This GCR solicitation targets multidisciplinary teams who are embracing convergence research as a means of developing highly innovative solutions to complex research problems. GCR proposals are expected to be bold and address scientific or technical challenges and bottlenecks which if resolved have the potential to transform scientific understanding and solve vexing problems. Successful GCR projects are anticipated to lead to paradigm shifting approaches within disciplines, establishment of new scientific communities, or development of transformative technologies that have the potential for broad scientific or societal impact.

The electric program makes insured loans and loan guarantees to nonprofit and cooperative associations, public bodies, and other utilities. Insured loans primarily finance the construction of electric distribution facilities in rural areas. The guaranteed loan program has been expanded and is now available to finance generation, transmission, and distribution facilities. The loans and loan guarantees finance the construction of electric distribution, transmission, and generation facilities, including system improvements and replacement required to furnish and improve electric service in rural areas, as well as demand side management, energy conservation programs, and on-grid and off-grid renewable energy systems.

The Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program is designed to provide grants to small- and medium-sized manufacturers to enable them to build new or retrofit existing manufacturing and industrial facilities in communities where coal mines or coal power plants have closed. These facilities will produce or recycle advanced energy products or contribute to emissions reductions within the manufacturing sector. DOE has released a $425 million funding opportunity announcement for round 2 projects.

Through this solicitation, DOE aims to support community and technical colleges; trade schools; union training programs (including labor-management training programs); apprenticeship readiness, apprenticeship, and internship programs; and their employer and workforce system partners through planning awards of up to $200,000, execution awards of up to $2,000,000, and cohort awards of up to $7,000,000. This solicitation builds on the round of selections announced in November 2023 – applicants may wish to review those selections to understand the types of projects that DOE expects to fund in this solicitation.

This effort seeks to support performers (e.g., municipal governments, community-based NGOs) in capacity building and workforce development planning in communities that host existing energy assets that have retired, or are slated for retirement, and that comprise or comprised a significant portion of local activities (e.g., jobs, tax revenue, and related considerations). In particular, the objective of this effort is to directly support an embedded work stream supported by a staffer whose primary responsibility is coordination and planning, with a particular emphasis on workforce development oriented around productively and sustainably repurposing such assets, their sites and associated infrastructure.

Selected organization(s) will work with DOE to assess topic area cohorts and connect grantees with subject-matter experts relevant to the topic area cohorts. These organizations will establish a working relationship with cohorts to foster the internal growth of knowledge and capacity to adequately conduct planning activities for future program deployment. The selected organization(s) will ensure connection with the appropriate tools and organization for necessary modeling and analysis. The organization tracks the quarterly reporting to DOE based on defined and agreed upon metrics and desired outcomes for EFG. Selected organization(s) will also provide unique and effective collaboration support for cohorts allowing participants to exchange ideas and information in an innovative environment.

This project will focus on strategy & analysis related to supply chain, industrial decarbonization, and related topics. MESC is looking to build an in-depth analysis that will help close the gap between existing federal funding and the strategic considerations that are necessary to bring domestic clean energy manufacturing capacity online. As part of this project, MESC is looking to bring on specialized and individualized thought leadership from subject matter experts (SME) with industry expertise. The analysis provided by these SME’s will advise senior leadership on emerging technologies and challenges, flag new opportunities, and champion partnerships and support program design and execution with external stakeholders where DOE is not the lead actor. The specific industries that are of interest are: Metals (with a focus on iron, steel, and aluminum)

The Department of Energy (DOE) entered into its first Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA). The newly established PIA with ENERGYWERX will serve as a platform to broaden the DOE’s engagement and collaborative activities with innovative organizations and novel solution and service providers. Leveraging proven methods and practices, ENERGYWERX will increase cooperative and joint activities between DOE and small business firms, institutes of higher education, non-traditional performers, and innovative collaborators enabling the rapid development, scaling, commercialization, and deployment of relevant technologies and solutions.

This FOA seeks applications with project teams ready to advance building energy codes within a particular region, state, or local jurisdiction. To drive sustained improvements, BIL emphasizes the importance of strategic partnerships, which must include a State or Tribal government agency, and may include other organizations, such as State or local building departments, builders, contractors, architects, engineers, other design and construction professionals, academia, research, trade organizations, consumer advocates, regional or community energy efficiency organizations, labor unions, apprenticeship programs, and other stakeholders who play an important role supporting the successful adoption and implementation of building codes. Funding provided through this FOA is specifically designed to update building energy codes and ensure the cost-effective implementation of these updated codes at the state and local level.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is being issued by the U.S. Department of Energy’s State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) on behalf of the Local Goverment Energy Program (LGEP). This FOA will support eligible local governments and Tribes to implement projects that provide direct community benefits, spark additional investments, meet community-identified priorities, and build local capacity. Community benefits may include creation of local economic opportunities for workers, workforce measures and agreements, community revitalization, lowered energy burdens, increased access to renewable energy, improved air quality, increased public participation in energy decision-making processes, and improved quality of life for local residents. Projects may span a range of geographic scopes and wide variety of technology areas including, but not limited to: building efficiency and/or electrification, electric transportation, energy infrastructure upgrades, microgrid development and deployment, renewable energy, resilience hubs, and workforce development.

The RFSP supports partnerships that connect public and private resources to plan and develop local or regional food systems. The RFSP focuses on building and strengthening local or regional food economy viability and resilience, and this includes pandemic response and recovery. Applicants will work with their partners to catalyze the development of local or regional food systems. Applicants will coordinate efforts within the partnership to set priorities, connect resources and services, and measure progress towards common goals. Partnerships are authorized to:

• Determine the size and scope of the local or regional food system in which the project’s goals, outreach objectives, and eligible activities are to be carried out,
• Coordinate with AMS to receive technical assistance, and
• Conduct outreach and education for potential participation in the partnership agreement and eligible activities.

Partnerships must bring a variety of financial and technical capabilities, demonstrate experience or readiness to work effectively and collaboratively with public and private entities across sectors, and present innovative, sustainable, and measurable approaches to achieving the project’s goals.

Applications to the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) Request for Applications (RFA) must focus on approaches that promote transformational changes in the U.S. food and agriculture system. NIFA seeks creative and visionary applications that take a systems approach for projects are expected to significantly improve the supply of affordable, safe, nutritious, and accessible agricultural products, while fostering economic development and rural prosperity in America. These approaches must demonstrate current needs and anticipate future social, cultural, behavioral, economic, health, and environmental impacts. Additionally, the outcomes of the work being proposed should result in societal benefits, including promotion of rural prosperity and enhancement of quality of life for all those involved in food and agricultural value chains from production to utilization and consumption. See AFRI SAS RFA for details.