NEW YORK STATE NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION OR A GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION WITHIN NEW YORK STATE

The New York State Department of Health and the Spinal Cord Injury Research Board (SCIRB) invites eligible applicants to submit proposals to accelerate the pace with which basic (preclinical) findings are translated into clinical practice for the benefit of spinal cord-injured (SCI) persons. Specifically, the successful Center of Research Excellence application will focus on a set of important and well-defined problems that promise transition to clinical trials within a decade. It will include:

1. investigators or groups of investigators from one or more institutions with diverse experience and interests (e.g., bioengineering, nanotechnology, electrophysiology, robotics, regenerative medicine, physical therapy and rehabilitative medicine, pharmacology, orthopedic and neurosurgery) in basic, applied, translational and clinical studies;

2. a minimum of three meritorious interdisciplinary, collaborative, interdependent and synergistic clinical and translational studies that are systematically related to a core facility infrastructure and at least one of the other proposed research studies;

3. strong leadership and a basic infrastructure that includes a Director, Co-Director and administrative staff;

4. at least one integrated core facility or core service to support the meritorious projects;

5. a commitment and a means to ensure that any core facilities/services be made available to other SCIRB-funded contractors; and

6. broad-based training programs designed to foster standardized approaches to SCI research and emphasize cross-training that spans clinical outcomes to basic science models.

Although the SCIRB has not formally developed a list of research priorities, projects targeting tissue regeneration, repair or restoration of function through biomedical and bioengineering research are of strongest interest, as are the under-studied areas of bowel and bladder function. Projects including the use of pluripotent stem cells are also welcome.

Projects will be supported by the Spinal Cord Injury Research Trust Fund, which is financed by surcharges from certain motor vehicle traffic moving violations in New York State. Approximately $7.2 million is available to support this award. The amount of funds will be contingent upon the quality of applications submitted.

ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS: The applicant must be a New York State not-for-profit organization or a governmental organization within New York State. The applicant must also be one of the following: an academic institution; a research organization; a medical center; or an entity with demonstrated capability to conduct externally-funded research and effectively administer and support a complex center of research excellence award. Applications from major medical centers that have a substantial SCI service are strongly encouraged. The organization awarded funds will be expected to monitor funds, maintain individual accounts and fulfill other fiscal management criteria.

Subcontracting and collaborating organizations may include public, not-for-profit and for-profit entities. Such entities may be located in or outside of New York State.

The Center Director will be employed by the applicant institution and have the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed Work Plan.

APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED THROUGH: February 2, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. The projected contract start date is January 1, 2011.

This RFA, including application forms, has been posted on the Department of Health's public website at http://www.nyhealth.gov/funding/

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR AN APPLICATION, CONTACT: Lani Rafferty, Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Rm. D350, Empire State Plaza, P.O. Box 509, Albany, NY 12201-0509, (518) 474-7002, e-mail:[email protected]

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

The Department of State is soliciting applications from local governments for matching grants available under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) for Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial 2009 Eco-docks projects. Grant applications will be accepted until 4:00 pm on October 14, 2009 for the development of new public docks and/or the improvement of existing public docks for recreational non-motorized boats on the Hudson River and Lake Champlain.

Eligible applicants include any Hudson River or Lake Champlain municipality which has identified through a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, or other community-based planning process, the need for new or improved public docking facilities to increase non-motorized boating access opportunities along the waterfront.

Grants will be available for up to 75% of the total eligible project costs set forth in the application and as approved by the Department.

Notification has been transmitted to all eligible municipalities, and application materials are available online at www.dos.state.ny.us. For more information, eligible applicants should contact the New York State Department of State, Office of Coastal, Local Government and Community Sustainability, 99 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12231, or call Bonnie Devine at (518) 474-6000.