The DOE SC program in Basic Energy Sciences (BES) announces a re-competition of the Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) program. The purpose of this program is to bring together world-class teams of scientists from universities, DOE national laboratories, and other institutions to perform energy-relevant basic research with a scope and complexity beyond what is possible in single-investigator or small-group awards. These multi-investigator, multi-disciplinary centers accelerate transformative scientific advances for the most challenging topics in materials sciences, chemical sciences, geosciences, and biosciences. EFRCs integrate experiments, theory, computation, and AI/ML; develop innovative experimental and theoretical tools that illuminate fundamental processes in unprecedented detail; and create an enthusiastic, interdisciplinary, workforce of energy-focused scientists.
Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs)
Office of Science · Opportunity number DE-FOA-0003614
Details summarized from the official notice as of Jun 28, 2026. Always confirm eligibility, deadlines and requirements in the official notice before applying.
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Key facts
| Opportunity number | DE-FOA-0003614 |
|---|---|
| Agency | Office of Science Department of Energy - Office of Science |
| Assistance listing (ALN, formerly CFDA) | 81.049 |
| Posted | Feb 18, 2026 |
| Deadline | Jul 1, 2026 |
| Award ceiling | $18,000,000 |
| Award floor | $12,000,000 |
| Cost sharing or matching required | No |
| Funding type | Grant, Other |
| Category | Science technology and other research and development |
| Last updated here | Jun 28, 2026 |
Summary from the notice
Who can apply
The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible:
- Unrestricted (open to any type of entity, check the notice)
Registrations you will likely need
Most applications submitted through Grants.gov need the following. Registration can take several weeks, so start early. The notice lists the exact requirements.
- SAM.gov registration for your organization, which also gives you a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Registration is free.
- A Login.gov account, which Grants.gov uses for sign-in.
- A Grants.gov applicant registration linked to your organization's UEI.
Past awards for this program
Totals for assistance listing 81.049 from public USASpending.gov data, as of Oct 4, 2026. Past awards do not predict future funding.
| Year | Listing | Awards | Total | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 81.049 | 8 | $2,614,705,481 | $326,838,185 |
| 2025 | 81.049 | 6 | $2,459,858,607 | $409,976,435 |
| 2024 | 81.049 | 7 | $3,295,941,042 | $470,848,720 |
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