dept of commerce

Are you interested in influencing the design and development of national policy solutions to challenges in the innovation economy? The U.S. Department of Commerce is seeking applications for membership on the prestigious National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE), which advises the secretary on fundamental issues affecting state, regional and university based innovation initiatives.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) intends to publish a federal funding opportunity (FFO) in July 2016 for MEP Centers in the 11 states: Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina and Wyoming. The objective of the MEP Center program is to provide business and technical services to small- and medium-sized manufacturers within the state of operation.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a new Federal Funding Announcement (FFA) to award its first national manufacturing innovation institute (NMII). Proposers may solicit a new NMII on any advanced manufacturing technology focus area not already addressed by another institute or competition.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is conducting three regional forums on the proposed recompetition of MEP Centers in 11 states and Puerto Rico. The regional forums are intended to provide interested entities more information about the MEP program, the federal funding opportunity and answers to any questions regarding the funding announcement prior to its targeted release of January 2016.

Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker announced the launch of the Economic Development Administration's (EDA) 2015 Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) Program competition to spur innovation capacity-building activities in regions across the nation. Under the 2015 announcement, SBA will commit $10 million for two funding opportunities.

This week, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced approximately $5 million in total funding for the 12 recipients of the 2014 Science and Research Park Development Grants, used for feasibility and planning for the construction or renovation of science or research parks.

As a component of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Skills for Business initiative, The Communities That Work Partnership is a new joint project aimed at accelerating industry-led workforce development and training efforts.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker announced the first 26 recipients of the 2014 Regional Innovation Strategies program grants. Managed by the Economic Development Administration, the Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) program is designed to advance innovation and capacity-building activities in regions across the country through three different types of grants:

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced a second round of the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) competition. IMCP, a cross-agency initiative, coordinates federal investments behind long-term economic development strategies in manufacturing communities. The first four designee communities were announced in May 2014.

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is accepting proposals for a national partner to help coordinate the Accelerating Industry-led Regional Partnerships for Talent Development Program – a nationwide learning exchange that will focus on building critical regional partnerships to accelerate job-skills development across United States.