Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001271
Apply for DE FOA 0001271
- The Golden Field Office in the education other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cleantech University Prize (Cleantech UP)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.117 Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Information Dissemination, Outreach, Training and Technical Analysis/Assistance.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 25, 2015 and posted on Feb 11, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 16, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Cleantech University Prize (Cleantech UP), Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0001271, is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) opportunity released through the Golden Field Office. The notice mainly alerts applicants that a formal update (Modification 0001) has been issued and that the revised materials must be accessed through the EERE eXCHANGE portal. The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, meaning DOE anticipates being actively involved in guiding and coordinating funded activities rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal federal involvement.
At its core, Cleantech UP is designed to expand the pipeline of clean energy entrepreneurs coming out of U.S. colleges and universities. DOE is trying to address a practical, well-known bottleneck: strong clean energy ideas and intellectual property often stall before they become viable startups because early-stage founders lack targeted commercialization training, mentorship, networks, and structured pathways to validate markets, build teams, and attract follow-on resources. The program sits within EEREs Technology to Market Team, which focuses on overcoming both technical and financial barriers to moving energy innovations from research settings into the marketplace. Cleantech UP builds on earlier DOE efforts such as the National Clean Energy Business Plan Competition and complements other entrepreneurship and commercialization programs connected to national labs, incubators, and small business innovation pathways.
The FOA anticipates up to $2.5 million in DOE funding being awarded under this announcement, subject to appropriations, and it includes a cost sharing requirement. While the public listing fields such as award ceiling and floor are shown as zero, the narrative portion indicates DOE expects to make awards up to the stated total funding level, and applicants should rely on the full FOA text (and its modification) for the real budget structure, allowable costs, and any limits by topic area.
Programmatically, the opportunity is organized into two Areas of Interest. Area of Interest 1 funds a Cleantech UP Hub. The Hub is envisioned as the national coordinating backbone of the program: it engages student entrepreneurs nationwide, designs and delivers an innovative training program, builds and institutionalizes coordination across the broader student cleantech entrepreneurship community, and runs the national-level competition event where top teams ultimately compete. The Hub is also expected to identify and address gaps that occur early in the education pipeline, meaning it is not only about a single competition but also about building repeatable training and support structures that help students progress from idea to company formation. In addition, the Hub provides capacity-building services that strengthen the overall Cleantech UP network and can support the wider clean energy entrepreneurship ecosystem connected to universities and partner organizations.
Area of Interest 2 supports Cleantech UP Collegiate Competitions. These are local or regional (and potentially national) university-facing competitions that recruit and organize teams, provide early-stage structure and coaching as teams form, and deliver an initial catalyst for company formation. Each Collegiate Competition runs an annual contest and awards a prize to the winning cleantech company. Winners from these collegiate events then become eligible to advance to the National Competition operated in coordination with the Hub and DOE. In practice, this creates a tiered pathway: campus and regional competitions seed and prepare teams, while the national program elevates the most competitive startups and helps connect them to broader networks and visibility.
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted in the opportunity record, meaning many entity types may apply, but applicants still need to follow any specific eligibility rules and clarifications contained in the FOA text itself (for example, requirements tied to the role of the Hub versus a Collegiate Competition, partnership expectations, geographic coverage, or the ability to administer prizes and run events). The activity category is framed as education and outreach, reflecting that DOE is funding training, competition structures, community building, and commercialization education rather than funding laboratory R&D directly.
Operationally, applications are only accepted through EERE eXCHANGE, and applicants must register and create an account to submit. The original and current closing date shown is April 16, 2015, with a posted date of February 11, 2015, and an archive date of July 31, 2015, indicating this specific FOA was time-limited and is now historical, though the summary still describes how the program was structured. The notice emphasizes that prospective applicants should review Modification 0001 and the full FOA package in EERE eXCHANGE for authoritative requirements, submission instructions, and evaluation criteria. For access issues or FOA content questions, the listing provides a DOE contact email: CleantechUPFOA@ee.doe.gov.
Cleantech University Prize (Cleantech UP) - FAQs
What is the Cleantech University Prize (Cleantech UP)?
The Cleantech University Prize (Cleantech UP) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) opportunity intended to expand the pipeline of clean energy entrepreneurs emerging from U.S. colleges and universities by supporting training, mentorship, networks, and competition structures that help student-led clean energy innovations move toward commercialization and company formation.
Which DOE office is sponsoring this opportunity?
This opportunity is issued by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and is released through the Golden Field Office.
What is the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) number?
The FOA number is DE-FOA-0001271.
What does the notice about "Modification 0001" mean?
The notice indicates that a formal update (Modification 0001) has been issued for this FOA, and applicants are expected to access and rely on the revised materials available through the EERE eXCHANGE portal rather than older versions.
Where do applicants access the updated FOA materials?
Applicants must access the revised FOA package, including Modification 0001, through the EERE eXCHANGE portal.
How are applications submitted?
Applications are accepted only through EERE eXCHANGE. Applicants must register and create an account in order to submit an application.
What type of award is DOE using for Cleantech UP?
The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which means DOE anticipates active involvement in guiding and coordinating funded activities rather than providing a grant with minimal federal involvement.
What is the main purpose of Cleantech UP?
The program is designed to address early-stage commercialization bottlenecks for college and university entrepreneurs by providing targeted commercialization training, mentorship, networks, and structured pathways to validate markets, build teams, and pursue follow-on resources.
Is Cleantech UP funding research and development (R&D) in labs?
The activity category is framed as education and outreach, with funding focused on training, competition structures, community building, and commercialization education rather than laboratory R&D.
Which EERE group is Cleantech UP associated with?
The program sits within EERE's Technology to Market Team, which focuses on overcoming technical and financial barriers to moving energy innovations from research settings into the marketplace.
How much funding does DOE expect to make available under this FOA?
The FOA anticipates up to $2.5 million in DOE funding being awarded under this announcement, subject to appropriations.
Is cost sharing required?
Yes. The FOA includes a cost sharing requirement, and applicants should consult the full FOA text and Modification 0001 for the specific requirements.
Why do some public listing fields show the award ceiling and floor as zero?
The public listing shows certain fields (such as award ceiling and floor) as zero, but the narrative indicates DOE expects to make awards up to the stated total funding level. Applicants are directed to rely on the full FOA text (and Modification 0001) for the actual budget structure, allowable costs, and any limits by topic area.
How is the opportunity organized?
The opportunity is organized into two Areas of Interest: (1) a Cleantech UP Hub and (2) Cleantech UP Collegiate Competitions.
What is Area of Interest 1 (Cleantech UP Hub)?
Area of Interest 1 funds a Cleantech UP Hub that serves as the national coordinating backbone of the program. The Hub is expected to engage student entrepreneurs nationwide, design and deliver an innovative training program, institutionalize coordination across the student cleantech entrepreneurship community, and run the national-level competition event where top teams compete.
What additional responsibilities are expected of the Hub?
The Hub is also expected to identify and address gaps early in the education pipeline and provide capacity-building services that strengthen the overall Cleantech UP network and support the broader clean energy entrepreneurship ecosystem connected to universities and partner organizations.
What is Area of Interest 2 (Cleantech UP Collegiate Competitions)?
Area of Interest 2 supports local or regional (and potentially national) university-facing collegiate competitions that recruit and organize teams, provide early-stage structure and coaching, and run an annual contest that awards a prize to the winning cleantech company.
How do Collegiate Competitions connect to the National Competition?
Winners from collegiate competitions become eligible to advance to the National Competition operated in coordination with the Hub and DOE, creating a tiered pathway from campus/regional events to a national-level competition.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted in the opportunity record, meaning many entity types may be able to apply. However, applicants must follow any specific eligibility rules and clarifications contained in the full FOA text and Modification 0001.
Are there different eligibility expectations depending on whether an applicant is proposing a Hub or a Collegiate Competition?
The summary notes that applicants must follow FOA-specific eligibility rules and clarifications, which may include requirements tied to the role of the Hub versus a Collegiate Competition, partnership expectations, geographic coverage, or the ability to administer prizes and run events. The authoritative requirements are in the FOA package and Modification 0001.
What is the application deadline shown for this FOA?
The closing date shown is April 16, 2015.
Is this FOA still active?
The posting details include an archive date of July 31, 2015, indicating this specific FOA was time-limited and is now historical.
When was this FOA posted?
The posted date shown is February 11, 2015.
Where should applicants look for authoritative requirements and evaluation details?
The notice emphasizes reviewing Modification 0001 and the full FOA package in EERE eXCHANGE for authoritative requirements, submission instructions, and evaluation criteria.
Who can be contacted for questions or access issues?
The listing provides a DOE contact email for access issues or FOA content questions: CleantechUPFOA@ee.doe.gov.
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