/story/1004622.html.
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Patent Office Pilot Program to Speed Reviews of Green Tech
Patents
In an effort to spur greentech innovation, the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office has announced that the next 3,000 green
technology patent filings will be eligible for an accelerated
review process. About 25,000 pending applications will also be
eligible for the pilot program, which could shave as much as a year
off the process. Read more at: http://www.uspto.gov/news/pr/2009/09_33.jsp.
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NGA Issues Primer on Increasing College Graduation Rates
Recent college graduates may be thinking otherwise as their
unemployment rate is twice what it was two years ago, but
&#quot;nearly 75 percent of future jobs will require a
postsecondary degree or certificate,&#quot; according to Increasing
College Success: A Road Map for Governors. The 14-page issue brief
by the National Governors Association outlines four steps states
can take to help improve the nation’s international ranking of 12th
in college success rates. Examples are provided for
each step: 1) improve student’s readiness for college and
careers; 2) support students during college to keep them on a
degree-track; 3) remove barriers for transferring between two-year
and four-year colleges; and, 4) experiment with
performance-based funding.
Read more at: http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/0912INCREASINGCOLLEGESUCCESS.PDF.
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TBED People and Job Opportunities
Job Corner
The Kansas Bioscience
Authority - Heartland
Bio Ventures, and the Kansas Technology Enterprise
Corporation are jointly recruiting for a federal research
funding specialist. This new position will provide
professional management counseling and technical business
assistance to early-stage Kansas companies in the area of SBIR/STTR
and technology commercialization, administer and monitor any
related programs for participants, coordinate periodic training
seminars and workshops, and provide mentoring and intermediary
services for businesses with federal agencies and federal
laboratories.
Read more job postings
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TBED People
Carl Bauer is retiring from federal service and leaving
the National Energy Technology Laboratory effective Feb. 28,
following a four-year tenure as the laboratory’s
director.
Joining the Pittsburgh Life Sciences
Greenhouse as executives in residence are Maureen Peszko
and Michael Lang. Pierre Queiroz de Oliveira will be
joining the program as an executive associate.
The North Carolina
Biotechnology Center has tapped Gwyn Riddick, director
of its Piedmont Triad Office, to lead a new statewide agricultural
biotechnology initiative as the vice president, Ag/Bio
Initiative.
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Staff Picks
Chair of U.S. House Science and Technology Committee to Retire
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2009/12/bart-gordon-to-retire.html
TIP Announces 20 Award Winners
Up to $71 million in funding through the Technology Innovation Program (TIP) was announced on Tuesday for 20 new cost-sharing projects that will support innovative, high-risk research.
Read more...
House Votes to Raise Capital Gains Tax
The vote comes a day after the President’s call to eliminate capital gains taxes on small business investments.
Read more...
NCSL State Budget Update: November 2009
NCSL reports, “Not only have revenues continued to fall below expectations, they are projected to be anemic for years to come.”
Read more...
CNN: Recession’s Latest Victim: US Innovation
Patent filings fell in 2009 for the first time in 13 years.
Read more...
Public Sees China as Top Global Economic Power
A Pew poll finds 44% of Americans believe China is the world’s leading economic power with 27% picking the U.S.
Read more...
Other Picks
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