U.S. Department of Energy | Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation

Office of Science Announces Three New Funding Opportunities

DOE Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation sent this bulletin at 03/04/2026 03:59 PM EST

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U.S. Department of Energy | Critical Materials Collaborative

March 4, 2026

Office of Science Announces Three New
Funding Opportunities

Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program announced its interest in receiving applications for Building EPSCoR-State/DOE-National Laboratory Partnerships. These partnerships advance understanding of the physical world by supporting fundamental, early-stage energy research collaborations with the DOE National Laboratories.

Participation by undergraduate students, graduate students, or postdoctoral fellows is required. Early career faculty from EPSCoR jurisdictions are encouraged to apply. Utilization of DOE user facilities is encouraged. Information on the Department of Energy Office of Science (SC) User Facilities, including an overview of DOE designated user facilities, is available on the Office of Science website. Information on the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy’s Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) can be found on the NSUF website.

Required pre-applications are due March 18, 2026. Applications are due May 21, 2026.

For more information about this funding opportunity, please register for a webinar on March 5, 2026, at 4 p.m. ET. Register on Zoom.

View the funding opportunity

Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC)

The Office of Science announced a $352 million funding opportunity for DOE’s Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC). This funding will bring together world-class teams of scientists from universities, DOE National Laboratories, and other institutions to perform fundamental research in materials sciences, chemistry, geosciences, and biosciences. These efforts will lay the scientific foundation needed to accelerate breakthroughs in critical minerals, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing to secure America’s technological leadership.

Applications for new and renewing EFRCs are open to accredited U.S. colleges and universities, National Laboratories, nonprofit organizations, and private sector companies.

For more information about this funding opportunity and the EFRC program, please register for a webinar on March 9, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET. Register on Zoom.

View the funding opportunity

Early Career Research Program

The Office of Science announced it is now accepting applications for the 2026 DOE Office of Science Early Career Research Program. The program will provide five-year awards to exceptional early career researchers at U.S. academic institutions, DOE National Laboratories, and Office of Science User Facilities to stimulate new research directions in mission critical areas supported by DOE’s Office of Science.

Total planned funding is up to $145 million, with $79 million in Fiscal Year 2026 dollars and outyear funding contingent on congressional appropriations.

Mandatory pre-applications are due on March 24, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET. Applications are due on June 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

View the funding opportunity

The Critical Materials Collaborative (CMC) is a mode of connection created by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to improve and increase communication and coordination among DOE, government agencies, and stakeholders working on critical materials projects.

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Office of Science Announces Three New Funding Opportunities

Office of Science Announces Three NewFunding Opportunities

Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)

Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC)

Early Career Research Program

Office of Science Announces Three New
Funding Opportunities