# Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources SBIR/STTR (UNLOCK SBIR/STTR)

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/de-foa-0003631-unlocking-new-levels-of-output-and-capacity-for/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/364135

> Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy is offering grants of up to $4.6 million (at least $323,090) to small businesses. It expects to make about 12 awards worth $45.0 million in total. Applications close on November 20, 2026.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | DE-FOA-0003631 |
| Agency | Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy |
| Status | Open |
| Deadline | November 20, 2026 |
| Award ceiling | $4.6 million |
| Award floor | $323,090 |
| Expected awards | 12 |
| Total funding | $45.0 million |
| Cost sharing | not required |
| Assistance Listings | 81.135 |

## Who can apply

- Small businesses

## What the grant funds

NOFO Number: DE-FOA-0003631 - Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources SBIR/STTR (UNLOCK SBIR/STTR) To obtain a copy of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) please go to DOE eXCHANGE at https://exchange.energy.gov/. To apply to this NOFO, Applicants must register with and submit application materials through DOE eXCHANGE (https://exchange.energy.gov/Registration.aspx). For detailed guidance on using DOE eXCHANGE, please refer to the DOE eXCHANGE User Guide (https://exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx). ARPA-E will not review or consider application materials submitted through other means. For problems with DOE eXCHANGE, email ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov (with NOFO name and number in the subject line). Questions about this NOFO? Check the Frequently Asked Questions available at http://arpa-e.energy.gov/faq. For questions that have not already been answered, email ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov. Agency Overview: The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E), an organization within the Department of Energy (DOE), is chartered by Congress in the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-69), as amended by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-358), as further amended by the Energy Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-260). ARPA-E issues this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) under its authorizing statute codified at 42 U.S.C. § 16538. The NOFO and any cooperative agreements or grants made under this NOFO are subject to 2 C.F.R. Part 200 as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 910. ARPA-E funds research on, and the development of, transformative science and technology solutions to address the energy and environmental missions of the Department. The agency focuses on technologies that can be meaningfully advanced with a modest investment over a defined period of time in order to catalyze the translation from scientific discovery to early-stage technology. For the latest news and information about ARPA-E, its programs and the research projects currently supported, see: http://arpa-e.energy.gov/. ARPA-E funds transformational research. Existing energy technologies generally progress on established “learning curves” where refinements to a technology and the economies of scale that accrue as manufacturing and distribution develop drive improvements to the cost/performance metric in a gradual fashion.

## Questions people ask

### Who can apply for Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources SBIR/STTR (UNLOCK SBIR/STTR)?

Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy accepts applications from small businesses.

### What is the deadline for Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources SBIR/STTR (UNLOCK SBIR/STTR)?

Closes November 20, 2026 (20 days left). Confirm the date and time in the official notice on Grants.gov.

### How much funding is available?

Awards of up to $4.6 million each. About $45.0 million in total across about 12 awards.