Open DE-FOA-0003615 CFDA 81.049 Discretionary

Building EPSCoR-State/National Laboratory Partnerships

Posted by Office of Science

Opportunity snapshot. This Grants.gov announcement — Building EPSCoR-State/National Laboratory Partnerships — is cataloged under number DE-FOA-0003615 and tied to CFDA assistance listing 81.049, posted by Office of Science. Grants.gov currently shows the opportunity as open, first posted on February 18, 2026 and last updated on March 3, 2026. The funding category is Discretionary, delivered as a grant.

Award economics. The award range on file is $600,000 -- $1,000,000. The agency has projected $35.0 million in total estimated funding for this announcement. It expects to issue 35 awards. If the agency funds the expected 35 awards from the $35.0 million estimated pool, the average award works out to roughly $1.0 million. 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 May 21, 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

$600,000 -- $1,000,000

Close Date

May 21, 2026

Posted

February 18, 2026

Est. Total Funding

$35,000,000

Expected Awards

35

Instrument

Grant

Description

The DOE SC Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) hereby announces 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. (Information on the DOE National Laboratories including links to websites can be found at https://www.energy.gov/about-national-labs.) 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 SC User Facilities can be found at https://science.osti.gov/User-Facilities/User-Facilities-at-a-Glance; information on the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy user facilities can be found at https://nsuf.inl.gov). DOE EPSCoR follows NSF EPSCoR Program eligibility determinations. As a result, and in accordance with 2 CFR 910.126, competition, eligibility for award is restricted. Domestic applicants except nonprofit organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995, that are within the following jurisdictions will be eligible to apply under this NOFO: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Eligibility

25

Official Listing on Grants.gov

View full details, application forms, and submission instructions.

View on Grants.gov

Agency Contact

John Vetrano, Ph.D. <br/>Program Manager

Key Dates

Posted February 18, 2026
Close Date May 21, 2026
Archive Date June 20, 2026
Last Updated March 3, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this grant opportunity?
This is a federal funding opportunity titled "Building EPSCoR-State/National Laboratory Partnerships", offered by Office of Science. It is associated with CFDA program 81.049. The DOE SC Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for Building EPSCoR-State/DOE-National Laboratory Partnerships. These ...
Is this opportunity still open?
Yes, this opportunity is currently open for applications. The closing date is May 21, 2026.
How much funding is available?
The award range for this opportunity is $600,000 -- $1,000,000. Total estimated funding: $35,000,000. Expected number of awards: 35.
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.

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