Grants / Department of Energy / Idaho Field Office

DE-FOA-0003540: Fiscal Year 2026 Distinguished Early Career Program

Closed Closed March 10, 2026 Opportunity DE-FOA-0003540 ☆ Save

This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: Silcon Carbide Cladding Lead Test Rod Development-Phase 1 (DE-FOA-0003577). Status: Closes December 7, 2026 (30 days left). It is in our archive of Idaho Field Office notices from 2025.

• Award ceiling$800,000
• Total funding$3.2 million
• Expected awards4
• Cost sharingNot required
• Funding typeGrant

Key dates

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to colleges and universities.

• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
• Private institutions of higher education

More grants for colleges and universities.

Is this a realistic fit?

• Past Nuclear Energy Research, Development and Demonstration awards averaged $7.0 million; this notice allows up to $800,000 per award.
• Most of the program's money (55% over five years) went to businesses.
• No cost sharing or match is required.

What the grant funds

The Office of Nuclear Energy’s (NE) mission is to advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet U.S. energy, environmental, and economic needs. NE has identified the following goals to address challenges in the nuclear energy sector, help realize the potential of advanced technology, and leverage the unique role of the government in spurring innovation: • Keep existing U.S. nuclear reactors operating; • Deploy new nuclear reactors; • Secure and sustain our nuclear fuel cycle; and • Expand international nuclear energy cooperation. All applications submitted under this NOFO must demonstrate a strong tie to NEs mission. NE conducts crosscutting nuclear energy research and development (R&D) and associated infrastructure support activities to develop innovative technologies that offer the promise of dramatically improved performance for its mission needs while maximizing the impact of DOE resources. NE strives to promote integrated and collaborative research conducted by national laboratories, universities, industry, and international partners in conjunction with NE’s programs and to deploy innovative nuclear energy technologies to the market to meet the strategic goals and optimize the benefits of nuclear energy. NE funds research activities, through both competitive and direct mechanisms, as required to best meet those goals. This approach ensures a balanced R&D portfolio and encourages new nuclear power deployment with creative solutions to the universe of nuclear energy challenges through various major research programs funded by NE.

Category: Energy.

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, DE-FOA-0003577, which is open now.

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