DE-FOA-0003548: Unleashing Tribal Energy Development
Closed
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 2026.
Golden Field Office offered grants of up to $7.5 million (at least $250,000) to tribes. It expected to make about 40 awards worth $50.0 million in total. Applications closed on July 24, 2026.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed March 25, 2026. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$7.5 million
- Award floor$250,000
- Total funding$50.0 million
- Expected awards40
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
Key dates
| Posted | March 25, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | July 24, 2026 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | August 23, 2026 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to tribes.
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past Renewable Energy Research and Development awards averaged $2.8 million; this notice allows up to $7.5 million per award.
- Most of the program's money (30% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
DE-FOA-0003548: Unleashing Tribal Energy Development Under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the DOE Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs is soliciting applications to advance affordable, reliable, and secure energy development of Tribal energy resources for the benefit of Tribes and their members. Projects funded under this NOFO are expected to advance Tribal sovereignty through Tribal energy development, efficiency, and use. Projects under Topic Area 1 are expected to serve the electric loads and support the energy needs of Tribes at the scale of a Tribal community or communities. These projects entail the construction of energy assets and projects. Projects under Topic Area 2 are expected to complete all pre-development activities necessary for the deployment of community scale energy projects. Projects under Topic Area 3 are expected to complete necessary pre-development activities for large scale commercial development of Tribal energy resources which lead to enhancement and strengthening of Tribal energy and economic infrastructure. DOE expects to make approximately $50 million of federal funding available for new awards under this NOFO. DOE may issue awards in one, multiple, or none of the Topic Areas. Please see full notification of funding opportunity at: https://ie-exchange.energy.gov
Who has won Renewable Energy Research and Development grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Renewable Energy Research and Development (81.087) awarded $2.5 billion across 900 grant awards, an average of $2.8 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon State University | Oregon | 12 | $112 million |
| University of Utah | Utah | 3 | $107 million |
| Avapco LLC | Georgia | 2 | $103 million |
| Plug Power Inc. | New York | 4 | $75.7 million |
| General Motors LLC | Michigan | 5 | $61.1 million |
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.
Questions people ask
Is DE-FOA-0003548 still open?
No. It closed on July 24, 2026. A newer notice is open: DE-FOA-0003647, closes December 1, 2026 (24 days left).
Who can apply for Unleashing Tribal Energy Development?
Golden Field Office accepted applications from tribes.
What is the deadline for Unleashing Tribal Energy Development?
Closed July 24, 2026. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $7.5 million each. About $50.0 million in total across about 40 awards.
Who has won Renewable Energy Research and Development grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Oregon State University, University of Utah, Avapco LLC. The program made 900 awards worth $2.5 billion in that time.
Similar open grants
- Advanced Nuclear Energy Licensing Cost-Share Grant Program
- Accelerating Scale-up and Pre-piloting of Emerging Chemical Technologies (ASPECT)
- Silcon Carbide Cladding Lead Test Rod Development-Phase 1
- NOI: PROSPECT Program: Providing Opportunities for Specialized Education in Critical Technologies
- Grid Supply Chain Alternatives to Lead Energy Dominance (SCALED)
- Notice of Intent to Issue NOFO DE-FOA-0003649: Leveraging Domestic Infrastructure and Resources to Unleash Alternative Chemicals, Fuels and Feedstocks