MI2 Grants & Funding: June-September 2025

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For metals companies in Kentucky seeking grant opportunities to advance their projects or research, we're here to assist you. We've compiled a list of upcoming grant deadlines that might align well with your needs. Feel free to peruse below for a glimpse of grant deadlines in the next few months. 

*Disclaimer: Please note the funding opportunities listed in this newsletter were open at the time this newsletter was published; however, recent Presidential Actions, including the "Unleashing American Energy" executive order, may impact the availability or disbursement of certain federal funding opportunities, particularly those related to clean energy and decarbonization projects. 

MI2 is closely monitoring these developments and will provide updates as more information becomes available. In the meantime, you may review recent Presidential Actions on the White House website, including Unleashing American Energy – The White House.

JUNE:

Old National Bank Foundation Grant Deadline: 6/11/2025 Amount: Average grant is $15K

NSF Future Manufacturing Deadline: 6/18/2025 Amount: $500K-$3M

American-Made Challenges Community Energy Innovation Prize Round 2 Deadline: 6/20/2025 Amount: $8.42M

DOT Safe Streets and Roads for All Deadline: 6/26/2025 Amount: Implementation ($2.5M-$25M) Planning & Demonstration ($100K-$5M)

The Raymond Corporation University Research Program Deadline: 6/30/2025 (RFPS) 8/31/2025 (Concept Papers) 10/31/2025 (Application) Amount: $100K-$250K

JULY:

Appalachian Stewardship Foundation Grant Deadline: Expression of interest for Fall cycle due 7/1/2025 Amount: Varies

Roy A Hunt Foundation Environment Grants Program Deadline: LOI may be submitted between 6/2/2025-7/11/2025 Amount: $25K-$75K

Duke Energy Foundation Urban Revitalization Grants Deadline: 7/31/2025 Amount: Up to $20K

AUGUST:

Climate Intervention Environmental Impact Fund (CIEIF) Deadline: 8/1/2025 Amount: $75K

NSF EPSCoR E-RISE RII Deadline: 8/12/2025 Amount: $7M-$11.5M

SEPTEMBER:

Norfolk Southern Thriving Communities Grant Deadline: 9/1/2025 Amount: $1K-$50K

NSF Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems (POSE) Deadline: 9/2/2025 Amount: Up to $300K (Phase I) Up to $1.5M (Phase II)

DOD Long Range BAA for Navy and Marine Corps Science and Technology Deadline: 9/30/2025 Amount: Varies

ONGOING:

NSF Manufacturing Systems Integration (MSI). Deadline: Applications accepted anytime Amount: Varies

Dept. of Defense Research and Education Program for HBCU/MSI Deadline: Ongoing until 7/31/2029 Amount: $100M

Kentucky Business Investment (KBI) Program Deadline: Ongoing. Application due 30 days prior to the month's KEDFA meeting Amount: Varies

Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: $5M (equipment) $20M (construction materials)

Delta Regional Authority (DRA): Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: $500K-$2M

Kentucky STEP Grant Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Up to $10,000

Energy Community Tax Credit Bonus Deadline: At tax filing Amount: Varies

EDA Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance (PWEAA) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Up to $30M

NSF Environmental Sustainability Program Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Total program funding over $7M

NSF Innovation Corps Teams Program Deadline: Ongoing Amount: $50K

USDA Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program Deadline: 6/30/2025 Amount: Up to $300K (Grant) Up to $1M (Loan)

USDA Intermediary Relending Program Deadline: 6/30/2025 Amount: Up to $1M

NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Deadline: 10/2/2025  Amount: $475K-$7.5M

Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program Deadline: 6/30/2025 Amount: Up to $205K (Grants) Up to $500K (Loans)

NSF America's Seed Fund (SBIR/STTR) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Up to $2M

NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase II (SBIR/STTR) Deadline: 7/2/2025 or 11/5/2025 Amount: $10M (STTR) $110M (SBIR)

DOE Spurring Projects to Advance Energy Research and Knowledge Swiftly (SPARKS) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: $500K

DOE EDA Planning and Local Technical Assistance Program Deadline: Ongoing Amount: $70K (Planning) $100K (Technical Assistance)

NSF Advanced Manufacturing (AM) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Proposals of all sizes will be considered

NSF Civil Infrastructure Systems (CIS) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Not specified

NSF Computer and Information Science and Engineering: Core Programs Deadline: 9/30/2025 (Small Projects) Applications Open 10/1/2025-10/23/2025 for Medium & OAC Core Projects Amount: Up to $280M

NSF Division of Materials Research: Topical Materials Research Programs (DMR: TMRP) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

NSF Mechanics of Materials and Structures (MOMS) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

NSF Metals and Metallic Nanostructures (MMN) Program Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Kentucky Sales Tax Exemption for Manufacturing Facilities Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

ARC Area Development Program Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

NSF Electrochemical Systems Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Not specified

DOD Pioneering Aerospace Capabilities, Engineering and Research (PACER) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Up to $500M

HUD Distressed Cities Technical Assistance Program (DCTA) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Provides technical assistance

Energy-Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Project cost or $5/sq foot, whichever is less

Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Tax credit

Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Tax credit

Credit for Carbon Oxide Sequestration Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Tax credit

Kentucky Power Economic Growth Grants (K-PEGG) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Up to $700K

Kentucky DOT 5303 Metropolitan Planning Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

KY Recycling, Composting, and Household Hazardous Waste Grants Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Energy & Environment Grant Program Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

The Recycling Partnership Polypropylene Recycling Coalition Grant Program Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Deadline: Ongoing Amount: $25M-$100M

SBA Mentor-Protégé Program Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Kentucky Sales Tax Exemption - Machinery for New and Expanded Industry Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Kentucky Tax Exemption for Large-Scale Renewable Energy Projects Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Duke Energy Non-Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities Small Business Audit and Direct Install Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

USDA Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Up to $250M in loans

TVA Energy Right Commercial Energy Efficiency Rebate Program Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Kentucky PACE for Commercial Property Owners Funding Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Fidelity Foundation Grant Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Autodesk Foundation Grants and Impact Investments Deadline: Ongoing Amount: $100K-$1M

Huntington Impact Investment Philanthropy Program Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Evergreen Climate Innovation’s 501vc Investment Fund Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Up to $250K

Malaika Ventures Catalytic Capital Investments Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Duke Energy Foundation Powerful Communities: Local Impact Grants Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Up to $20K

NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Deadline: 10/2/2025 Amount: $70K-$7.5M

New Earth Foundation Grant Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Truist Foundation Grant Deadline: 7/31/2025 or 11/30/2025 Amount: $5,000+

Avery Dennison Foundation Grant Program Deadline: Ongoing Amount: $50K-$100K

PNC Bank Mary Cofer Trigg Trust Grant Deadline: 10/15/25 Amount: Varies

Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation Grant Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Marilyn and William Young Foundation Grant Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

R.C. Durr Foundation Grant Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

NSF Operations Engineering (OE) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Commonwealth Seed Capital Fund (CSC) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Keyhorse Capital Kentucky Enterprise Fund (KEF) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Render Capital Venture Capital Investments Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Keyhorse Capital Kentucky Growth Capital Fund Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Southeast Kentucky Angel Investment Fund Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Chrysalis Ventures Capital Investments Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Bluegrass Angels (BGA) Capital Investments Deadline: Ongoing Amount: $100K+

Awesome Fund Deadline: Ongoing Amount: $50K-$250K

KEDFA Kentucky Reinvestment Act (KRA) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies (tax credit)

Middleground Capital Investments Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Tri-State Angel Investment Group Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Connetic Accessible Venture Capital Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Crimson Hill Capital Investments Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Kentucky Highlands Investment Company Freight Enhancement Revolving Loan Fund Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Up to $250K (loans)

Kentucky Highlands Investment Company Micro Enterprise Loan Fund Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Up to $50K (loans)

Lunsford Capital Investments Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Marshall Ventures Capital Investments Deadline: Ongoing Amount: $100K-$300K

Meritus Ventures Capital Investments Deadline: Ongoing Amount: $250K-$2.5M

Radicle Capital Investments Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Invest Appalachia Fund Deadline: Ongoing Amount: $100K-$3M

Invest Appalachia Catalytic Capital Fund Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Invest Appalachia Appalachian Solar Finance Fund (SFF) Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

AIA Appalachian Venture Foundry Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Technical Assistance

AIA Pioneer Venture Fund Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

AIA Appalachian Innovation Investment Fund Deadline: Ongoing Amount: Varies

Mountain State Capital Investments Deadline: Ongoing Amount: $200K-$500K

Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) Grant Deadline: Ongoing (May 1 & Dec 1 annually) Amount: Varies

The Ball Foundation Grant Deadline: Ongoing (5/9/2025 & 9/19/2025) Amount: Varies

ANTICIPATED:

Citizens' Institute on Rural Design (CIRD) Grant Deadline: Anticipated to open Spring of 2025 Amount: Not yet announced

DOE Battery Materials Processing and Battery Manufacturing Round 2 Deadline: NOI Issued January 2025 Amount: Not yet announced

DOE Grid Resilience State/Tribal Formula Grant Program Deadline: NOI issued, expected to open February 2025, no updates currently Amount: Not yet announced

BSCC Grant-in-Aid (GIA) and Skills Training Investment Credit (STIC) Programs Deadline: New guidelines TBA early June 2025 Amount: Not yet announced

DOE ITAC Implementation Grants Deadline: TBD Amount: Up to $300K

Act quickly on these opportunities! Interested? Contact MI2's Grants & Funding Consultant, Ruthie Caldwell, at ruthie@visiongranted.com. For more details, visit our website.