American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Informational Briefing

1. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Informational Briefing Wolf von Maltzahn, Acting V.P. for Research

2. Overview ARRA Highlights General Observations Specific Agencies Action Steps

3. ARRA - Summary • $21.5 billion for R&D ($3.5 billion for facilities & equipment) • NSF: $3 billion for basic research in science and engineering. • NASA: $1.0 billion, including $400 million for climate change research. • NIH: $10.4 billion, including $1.5 billion to renovate university research facilities. • DOE: $1.6 billion for research in climate science, biofuels, high-energy physics, nuclear physics, and fusion energy sciences. • NIST: $580 million technology innovation and manufacturing.

5. General Comments about ARRA • Preserve and create jobs; promote economic recovery. • Assist those impacted by the recession. • Increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health. • Invest in transportation, environment, infrastructure (long term benefit). • Stabilize state and local government budgets. • ARRA requires unprecedented reporting and oversight. • Distribution should be finalized by September 2009 and spent down by September 2010. • Funds must be obligated by prime recipient in relatively short time period.

6. Observations • CHALLENGE: spend ARRA funds quickly, but spend them well! • Increased proposal submissions to be expected. • Unfunded mandate: universities need to track and monitor awards. • Additional and more frequent financial and programmatic reporting. • Detailed program and project instructions are under development. • Some program announcements are available.

7. National Science Foundation • $3.5 billion for research and related activities, including $300 million for major research instrumentation and $200 million for modernization of academic facilities. • $400 million for major research equipment and facilities construction. • $100 million of education and human resources. NSF Priorities • No supplemental funding, for now. • Support 3,000 additional, highly-rated new proposals. • Bring overall funding rate to 30% for FY09. • Focus on funding Early Career and new PIs • New RFP’s for Major Research Instrumentation and Academic Research Infrastructure programs.

8. National Institutes of Health • $10.4 billion total ($8.2 billion for R&D, $1.3 billion for extramural facilities, $500 million for intramural facilities) • Supplemental funding will be permitted. • Fund previously reviewed proposals. • $800 million for 2-year short term competitive grants • $300 million through NCRR competitive awards for instrumentation • Carryover of funds and no cost extensions may be allowed • New types of activities will be supported such as the Challenge Grant program – designed to focus on health and science problems where progress can be expected in two years • NIH will choose among recently peer reviewed, highly meritorious R01’s • NIH will fund new R01 applications that have a reasonable expectation of making progress in two years

9. Department of Energy • Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants ($3.2 billion) • DOE Office of Science $1.6 billion to fund research in such areas as climate science, biofuels, high-energy physics, nuclear physics, and fusion energy sciences. More details are expected to be announced in the third week of March. • Advanced Energy Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) – authorized in the America COMPETES Act of 2007, but never funded, receives $400 million • $4.3 billion for smart power grid R&D

10. Department of Defense • $300 million to the Department of Defense to assist with the development of energy efficiency technology. Each of the Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDTE) offices within the Army, Navy and Air Force will receive $75 million, with another $75 million allotted for the Defense-wide RDTE office. These funds will provide financial support for pilot projects, demonstrations and energy efficient manufacturing enhancements.

11. Action Steps • Monitor agency web sites for special RFP’s. • Prepare proposals to all relevant RFP’s. • Be opportunistic in proposal preparation (write major parts and mold to fit RFP). • Develop proposals in all areas of your expertise and interest. • Submit proposals early to overcome potential bottlenecks in the grants.gov system. • Begin working with RAF immediately.

12. Websites • Agency Recovery Sites http://www.usinnovation.org • NYSTAR Information http://www.nystar.state.ny.us/stimulus.htm • SSTI Weekly Digest http://www.ssti.org/Digest/2009/021909.htm • The Smart Grid http://www.oe.energy.gov/DocumentsandMedia/DOE_SG_Book_Single_Pages(1).pdf • National Biofuels Action Plan http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/pdfs/nbap.pdf • OMB Initial Implementing Guidance for ARRA http://www.recovery.gov/files/Initial%20Recovery%20Act%20Implementing%20Guidance.pdf

13. Websites • Department of Energy http://www.energy.gov/recovery • National Science Foundation http://nsf.gov/recovery/ • Department of Defense http://www.defenselink.mil/recovery/ • National Institutes of Health Challenge grants http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/challenge_award/ • NASA http://www.nasa.gov/recovery/ • National Institute of Standards and Technology  http://www.nist.gov/recovery/

14. Websites • Overview Information: Recovery Act Limited Competition: NIH Challenge Grants in Health and Science Researchhttp://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-OD-09-003.html • Recovery Act of 2009: NIH Review Criteria, Scoring System, and Suspension of Appeals Processhttp://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-09-054.html • Federal Government Recovery Act Overview   http://www.recovery.gov/

15. www.rpi.edu/research