SSTI Digest

The SSTI Weekly Digest has typically focused on state and federal activities in technology-based economic development. This special issue of the Digest, however, focuses on the important role that foundations can play in technology-based economic development by: Examining opportunities presented by foundations’ use of “program-related investments,” Suggesting resources for identifying foundations that may be effective S&T partners, Providing an example of foundations’ activities in one sector – the environment, and Announcing a funding opportunity currently available from one foundation.

At first glance, the Baltimore-based Abell Foundation’s quiet contribution of almost $25 million over the past ten years to support local economic development may not raise much interest from state and federal technology-based economic development professionals across the country. However, the reaction might be different after learning that most of the investment was to emerging businesses in the form of venture capital. The Abell Foundation has created a venture fund to support a variety of industries, and invests in companies either located in Baltimore City or willing to relocate there. The foundation’s approach is to partner actively with the management teams of their portfolio companies, and often helps in hiring, raising further rounds of financing, refining corporate strategies, and even obtaining space and establishing first offices for seed-stage companies. The amount of capital invested in any one company can vary between a few hundred thousand dollars to about $3 million. Abell’s activities are described by the Foundation Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the…

The Foundation Center is an independent, nonprofit organization established in 1956 with the mission to “foster public understanding of the foundation field by collecting, organizing, analyzing, and disseminating information on foundations, corporate giving, and related subjects.” Audiences include grant seekers, grant makers, researchers, policymakers, the media, and the general public. The Foundation Center's extensive online library of the country’s largest 10,000 philanthropic organizations is available by monthly subscription. A CD Rom directory of 50,000 philanthropies, as well as several other directory and guides, are also offered. The Center provides several additional publications, grant writing workshops, and research tools for prospective grant recipients. Philanthropy News Digest, a free electronic newsletter published by the Foundation Center, includes current funding announcements, job announcements, press releases and news information. Last week's edition included several links to additional sources of information on foundations and funding opportunities. Archive editions…

This decade saw a significant increase in public and private investment in environmental technologies and programs. Confronting environmental issues will remain a challenge for many years to come. Many philanthropic foundations are focusing their grants and investments toward environmental concerns. From areas of interest as diverse as sustainable agriculture to eliminating industrial hazardous waste, foundations are funding a variety of environmental programs and projects. State-funded environmental science and technology initiatives, and in some cases, their client technology businesses, are eligible to apply for many different foundation giving programs. The following are two examples with links for obtaining more information. The Heinz Endowments The Heinz Endowments have been formally active in the environment since 1994. In 1997, the foundation provided more than $11 million to support various environmental programs. Four strategic themes guide the environmental program’s grantmaking, including: Eliminating waste; Harnessing the power of the market…

The PricewaterhouseCoopers Endowment for the Business of Government is offering three funding opportunities that will support new approaches to improving the effectiveness of government at the federal, state, local and international levels. Competitive research grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded to individuals working in universities or nonprofit organizations for the development of research papers in one of the following five areas: leveraging technology redefining public service for the 21st century managing for results: the nuts and bolts of government transforming public sector organizations leveraging the private sector The Endowment also will support Thought Leadership Forums, 2-3 day executive conferences bringing together 25-30 participants to address one of the above areas. Forums are to be hosted by academic institutions or nonprofit organizations and may receive up to $20,000 from the Endowment to offset conference costs. Through the Senior Executive Service Leadership Program, the Endowment supports 2-4 month research sabbaticals for…

The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has invited public comments on the draft Statement of Principles for the Government-University Research Partnership. The complete December 21, 1999 Federal Register notice, including the draft Statement of Principles, may be viewed at the following web address: http://www.ssti.org/Digest/Tables/122399t.htm   The original draft of the principles was published last spring in the National Science and Technology Council report, Renewing the Federal Government-University Research Partnership for the 21st Century. Since then, OSTP has been working in consultation with major research universities and associations to refine the principles. Some of the correspondence and documentation of that dialogue may be found on the “Policy” webpages of the Association of American Universities: http://www.tulane.edu/~aau/AAUPolicy.html   The intent of the statement of principles is to define the partnership by broader national goals, instead of the current, ad hoc practice of definition by detailed accounting, administrative, and financial…

The Community Development Venture Capital Alliance (CDVCA) currently has three positions available: Investment Officer, Consulting Coordinator, and Director of Research & Training.  CDVCA is an association of community development venture capital funds that provide equity financing to businesses in inner-cities and economically distressed rural areas throughout the United States and around the world. They promote use of the tools of venture capital to create jobs, entrepreneurial capacity, and wealth to advance the livelihoods of low-income people and the economies of distressed communities. Descriptions of all three positions may be viewed on the CDVCA website (http://www.cdvca.org) or the SSTI Jobs Corner webpage.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) will hold a series of workshops in January and February to discuss the goals and priorities of Telecommunications Information and Infrastructure Assistance Program (TIIAP), a grant program that funds innovative projects aimed at extending the benefits of advanced telecommunications and information technology to underserved Americans in rural and urban areas. Congress has appropriated $15.5 million for the FY 2000 grant round. The Notice of Availability of Funds announcing the upcoming competition will be published in the Federal Register in early January. The Technical Assistance Workshops will be held in three locations for schools, libraries, hospitals, public safety organizations, state and local governments, and other non-profit organizations eligible to apply for information technology grants. The purpose of these workshops is to provide the public with information about this federal grant program and enable interested parties to establish a partnership with the Commerce Department to enhance access to telecommunications and…

The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) has released its third annual Index of the Massachusetts Innovation Economy. The report tracks and explores the implications of 30 performance indicators on the long-term growth and stability of the Massachusetts economy. When statistics are available, Massachusetts is compared to its “leading competitor states” of California, Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Texas. This year’s report includes a special analysis of electronic commerce in Massachusetts. The section highlights policy implications of e-commerce and proposes several recommendations for industry, academia, and government. After preparing the Index for three years, MTC offers two new sections which demonstrate the relationship or relevance of the Index to state science, technology and development policies. “Lessons from the Index” highlights the strengths and weaknesses found through the process. “Implications for Action” focuses on three  concerns for future policy development: a continued shortfall of skilled workers in the face of an extremely tight…

The Federal Highway Administration has requested grant applications and research recommendations for the Transportation and Community and System Preservation Pilot (TCSP) Program. Proposals will be accepted for FY 2001 projects to develop, implement and evaluate transportation strategies which improve the efficiency of transportation systems, reduce environmental impacts of transportation, reduce the need for costly future public infrastructure investments, ensure efficient access to jobs, services and centers of trade, and examine development patterns which achieve these goals. Entities eligible for funding consideration are limited to: states, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, tribal governments, and other local and regional public agencies. Public-private partnerships are encouraged. The Federal Highway Administration also requests that any interested parties submit recommendations for the FY 2001 TCSP research program. The goal of the TCSP research component is to build a knowledge base of related work to enable the development, through transportation activities,…

Colorado Governor Bill Owen has appointed 55 technology executives and public officials to serve on the Governor’s Commission on Science and Technology. The Commission’s purpose is to issue a set of recommendations by late-2000 focused on enhancing Colorado's business climate and creating the technological infrastructure necessary to foster statewide growth of the high technology industry. Specifically, the group is tasked to: review Colorado's current tax, regulatory, and Internet policies and offer the Governor a set of recommendations to pursue as a basis for developing state-level governmental policies. assess Colorado's ability to benefit from national and global growth opportunities presented by the explosion in information technology, and to make recommendations designed to leverage public investment by creating more opportunities and incentives to foster the location and growth of high technology businesses throughout the state address the shortage of a qualified high technology workforce and to make recommendations on what industry, educators, and government can do to…

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fuels Development has issued Supplemental Announcement 04 to provide financial assistance in support of the DOE Biomass Program. The agency anticipates making several cooperative agreements in FY 2000 for 12-month research and development projects advancing new technologies that will increase the efficiency or lower the cost of producing and converting biomass to transportation fuels. Three specific interest areas are identified for the solicitation: biomass feedstock collection and storage; conversion technologies; and, pretreatment fundamentals. The deadline for submitting proposals is January 31, 2000. Interested parties must use information from the DOE Broad Based Solicitation (DE-PS36-00GO10482) as well as the Supplemental Announcement 04 when applying. For more information on these solicitations, visit http://www.eren.doe.gov/golden/solicitations.html