Grants / Department of Energy / Office of Science

DE-FOA-0003453: Systems Biology Research to Advance Bioenergy Crop Production

Closed Closed March 26, 2025 Opportunity DE-FOA-0003453 ☆ Save

This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: Genesis Mission Graduate Fellowship Pilot (DE-FOA-0003673). Status: Closes January 12, 2027 (66 days left). It is in our archive of Office of Science notices from 2024.

• Award ceiling$15.0 million
• Award floor$5.0 million
• Total funding$75.0 million
• Cost sharingNot required
• Funding typeGrant, Other

Key dates

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.

• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

All types of domestic applicants are eligible to apply, except nonprofit organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995. 1. DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) National Laboratories DOE/NNSA National Laboratories are not eligible to submit applications under this NOFO but may be proposed as subrecipients under another organization’s application. If recommended for funding as a proposed subrecipient, the value of the proposed subaward will be removed from the prime applicant’s award and will be provided to the laboratory through the DOE Field-Work Proposal System and work will be conducted under the laboratory’s contract with DOE. No administrative provisions of this NOFO will apply to the laboratory or any laboratory subcontractor. Additional instructions for securing authorization from the cognizant Contracting Officer are found in Section IX of this NOFO. 2. Non-DOE/NNSA Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs are not eligible to submit applications under this NOFO but may be proposed as subrecipients under another organization’s application. If recommended for funding as a proposed subrecipient, the value of the proposed subaward may be removed from the prime applicant’s award and may be provided through an interagency agreement to the FFRDC’s sponsoring Federal Agency. Additional instructions for securing authorization from the cognizant Contracting Officer are found in Section IX of this NOFO. 3. Other Federal Agencies Other Federal Agencies are not eligible to submit applications under this NOFO but may be proposed as subrecipients under another organization’s application. If recommended for funding as a proposed subrecipient, the value of the proposed subaward may be removed from the prime applicant’s award and may be provided through an interagency agreement. Additional instructions for providing statutory authorization are found in Section IX of this NOFO.

Is this a realistic fit?

• Past Office of Science Financial Assistance Program awards averaged $1.2 million; this notice allows up to $15.0 million per award.
• Most of the program's money (69% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
• No cost sharing or match is required.

What the grant funds

The DOE SC program in Biological and Environmental Research (BER) announces it is receiving applications for research within the Biological Systems Science Division’s (BSSD) Genomic Science Program (GSP) (https://genomicscience.energy.gov) mission-space. In this NOFO, applications are requested for: · Systems-level research to improve understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying bioenergy feedstock productivity under changing and at times suboptimal environmental conditions, · Systems biology-enabled investigations into the role(s) of microbes and microbial communities (including rhizosphere consortia, e.g. bacteria, fungi, diazotrophs, endophytes, viruses) in supporting plant productivity and vigor are also solicited. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Two areas vital to the Nation’s energy and environmental security motivate the BER research agenda: developing cost-effective biofuels and bioproducts and improving our ability to understand, predict, and mitigate the impacts of energy production in the face of a variable environment. BER has invested in plant and plant-microbe interactions research with the goal of advancing production of biofuels/bioproducts from domestic lignocellulosic and oilseed crop sources. These efforts have increased our understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying feedstock productivity and facilitated development of next- generation bioenergy crops that utilize novel, efficient bioenergy strategies that can be replicated on a mass scale. However, several knowledge gaps and challenges remain towards attaining the goal of developing vigorous crops with superior growth and yield under varying environmental conditions. A better understanding of the underlying genetic and physiological mechanisms influencing plant productivity, resource use efficiency, and adaptation and resilience to abiotic stress are needed. Also of interest is how beneficial plant-microbe associations may enhance requisite plant processes to enable manipulation of these associations for improving plant traits. Furthermore, available computational technologies and infrastructure may provide opportunities to connect and integrate information across multiple spatial and temporal scales to better understand the behavior of complex biological systems and to develop a predictive understanding of sustainability outcomes over a range of future climate scenarios [U.S. DOE.2014.

Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, DE-FOA-0003673, which is open now.

The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.