[Office of Science](https://www.energy.gov/science)

July 1, 2026

$12,000,000–$18,000,000 per award; multi-year, multi-investigator center grants

Supports multi-institutional research centers advancing transformative basic science in energy-relevant materials, chemical, geo-, and biosciences.

--- ## Description The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences (BES) program, is re-competing its Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) initiative. The EFRCs are designed to bring together multidisciplinary teams of scientists from universities, DOE national laboratories, and other research institutions to address complex, energy-relevant scientific challenges that cannot be tackled by individual investigators or small groups. The centers focus on fundamental research in materials sciences, chemical sciences, geosciences, and biosciences, with an emphasis on integrating experimental, theoretical, computational, and AI/ML approaches. The goal is to accelerate transformative advances and develop innovative tools that provide unprecedented insight into fundamental processes relevant to energy. --- ## Due Dates - July 1, 2026: Full application / closing deadline --- ## Funding Amount - Awards range from $12,000,000 to $18,000,000 per center. - Funding supports multi-investigator, multi-institutional research centers over several years. - No cost sharing or matching is required. --- ## Eligibility - Eligibility is unrestricted; open to: - Universities and colleges - DOE national laboratories - Nonprofit and for-profit organizations - State, local, and tribal governments - Other organizations with capacity to execute the proposed research - International entities may participate as subawardees or collaborators, but the lead institution must be U.S.-based. --- ## Application Process - Applications must be submitted through [Grants.gov](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361309). - Carefully review the full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for required documents, proposal structure, and submission instructions. - Multi-institutional collaboration is expected; proposals should clearly articulate the center’s vision, team structure, and integration plan. - Contact the program office with questions before submission. --- ## Additional Information - EFRCs are intended for high-impact, long-term basic research that lays the foundation for future energy technologies. - Proposals should emphasize interdisciplinary approaches and the integration of novel experimental and theoretical methods. - The program aims to build a diverse, well-trained, and enthusiastic energy science workforce. --- ## External Links - [DOE Office of Science – EFRC Program Overview](https://www.energy.gov/science/bes/energy-frontier-research-centers-efrcs) - [Funding Opportunity at Grants.gov](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361309) - [DOE Office of Science (main site)](https://www.energy.gov/science) --- ## Contact Information | Contact | Email | Phone | |------------------------|------------------------------|-----------------| | EFRC Program Office | EFRC@science.doe.gov | — | | PAMS Helpdesk | sc.pams-helpdesk@science.doe.gov | (855) 818-1846 | | Grants.gov Support | support@grants.gov | 1-800-518-4726 |

Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs)

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