Five for Friday: July 26, 2024
Five for Friday: Grant Opportunities and More!
Curated by: The Western Nevada Development District…
This edition of Five for Friday focuses on railroads, fish and wildlife, broadband, affordable energy and the Nevada Tech Hub.
Grant Opportunities & More
Grants to Strengthen Safety at Rail Crossings and Reduce Blocked Crossings
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a NOFO for the FY 2023-FY 2024 Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant program making more than $1 billion in funding available. As the only competitive discretionary grant program dedicated to improving railroad crossing safety and efficiency, the RCE Program invests in projects that construct grade separations, upgrade safety devices at crossings, or close at-grade crossings where roads and train tracks intersect.
Eligible Projects:
• Grade separation or closure, including through the use of a bridge, embankment, tunnel, or combination
• Track relocation
• Improvement or installation of protective devices, signals, signs
• Measures to improve safety related to a separation, closure, or track relocation project
• Other means to improve the safety if related to the mobility of people and goods at highway-rail grade crossings (including technological solutions)
• Planning, environmental review, and design of an eligible project type
Application Deadline: September 23, 2024
Partners for Fish and Wildlife
The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program provides free technical and financial assistance to landowners, managers, tribes, corporations, schools and nonprofits interested in improving wildlife habitat on their land. Since 1987, the program has helped more than 30,000 landowners to complete more than 50,000 projects, restoring more than six million acres of forest, prairie, wetland and stream habitat for wildlife.
All private landowners interested in restoring wildlife habitat on their land are eligible to participate. Current partners include farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, recreational landowners, corporations, local governments and universities. Priority goes to projects judged likely to provide habitat for rare, threatened and endangered species.
Projects have a minimum duration of 10 years. In addition to private landowners, we partner with other federal agencies, state agencies and non-governmental organizations to complete projects on private lands. Participating landowners do not forfeit any property rights and are not required to allow public access.
Nevada Contact
Susan Abele
Email: Susan_Abele@fws.gov
Phone: 775.861.6346
Broadband Tech Assistance Webinar, Wednesday, July 31
The USDA Rural Development Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is hosting an “Ask Me Anything: BTA” Q&A session. The webinar will provide an opportunity for you to ask any questions about the Broadband Technical Assistance NOFO and application process that you may have. Broadband Technical Assistance provides financial assistance through cooperative agreements to eligible entities to receive or deliver broadband technical assistance and training and supports the development and expansion of broadband cooperatives.
Slides, a transcript, and a recording of the webinar will be posted to the site after the session.
Webinar: Wednesday, July 31, 2024 from 10 am to Noon PT
Reducing Energy Costs for Low Income Households
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program provides energy conservation measures in dwelling units occupied by families at or below 150% of the federal poverty income guidelines as established by the US Office of Management and Budget. For eligible homeowners and renters, there is no direct cost to participate in the program. Owners of eligible rental properties may be required to pay 50% of any capital improvement measures that are installed.
After a home energy assessment is performed by a trained energy auditor, a dwelling unit may qualify for some of these typical energy conservation measures:
• Air sealing
• Energy efficient light bulbs
• Insulation
• Low-flow shower heads
• Pipe wraps
• Solar screens
• Weather-stripping
WNDD Region Program Administrators:
• Community Services Agency (CSA):
Service Area: Washoe County
775.786.6023
• Rural Nevada Development Corporation (RNDC) Service Area: Mineral County and Pershing County
775.289.8519 or 866.404.5204 (Toll Free)
• Nevada Rural Housing Authority (NRHA)Service Area: Carson City, Churchill County, Douglas County, Lyon County, and Storey County
775.887.1795 ext. 112
ICYMI: Nevada one of 12 Tech Hub Awardees
On July 2, the U.S Department of Commerce announced $504 million in implementation grants for 12 Tech Hubs across the country. The funding will be used to scale up production of critical technologies, create jobs in innovative industries, strengthen U.S. economic competitiveness and national security, and accelerate the growth of industries of the future.
The 12 Tech Hubs implementation awardees are:
• Elevate Quantum Tech Hub (CO,NM)
• Headwaters Hub (MT)
• Heartland BioWorks (IN)
• iFAB Tech Hub (IL)
• Nevada Tech Hub (NV)
• NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub (NY)
• ReGen Valley Tech Hub (NH)
• SC Nexus for Advanced Resilient Energy (SC, GA)
• South Florida ClimateReady Tech Hub (FL)
• Sustainable Polymers Tech Hub (OH)
• Tulsa Hub for Equitable & Trustworthy Autonomy (OK)
• Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub (WI)
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo traveled to Reno, Nevada to formally announce $21 million in implementation funding for the Nevada Tech Hub. This Tech Hub is working to align and coordinate its innovation and economic development activities with established companies, startups, education, and workforce development organizations to enable the region to become a global lithium leader.
