The Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) is working to advance nuclear power to meet the nation's energy, environmental, and national security needs. The following funding opportunities assist the Office of Nuclear Energy by resolving barriers to technical, cost, safety, security, and proliferation resistance through early-stage research, development, and demonstration in the following areas:
- Enhancing the long-term viability and competitiveness of the existing U.S. reactor fleet.
- Developing an advanced reactor pipeline.
- Implementing and maintaining national strategic fuel cycle and supply chain infrastructure.
U.S. Industry Opportunities for Advanced Nuclear Technology Development (Industry FOA)
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is soliciting proposals for cost-shared projects to develop innovative industry-driven reactor designs and technologies to advance nuclear power in America.
This funding opportunity is open for a five-year period. Applications will be accepted on a year-round basis. In order to meet the nominal two times a year DOE reviews, applications should be submitted by 5 p.m. (ET) on the following dates, each year the FOA remains open:
- February 28
- August 31
Future funding is subject to congressional appropriations.
Funding pathways include:
First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) Nuclear Demonstration Readiness Projects
Intended to address major advanced reactor design development projects or complex technology advancements for existing plants which have significant technical and licensing risk and have the potential to be deployed by the mid- to late-2020s.
Advanced Reactor Development Projects
Allows for a broad scope of proposed concepts and ideas that are best suited to improving the capabilities and commercialization potential of advanced reactor designs and technologies.
Regulatory Assistance Grants
Provides direct support for resolving design regulatory issues, regulatory review of licensing topical reports or papers, and other efforts focused on obtaining certification and licensing approvals for advanced reactor designs and capabilities.
See more information on the full Industry FOA.
AWARDEES: See information on the Industry FOA awardees selected and their projects.
Additional Funding Opportunities
Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) Vouchers
The Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) program is working with the nuclear industrial community to provide funds to assist applicants seeking access to world-class expertise and capabilities available across the U.S. DOE complex. To learn more, please see the GAIN Voucher Program website.
AWARDEES: See information on the GAIN Voucher awardees and their projects.
Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)
The Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) FOA is a consolidated funding opportunity for the following three programs:
1. Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP)
NEUP utilizes up to 20% of funds appropriated to the Office of Nuclear Energy's (NE) research and development program for university-based infrastructure support and research and development in key NE program-related areas:
- Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCR&D)
- Reactor Concepts Research, Development, and Demonstration (RCRD&D)
- Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS)
These funds support the integration of research performed at universities with other research performed for the Office of Nuclear Energy, as well as support the transfer of knowledge from an aging nuclear workforce to the next generation of workers. To learn more about the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP), please see the NEUP website.
2. Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies (NEET) Crosscutting Technology Development (CTD)
The NEET CTD program conducts research and development in crosscutting technologies that directly support and enable the development of new and advanced reactor designs and fuel cycle technologies. These technologies will advance the state of nuclear technology, improve its competitiveness, and promote continued contribution to meeting our nation's energy and environmental challenges. The knowledge generated through these activities will allow the Office of Nuclear Energy to address key challenges affecting nuclear reactor and fuel cycle deployment with a focus on crosscutting innovative technologies. To learn more about the Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies (NEET) Crosscutting Technology Development (CTD) program, please see the "R&D" tab on the NEUP website.
3. Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF)
The Office of Nuclear Energy funds access to world-class capabilities to facilitate the advancement of nuclear science and technology. This mission is supported by providing access, at no cost to the user, to state-of-the-art experimental irradiation testing and Post-Irradiation Examination (PIE) facilities, as well as technical assistance including the design and analysis of reactor experiments. NSUF and its partner facilities represent a prototype laboratory for the future. Together, these capabilities and people create a nationwide infrastructure that allows the best ideas to be proven using the most advanced capabilities. Through NSUF, researchers and their collaborators are building on current knowledge to better understand the complex behavior of materials and fuels under irradiation. To learn more about the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) program, please see the NSUF website.
To learn more about the funding opportunities for these three programs, please see the Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) Funding Opportunity Announcement.
AWARDEES: See information on the NEUP and NEET CTD awardees and their projects.
AWARDEES: See information on the NSUF awardees and their projects.
Scientific Infrastructure Support for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (Infrastructure FOA)
The Scientific Infrastructure Support program assists entities with acquiring equipment or funding activities to support research, teaching, and education, such as the purchase, setup, and vendor installation costs for equipment and instrumentation, as well as building modifications that immediately support the installation and operation of the equipment. To learn more, please see the Infrastructure FOA.
AWARDEES: See information on the Infrastructure FOA awardees and their projects, on the "Infrastructure" tab.
Nuclear Energy Undergraduate Scholarships
The Nuclear Energy Undergraduate Scholarships program works to attract qualified nuclear science and engineering students (NS&E) to nuclear energy professions by providing undergraduate scholarships. Scholarships are awarded for undergraduate study at two- and four-year institutions leading to a major or minor degree or certificate in the fields or disciplines of NS&E relevant to the DOE-NE mission. To learn more, please see the "Scholarship & Fellowship" tab on the NEUP website.
AWARDEES: See information on the Undergraduate Scholarship awardees, under "Student Educational Support."
Nuclear Energy Graduate Fellowships
The Nuclear Energy Graduate Fellowship program works to attract qualified nuclear science and engineering students (NS&E) to nuclear energy professions by providing graduate-level fellowships. Fellowships are awarded for graduate-level work leading to a masters or doctoral degree in the fields or disciplines of NS&E relevant to the DOE-NE mission. To learn more, please see the "Scholarship & Fellowship" tab on the NEUP website.
AWARDEES: See information on the Graduate Fellowship awardees, under "Student Educational Support."
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