Open DE-FOA-0003541 CFDA 81.121 Discretionary

Fiscal Year 2026 Scientific Infrastructure Support for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research

Posted by Idaho Field Office

Opportunity snapshot. This Grants.gov announcement — Fiscal Year 2026 Scientific Infrastructure Support for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research — is cataloged under number DE-FOA-0003541 and tied to CFDA assistance listing 81.121, posted by Idaho Field Office. Grants.gov currently shows the opportunity as open, first posted on December 15, 2025 and last updated on March 3, 2026. The funding category is Discretionary, delivered as a grant.

Award economics. The award range on file is Up to $1,500,000. The agency has projected $5.0 million in total estimated funding for this announcement. It expects to issue 15 awards. If the agency funds the expected 15 awards from the $5.0 million estimated pool, the average award works out to roughly $333,000. Cost sharing is not required, so applicants do not need to commit matching funds to be competitive on this opportunity. Federal award ranges are often upper bounds; actual allocations reflect program appropriations, the strength of the applicant pool, and the evaluation committee's scoring.

Deadline and action path. Applications close on April 9, 2026. Every Grants.gov submission requires an active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID. Review the Eligibility section below carefully — federal eligibility categories (nonprofit, state or local government, tribal, individual, educational institution, small business) have distinct registration and reporting requirements. Pre-application outreach to the listed agency contact is permitted and often welcomed — it helps clarify scope and scoring priorities.

Award Range

Up to $1,500,000

Close Date

April 9, 2026

Posted

December 15, 2025

Est. Total Funding

$5,000,000

Expected Awards

15

Instrument

Grant

Description

The Office of Nuclear Energy’s (NE) program purpose is to advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet U.S. energy, environmental and economic needs. NE enables innovation, supports unique research infrastructure, and solves crosscutting challenges facing the nuclear energy sector through research, development and demonstration. 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: • Enable continued operation of existing U.S. nuclear reactors. • Enable deployment of advanced nuclear reactors. • Develop advanced nuclear fuel cycles. • Maintain U.S. leadership in nuclear energy technology. • Enable a high-performing organization. Investing in the next generation of nuclear energy leaders and advancing university-led nuclear innovation is vital to fulfilling NE's mission, which is primarily accomplished through NE’s Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP). NEUP was established in 2009 to consolidate NE’s university support and enable the integration of university research within NE’s technical programs. Through various competitive award opportunities, the program engages with U.S. universities and colleges to conduct research and development (R&D), enhance infrastructure, and support student education, thereby contributing to the development of a world-class nuclear energy and workforce capability. Since its inception, NE has awarded more than $1 billion to U.S. Institutions of Higher Education through the NEUP program to continue American energy leadership and to train the next generation of nuclear engineers, scientists and policymakers. The NEUP overarching goal is to support outstanding, cutting-edge, and innovative research at U.S. colleges and universities through the following: • Administering NEUP R&D awards to support NE’s goal of integrating R&D at universities, national laboratories, and industry to revitalize nuclear education and support NE’s R&D program objectives; • Attracting the brightest students to the nuclear professions and supporting the nation’s intellectual capital in nuclear energy-related engineering and relevant nuclear science, such as health physics, nuclear materials science, radiochemistry, and applied nuclear physics through broad outreach, scholarships, and fellowships awards; and • Improving relevant college and university infrastructure for conducting nuclear energy-related R&D and educating students through infrastructure awards.

Eligibility

06;20

Official Listing on Grants.gov

View full details, application forms, and submission instructions.

View on Grants.gov

Agency Contact

Jacob Lingard 2085265820<br/>lingarjn@id.doe.gov<br/> Andrew Ford 208-526-3059<br/>fordaj@id.doe.gov

Key Dates

Posted December 15, 2025
Close Date April 9, 2026
Archive Date May 9, 2026
Last Updated March 3, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this grant opportunity?
This is a federal funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2026 Scientific Infrastructure Support for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research", offered by Idaho Field Office. It is associated with CFDA program 81.121. The Office of Nuclear Energy’s (NE) program purpose is to advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet U.S. energy, environmental and economic needs. NE enables innovation, supports uni...
Is this opportunity still open?
Yes, this opportunity is currently open for applications. The closing date is April 9, 2026.
How much funding is available?
The award range for this opportunity is Up to $1,500,000. Total estimated funding: $5,000,000. Expected number of awards: 15.
How do I apply?
Applications for federal grant opportunities are typically submitted through Grants.gov. Visit the official listing at grants.gov for application instructions, required documents, and submission deadlines.

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from Grants.gov and SAM.gov and is for informational purposes only. Opportunity details, deadlines, and eligibility requirements change frequently. Always verify current information directly on Grants.gov before applying. PlainGrants is not affiliated with any federal agency.

Related

Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainGrants Editorial