SAMPLE GRANT PROPOSAL

Program: NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF 23-587)
Applicant: Yarian Works – The Recursive Forge (Pittsburgh, PA)
Requested Funding: $1,000,000 (Phase 1 Development Award)

1. Executive Summary

Yarian Works: The Recursive Forge is a next-generation AI and innovation makerspace in the heart of Pittsburgh, designed to democratize access to emerging technology while embedding circular economy practices and ethical AI development into the regional economic and educational fabric.

This proposal seeks funding through the NSF Regional Innovation Engines program to establish a regional engine that fuses recursive AI research, workforce development, and green tech infrastructure under one unified, community-powered hub. In addition to training and research, the project includes a flagship Tech Salvage & Green Reuse Lab, providing environmental benefits, entry-level engagement, and access to reclaimed technology for underserved learners.

2. Vision and Goals

Our goal is to build a self-sustaining innovation ecosystem rooted in Pittsburgh’s legacy of reinvention — transitioning the region from post-industrial decline to AI-enabled civic leadership.

Key Objectives:

Deliver accessible and ethical AI training to over 1,200 learners in 3 years
Incubate 8+ public-good AI startups
Launch a Green Reuse Lab that diverts 10,000 lbs/year of tech from landfills
Embed recursive AI research into STEM pathways and open hardware prototyping
Build an inclusive, frictionless entry point to advanced innovation systems

3. Regional Rationale: Why Pittsburgh?

Pittsburgh is a city of steel, circuits, and second chances. As the birthplace of industrial manufacturing and modern robotics, it remains uniquely positioned to serve as the prototype zone for distributed AI and green innovation.

Home to Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh
Regional support via Innovation Works, URA, Mellon Foundation, and Neighborhood Allies
Vast infrastructure of unused industrial space and affordable real estate
Thousands of underemployed but skilled workers ready to reskill
A strong public appetite for ethical tech, environmental sustainability, and regional self-determination

4. Program Components

A. The AI Makerspace

12,000 sq ft open-access facility for AI research, robotics, and digital creativity
Onsite compute cluster (RWKV nodes + Hugging Face + GPU workstations)
Modular classrooms, startup incubator zones, and “Agent Simulation Arena”
Reused parts sourced from our Green Reuse Lab power many student projects

B. Green Reuse Lab: Salvage, Sort, Sustain

Accepts batteries, devices, motors, PCs, printers, e-waste from the public
Triage and test system categorizes tech: Reusable | Repairable | Recycle
Materials feed directly into youth programs, robotics kits, and upcycling workshops
Metrics logged and reported to NSF and EPA (e.g., pounds diverted, devices saved)

C. Recursive AI Research Node

Develops agentic, self-modifying AI architectures
Trains students and researchers to co-evolve recursive tools with low-carbon infrastructure
Releases open-source agents and publishes benchmarks with local use cases

D. Training & Public Programs

Program	Duration	Audience	Outcome
Ethical AI Foundations	6 months	Youth & veterans	Certified technologist track
Salvage to Startup	12 weeks	Public inventors	Product from junk + pitch deck
AI for Climate	8 weeks	Students, researchers	Model Pittsburgh emissions & traffic
Open Bench Lab	Ongoing	All	Freeform, mentored tinkering w/ donated gear

5. Equity & Inclusion Strategy

Focus Populations: Veterans, displaced industrial workers, low-income youth, BIPOC creators, neurodivergent learners
Access Programs:
- Free tech from salvage inventory
- Monthly Tinker Days with public tools & mentors
- Transportation & food stipends
- Equity audit dashboard measuring demographic reach and retention

6. Sustainability & Impact

Environmental Impact (Green Reuse Lab):

Metric	Year 1 Goal
Tech waste diverted from landfill	10,000 lbs
Batteries safely recycled	1,000 units
Parts reused in student projects	200+
Workshops using reclaimed gear	12+

EPA-compliant recycling partnerships established with regional vendors
Students trained in safe dismantling, repair, and upcycling
Public transparency through digital inventory and impact dashboard

7. Budget Summary (Phase 1 – $1M)

Category	Amount	Purpose
Facility Renovation	$180,000	Buildout of AI lab + Green Zone + inventory shelving
Compute & Salvage Equipment	$150,000	AI cluster, GPU stations, testing tools, battery storage
Staffing	$240,000	3 FTEs: Director, AI Educator, Green Ops Coordinator
Program Delivery	$160,000	Curriculum, software, stipends, safety materials
Microgrants for AI Startups	$150,000	Public-good AI concepts and prototypes
Research Node (Recursive Systems)	$80,000	RWKV agent development and publications
Administration, Reporting, Compliance	$40,000	Financial audits, DEI tracking, eco audits

8. Strategic Partners

CMU (AI4All, Robotics Institute) – Curriculum and faculty advisory
University of Pittsburgh – Research assistantships and open-source ethics oversight
Innovation Works – Startup mentoring and funding pathways
Neighborhood Allies – Equity and local neighborhood integration
eLoop / Evolution E-Cycling – Certified e-waste processing

9. Long-Term Vision

We envision a regional engine of recursive innovation — where code, cognition, and community co-evolve. Salvaged tech powers first builds. Public drop-offs become generative projects. Youth learn from waste. Veterans rebuild from broken systems. Pittsburgh reclaims its role as a forge for American ingenuity — this time not in steel, but in intelligence.

10. Closing Statement

The Yarian Works: Recursive Forge Makerspace is a fully integrated solution for equitable, ethical, and environmentally responsible innovation. With NSF support, we can activate Pittsburgh’s forgotten industrial corridors into recursive research sites, startup incubators, and climate-positive learning environments — all powered by the tools we once threw away.

Contact:
Mark Yarian, Founder & Director
📧 [email protected] | 🌐 www.yarian.com | 📍 Pittsburgh, PA