Building EPSCoR-State/National Laboratory Partnerships | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the name of this DOE funding opportunity?

The funding opportunity is titled Building EPSCoR-State/DOE-National Laboratory Partnerships.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is DE-FOA-0003615.

Which DOE office is offering this grant?

This opportunity is offered by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science (SC) under the EPSCoR program.

What is the core purpose of this opportunity?

The purpose is to build and strengthen research partnerships between institutions in EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions and DOE National Laboratories, with the aim of advancing fundamental, early-stage energy research that improves understanding of the physical world and increases long-term competitiveness in DOE-relevant research areas.

What kind of research does DOE want to support through these partnerships?

The opportunity emphasizes fundamental and early-stage energy research. The research should be rigorous and designed to improve understanding of the physical world, while also building research capacity in EPSCoR jurisdictions through sustained collaboration with a DOE National Laboratory.

Is collaboration with a DOE National Laboratory required?

Yes. Projects are expected to be collaborative by design and to leverage the expertise, capabilities, and unique infrastructure of the DOE National Laboratories as part of the research plan.

What does DOE mean by "partnership" in this program?

Based on the opportunity description, a partnership should be a genuine joint effort between an EPSCoR-jurisdiction institution and a DOE National Laboratory, where the national lab contribution is central (for example: unique instruments, staff expertise, facilities, or data) rather than incidental.

Is workforce development part of the program expectations?

Yes. A defining feature of this opportunity is its strong emphasis on workforce development and hands-on research training through participation in the proposed partnership.

Are students or early-career researchers required to participate?

Yes. Each proposed partnership must include participation by students or early-career researchers. Involvement of undergraduate students, graduate students, or postdoctoral fellows is described as required (not optional).

Does the opportunity encourage proposals from early-career faculty?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly encourages applications from early-career faculty based in EPSCoR jurisdictions, including proposals that clearly build newer investigators' research trajectories through national lab collaboration.

Are applicants expected to use DOE user facilities?

Applicants are encouraged to make meaningful use of DOE research infrastructure, particularly DOE Office of Science user facilities (for example: light sources, neutron sources, nanoscale science research centers, high-performance computing facilities, and other national user facilities).

Is use of DOE user facilities a strict requirement?

In the provided summary, facility use is not stated as a strict requirement. However, proposals that thoughtfully integrate user facility access into the research plan may be better positioned because this can demonstrate deep engagement with DOE capabilities and enable work that is difficult to do in a typical university lab.

Are any non-Office of Science facilities mentioned as encouraged resources?

Yes. The opportunity also encourages the use of DOE Office of Nuclear Energy user facilities, and specifically calls out the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) as a relevant resource.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is restricted. Only domestic applicants located in the listed EPSCoR jurisdictions may apply, consistent with DOE EPSCoR's adoption of NSF EPSCoR eligibility determinations and the competition limitations described in 2 CFR 910.126.

Which jurisdictions are listed as EPSCoR-eligible for this opportunity?

The listed eligible jurisdictions are: 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. The notice also notes to refer to page 4 for details.

Are any organizations specifically prohibited from applying?

Yes. There is a specific statutory restriction excluding 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations that have engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995.

What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this program?

The Assistance Listing (CFDA) number is 81.049.

What type of funding opportunity is this?

This is a discretionary grant opportunity in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category, administered by the DOE Office of Science.

When was this funding opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on February 18, 2026.

What is the application deadline?

The listed application deadline is May 21, 2026.

What is the maximum award amount?

The maximum award size (ceiling) is $1,000,000.

How many awards does DOE expect to make?

DOE indicates it expects to make about 35 awards, suggesting a relatively substantial cohort of funded partnerships.

What characteristics are implied to make an application competitive?

Based on the opportunity description, competitive applications will likely include: (1) a clear, well-justified collaborative research plan jointly executed by an EPSCoR-jurisdiction team and a DOE National Laboratory partner; (2) a strong explanation of why the national lab environment is essential (unique instruments, staff expertise, facilities, or data); and (3) a credible plan to integrate undergraduate students, graduate students, and/or postdoctoral fellows into hands-on research training that builds skills and produces tangible outputs.

What is DOE trying to accomplish beyond the research itself?

The opportunity is framed as both scientifically rigorous and capacity-building. In addition to advancing early-stage fundamental energy research, it aims to strengthen research capabilities and talent pipelines in EPSCoR jurisdictions through sustained engagement with DOE National Laboratories and, where appropriate, DOE user facilities.