Grants / Department of Energy / Golden Field Office

DE-FOA-0003518: Sustainable Propane and Renewable Chemicals (SPARC)

Closed Closed May 30, 2025 Opportunity DE-FOA-0003518 ☆ Save

This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: Accelerating Scale-up and Pre-piloting of Emerging Chemical Technologies (ASPECT) (DE-FOA-0003647). Status: Closes December 1, 2026 (24 days left). It is in our archive of Golden Field Office notices from 2025.

• Award ceiling$2.5 million
• Award floor$1.0 million
• Total funding$23.0 million
• Expected awards12
• Cost sharingRequired
• Funding typeCooperative Agreement

Key dates

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses, businesses and individuals.

DOE/NNSA FFRDCs are eligible to participate as a subrecipient but are not eligible to apply as a recipient.

More grants for nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses, businesses, individuals.

Is this a realistic fit?

• Past Renewable Energy Research and Development awards averaged $2.8 million; this notice allows up to $2.5 million per award.
• Most of the program's money (30% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
• The notice requires cost sharing or matching funds, so you must contribute part of the project cost.

What the grant funds

This NOFO supports BETO’s research and development (R&D) priorities in the areas of Conversion R&D. Specifically, it supports research and development of domestic chemicals and fuels from a variety of biomass and waste resources. Producing chemicals and propane/liquid petroleum gas (LPG) from renewable feedstocks helps to safeguard domestic supply chains, secure energy independence, support rural economies, and improve global competitiveness of the industry. This NOFO contains two topics:Topic Area 1: Bio-based ChemicalsThis Topic Area will support development and adoption of new production methods for value-added chemicals from biomass. Topic Area 2: Bio-based Propane/LPGThis Topic Area seeks to pursue new pathways for the production of sustainable liquefied propane and/or petroleum gases (LPG) from a variety of feedstocks including municipal waste, agricultural residues, forest resources, and fats, oils, and grease. Please see the full FOA document at eere-exchange.energy.gov. Questions regarding the FOA must be submitted to sparcnofo@hq.doe.gov. The required Concept Paper due date for this FOA is 3/14/2025 at 5PM ET. The Full Application due date for this FOA is 5/30/2025 at 5PM ET.As stated in the Notice of Intent (search DE-FOA-0003517 in eXCHANGE), a Teaming Partner List has been compiled to encourage collaboration and facilitate the formation of new project teams. Visit: TPL-0000064 Teaming Partner List for DE-FOA-0003517 NOI to Publish DE-FOA-0003518 and DE-FOA-0003520.The eXCHANGE system is currently designed to enforce hard deadlines for Concept Paper and Full Application submissions. The APPLY and SUBMIT buttons automatically disable at the defined submission deadlines. The intention of this design is to consistently enforce a standard deadline for all applicants. Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the FOA Deadline: In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov). The eXCHANGE helpdesk and/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues.

Category: Energy.

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, DE-FOA-0003647, which is open now.

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