Well Told Grants

Federal grant programs / Department of Energy

Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (81.135)

Also known as (ARPA-E)

Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (Assistance Listing 81.135) is run by the Department of Energy. It awarded $1.4 billion in 729 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $1.9 million per award on average. 3 funding opportunities are open or forecast now.

The typical award was $1.3 million. Half of the 729 awards fell between $500,000 and $2.5 million, and they ranged from $1,000 to $30.9 million.

Key findings

What the program funds

To support the President’s National Objectives for the Department of Energy, and the Objectives contained in the authorizing legislation.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

Past notices

Of 104 notices posted under this program since 2021, most went up in January (14), May (12) and November (12).

The 15 most recent of 101 closed notices under this program since 2021. Search a notice number on the search page to find any of them.

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

As described in the Funding Opportunity Announcement.

What the money can and cannot pay for

ARPA-E will fund research and development of transformational energy related technologies. As described in each Funding Opportunity Announcement. ;

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Detailed cost share requirements are specified in each Funding Opportunity Announcement.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Award range and average, in the agency's words

$250,000 to $10,000,000 (average range is $2-$3 million)

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Funding history and past recipients

From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (81.135) awarded $1.4 billion across 729 grant awards, an average of $1.9 million per award.

Largest recipients, fiscal 2021 to 2025
RecipientStateAwardsAmount
RTX CorporationConnecticut15$33.9 million
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts16$31.4 million
BWXT Advanced Technologies LLCVirginia1$30.9 million
Ge Vernova Operations LLCNew York8$26.4 million
University of Maryland, College ParkMaryland11$23.6 million
University of Wisconsin SystemWisconsin12$23.3 million
University of IllinoisIllinois15$22.5 million
Inventwood Inc.Maryland2$20.5 million
Antora Energy, Inc.California2$20.2 million
Kent Houston Offshore Engineering LLCTexas2$20.0 million
Ion Storage Systems, Inc.Maryland1$20.0 million
Natron Energy, Inc.California1$19.9 million
Georgia Tech Research CorpGeorgia16$19.7 million
Texas A&m Engineering Experiment StationTexas9$18.7 million
The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York10$18.5 million
Research Triangle InstituteNorth Carolina3$17.8 million
Niron Magnetics IncMinnesota1$17.5 million
General Electric CompanyNew York7$17.4 million
University of Texas at AustinTexas10$16.6 million
Trustees of the Colorado School of MinesColorado8$16.0 million

Top states: California ($231 million), Massachusetts ($148 million), Texas ($122 million), New York ($107 million), Maryland ($82.5 million), Connecticut ($62.5 million), Colorado ($61.7 million), Illinois ($59.2 million), Virginia ($56.3 million), Wisconsin ($52.2 million).

Who usually wins

Colleges and universities received 43% of the money, small businesses 36% and businesses 17%.

Recipient typeAwardsAmountShare
Colleges and universities391$598 million43%
Small businesses224$501 million36%
Businesses79$238 million17%
Nonprofits27$54.0 million3.9%
Other8$9.1 million0.7%

By state

42 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.

Grants by recipient's state, fiscal 2021 to 2025
StateAwardsAmount
California121$231 million
Massachusetts73$148 million
Texas53$122 million
New York56$107 million
Maryland27$82.5 million
Connecticut28$62.5 million
Colorado34$61.7 million
Illinois31$59.2 million
Virginia21$56.3 million
Wisconsin22$52.2 million
North Carolina20$45.6 million
Pennsylvania27$43.2 million
Michigan24$34.2 million
New Jersey16$31.3 million
Ohio17$29.0 million
Georgia19$28.3 million
Minnesota5$23.9 million
Washington16$20.1 million
Maine4$19.0 million
Tennessee12$16.6 million
Florida10$15.1 million
Arizona6$13.6 million
Utah7$11.2 million
Delaware5$10.1 million
Kentucky4$9.7 million
Oregon4$7.8 million
Hawaii3$7.6 million
Alaska5$7.3 million
South Carolina7$5.9 million
Missouri7$5.8 million
Montana1$4.5 million
Nevada4$4.3 million
Indiana7$4.2 million
Nebraska6$3.3 million
Idaho1$2.0 million
Iowa2$2.0 million
New Mexico4$1.9 million
Alabama3$1.8 million
Arkansas1$1.8 million
New Hampshire3$1.7 million
District of Columbia4$1.5 million
Vermont1$1.4 million
West Virginia1$748,997
Rhode Island1$650,332
North Dakota1$500,000
Wyoming1$398,931
Mississippi1$288,866
Louisiana1$180,368

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.