Community Project Funding
FY 2023 Appropriations – Community Project Funding Requests
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education
Title: Address Learning Loss and Improve Student Achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)
Recipient: Prairie View A&M University
Address: Division of Research & Innovation, 700 University Drive, Prairie View, Texas 77446
Requested Amount: $2.4 million
Summary/Justification: This funding, through the Department of Education’s Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), would be used for science and engineering lab equipment including scientific and training grade analyzers, microscopes, and computing resources at Prairie View A&M University. The university currently has a shortage of essential equipment in certain areas of science and engineering, causing a disadvantage for students in certain STEM areas that are quickly advancing. The currently inadequate equipment status in these areas at the university negatively impacts the development of the student body and the future technical workforce in Texas. K-12 students and teachers from local school districts will also have access to and use of this sophisticated equipment during summer programming to further promote STEM education.
Title: Fast Track Careers Training
Recipient: Austin Community College: Northridge Campus
Address: 11928 Stonehollow Drive, Austin, Texas 78758
Requested Amount: $3.0 million
Summary/Justification: This funding would allow ACC’s Northridge Campus to develop a centralized workforce training program. This includes the purchase of new workforce-training technology, computers, and other equipment; as well as the establishment of a one-stop welcome center to help local residents identify a program that meets their needs in the areas of high-demand careers, including medical office support, patient care technician, business services, HVAC, welding, IT, coding, and network administration, etc., to be housed at this center in the Northridge Campus. Funding will also allow the college to invest in mobile training technology and equipment for ACC to offer these critical programs to residents who live in more rural parts of the region.
Title: Strengthening Forensic Science Education and Opportunities
Recipient: Texas A&M University: Department of Entomology
Address: 2475 TAMU, College Station, Texas 77843-2475
Requested Amount: $1.5 million
Summary/Justification: This project would form a centrally organized group of forensic science faculty that could be integrated with local activities, like a medical examiner’s office, that serve and collaborate on local to federal needs in forensic science areas of importance. A taskforce will be formed to (1) allocate seed funding for research and equipment purchases that enhance interdisciplinary forensic science education and research at TAMU, and (2) evaluate the best path forward to form an Institute of Forensic Science at TAMU. An Institute of Forensic Sciences could ultimately be integrated with a local medical examiner’s office or forensic science service center that functions in coordination with the Texas A&M System, and cities of Bryan and College Station, plus other regional governments, to provide local-to-national expertise as a national leader in forensic science.
Defense
Title: Integrated Research and Training in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for ROTC Students
Recipient: Prairie View A&M University
Address: 100 University Drive, Prairie View, Texas 77446
Requested Amount: $500,000
Summary/Justification: This project will leverage the research capacity in the Center of Excellence in Research and Education for Big Military Data Intelligence and will provide valuable research experience and necessary training in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) for ROTC students at Prairie View A&M University. It will equip the ROTC students with state-of-the-art knowledge and skills to address critical challenges in DOD missions using techniques of artificial intelligence and machine learning and will create research training materials that will be made available to other ROTC programs and encourage broad participation throughout the country. The requested funding would be used to acquire equipment for AI/ML research and training; encourage ROTC students to participate and complete the research training; and support faculty and graduate teaching assistants to develop research and training materials, deliver the training, and mentor the ROTC students in AI/ML research.Ultimately, the proposed project will train Prairie View A&M students to become the future workforce for the DOD and the nation, and at the same time, provide much-needed diversity in the nation’s workforce.
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies
Title: Climate Resilient Agriculture Research and Demonstration Program for Underserved Communities
Recipient: Prairie View A&M University
Address: 100 University Drive, Prairie View, Texas 77446
Requested Amount: $1.5 million
Summary/Justification: The goal of this initiative is to improve the resilience of underserved communities by developing a research and demonstration program to address natural resource issues related to droughts, soil loss, flooding, water quality, and other environmental stressors that have had a disproportionate impact on disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, and communities with limited resources. Planning for greater resiliency and sustainability can better equip these farmers and ranchers, as well as both rural and urban communities to address future challenges. Through Prairie View A&M’s Small Farm Institute, this initiative will have the following components: (1) research; (2) extension and outreach; (3) cooperative agreements/partnerships with limited resources farmers, ranchers and clientele; and (4) teaching/training of undergraduate and graduate students who can serve the limited resources farming community to enhance their knowledge and capacity to manage, monitor and conserve natural resources under a changing climate. Key objectives include: (1) Promoting climate-smart agricultural practices; (2) improving soil health; (3) improving Nitrogen management, grazing and pasture processes; (4) enhancing water quantity and quality; (4) increasing wildlife habitat; and (4) reducing damage caused by floods and other natural disasters. Prairie View A&M will use a community advisory board and focus group approach including NRCS field staff to identify the most vulnerable conservation districts and seek their input regarding appropriate project evaluation and dissemination of results for broader positive impacts.
Interior, Environment and Related Agencies
Title: Supporting Communities at Highest Risk from Wildfires
Recipient: Texas A&M Forest Service
Address: 200 Technology Way, Suite 1162, College Station, Texas 77845
Requested Amount: $500,000
Summary/Justification: Wildfires have had a significant impact on communities within Texas. From 2010 through 2021, there were 2,532 wildfires that burned 58,423 acres, caused three deaths, and destroyed 1,764 homes. An additional 3,297 homes were directly threatened and saved by the efforts of firefighters. The funding for this project will: (1) protect communities at highest risk for wildfires; (2) increase resiliency of natural resources and threatened landscapes; (3) build capacity to support community planning efforts; and (4) provide recognition for community success. Community values, goals and demographics, combined with the community’s resources, will guide how the programs will be implemented, as each community will have different priorities and needs. Following this interactive process will result in individuals and their communities embracing and sustaining the wildfire mitigation and natural resource practices which will produce sustainable mitigation efforts into the future. Some of the major accomplishments this project will complete include: (1) treat acreage through mechanical fuel reduction grants; (2) provide vegetative fuel break projects through grants; (3) complete Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) by providing CWPP development grants; and (4) build capacity by providing a natural resource leadership workshop to community leaders, completing train-the-trainer risk assessment classes to fire departments, and producing videos that reach people through social media platforms targeting human caused fires.