SSTI Digest

Gov. Jim Doyle unveiled last week several proposals to boost university-based research and commercialization efforts in emerging fields and encourage private industry R&D and job growth through the creation of several new tax credits.

The governor's 2009-11 biennial budget dedicates $8.2 million in FY11 to the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery for research in biotechnology, nanotechnology and information technology. First proposed by Gov. Doyle in 2004 as part of the Grow Wisconsin plan, the Institute was established to strengthen the state's position in science and technology (see the Nov. 22, 2004 issue of the Digest). A private donation of $50 million in 2006 launched the project, which was followed by a $50 million donation from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and matched by $50 million from the state. Construction is estimated to be completed in 2010.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm's FY10 budget includes increased funding to support programs aimed at job creation in emerging fields and maintains level funding for year three of an initiative to train displaced workers for in-demand careers.

The executive budget unveiled last week provides $1.4 billion in total funds for the newly reorganized Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, with nearly half dedicated for workforce training. Gov. Granholm signed Executive Order 2008-20 in October, consolidating all activities related to the energy sector into the Department of Labor and Economic Growth. Energy programs and regulation are funded at $123 million in the FY10 budget proposal, which includes funding for an initiative to train workers for green jobs.

The sixth installment of the Tech Talkin' Govs series includes highlights from state of the state addresses from governors in Tennessee and West Virginia.

Tennessee

Gov. Phil Bredesen, State of the State Address, Feb. 9, 2009

"While we are interested in a broad range of business, there is one area where we have a great toehold and prospects, and that is the area of clean energy technology. .

". We are extraordinarily well-positioned here and in the next couple of years, I want to wrap this up even tighter. Here's an idea about how we might go about that: develop a Solar Institute in Tennessee that is the basic research leader in making solar power practical.

On Feb. 23, the Honorable Gary Goodyear, Canada's Minister for State (Science & Technology), announced the Government of Canada was distributing $120.4 million (all figures are Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated) to 37 universities to support 134 new and renewed Canadian Research Chairs. The awards, the first for 2009 in the program started in 2000, include $6.6 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation for research infrastructure to facilitate the work of 42 of the chairholders.

The Canadian Research Chairs program supports the recruitment and retention of up to 2,000 star faculty in a broad range of scientific and technological disciplines, all with significant importance to the nation's economy. Since 2000, the Canada Research Chairs Program has invested between $200 million and $300 million annually to attract and retain some of the world's most accomplished and promising minds.

Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation has named Jim Carroll as director of its Center for Entrepreneurial Growth.

Catapult Bio, a nonprofit organization designed to help transform emerging research discoveries into business opportunities, accelerating the commercialization of life sciences in Arizona, announced its official launch with a grant of up to $14 million from Abraxis Bioscience.

The complete description of this opportunity and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.

Department of Energy

ARRA includes $39 billion in stimulus funding for the Department of Energy (DoE) as part of the package's support for upgrading the country's infrastructure and power grid. DoE allocations include funding for the department's science office, research grants, and energy efficiency programs.

The stimulus bill provides $16.8 billion for DoE energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, including $2.5 billion to support applied research, development, demonstration and deployment of advanced energy technologies. Almost half of this R&D funding will be dedicated to biomass- and geothermal-related projects, which will receive $800 million and $400 million respectively. Other energy efficiency and renewable energy investments include:

ARRA will provide $7.2 billion to upgrade the country's broadband infrastructure through the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

NTIA will receive $4.7 billion, in partnership with the FCC, to establish a broadband service development and expansion program. The Broadband Technology Opportunities Program will support broadband improvements by awarding competitive grants to accelerate deployment and improve service at strategic institutions that are likely to create jobs or produce other public benefits. Of this funding, $350 million will support the State Broadband Data and Development Grant program, which will help develop and maintain a national broadband inventory map. 

ARRA includes $19 billion in funding to promote the development and implementation of interoperable Health Information Technology (HIT). The $2 billion in discretionary funds and $17 billion in investments and incentives through Medicare and Medicaid will be used to improve the quality of medical care in the U.S. and create jobs in the information technology sector. The effort will be overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services' (DHHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONCHIT).

The major federal R&D funding agencies all received significant funding through ARRA, including:

Department of Health and Human Services

A total of $10 billion will be provided to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which will be distributed among the following entities:

In addition to providing Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) to both firms and workers, the stimulus extends the TAA concept for the first time to include funding for communities. A community can receive funding if designated by the secretary of Commerce as "affected by trade." In all, $517.5 million is authorized in the bill for the components of the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Communities provision, which distributes $230 million in FY09, $230 million in FY10, and $57.5 million in the three-month period from October 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010.

For each of the three fiscal periods, the funds for communities are distributed into three distinct programs. For FY09, the money is allocated in the following manner:

Department of Treasury