FY2026 Research Opportunities in Accelerator Stewardship and Accelerator Development | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The FY2026 Research Opportunities in Accelerator Stewardship and Accelerator Development (DE-FOA-0003620) is a discretionary grant funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, specifically the High Energy Physics (HEP) program. Its core purpose is to support cross-cutting, use-inspired basic research and development focused on advancing accelerator science and technology, along with efforts that strengthen domestic supplier capabilities for particle accelerator components. The emphasis on "cross-cutting" matters: this NOFO is meant to fund R&D and supplier development that broadly supports Office of Science physical sciences research and has spillover value for other federal agencies and U.S. industry, rather than work that is narrowly tied to a single Office of Science program mission. If an applicant is looking for program-specific accelerator R&D, DOE notes that those activities are typically funded through separate NOFOs issued by each Office of Science program.

The opportunity is organized into multiple tracks, with only certain tracks accepting applications under this announcement. Track 1, titled Accelerator Stewardship Topical Areas, is open to all responsible domestic organizations that can meet the goals of the NOFO. In practical terms, this is the main on-ramp for universities, national laboratories, nonprofits, and other eligible U.S.-based entities that want to propose research and development that improves accelerator technologies or methods in ways that benefit multiple scientific users and applications. While the posted summary does not list the specific topical sub-areas, the framing makes clear that DOE is looking for work that advances accelerator science and technology broadly and supports stewardship of accelerator capabilities used across the Office of Science portfolio.

Track 2 covers Collaborative Accelerator Research Teams (CARTs) for Long-Term Generic Accelerator Research, but it is not broadly open competition in FY2026. Instead, Track 2 is limited to terminal renewal applications from current Track 2 principal investigators at organizations holding awards that expire before September 30, 2026. DOE explains the reason for this restriction: Track 2 is transitioning from a single-PI, single-institution model to a multi-PI, multi-institution model, and the one-year terminal renewal is intended to provide continuity and a smoother transition to other funding paths, including possibly joining or competing under future team-based, multi-institution awards. In other words, Track 2 in this NOFO is essentially a bridge mechanism for existing awardees rather than an entry point for new teams.

Track 4b, Accelerator Technology Partnerships, is also active but has a very specific eligibility rule: it is limited to domestic for-profit organizations. The intent is explicitly industrial capacity building, aiming to develop U.S. companies that can produce particle accelerator components for DOE needs and for broader commercial markets. This track is best read as a supplier and manufacturing readiness pathway, where the technical outcomes are tied not only to performance improvements but also to domestic production capability and competitiveness.

Two other tracks referenced in prior versions of this funding line are no longer accepting applications under this NOFO. Track 3, the Accelerator Stewardship Test Facility Program, and Track 4a, Accelerator-Technology Sector Business Plans, are closed to new applications. Applicants who might have targeted those pathways should instead focus on Track 1 (if eligible and aligned), Track 4b (if they are a U.S. for-profit company), or look for alternative DOE solicitations that cover test facility access or business plan style activities.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is a grant (not a contract) under CFDA/Assistance Listing 81.049, managed by the DOE Office of Science. The original closing date is May 21, 2026. The award ceiling is listed as $3,000,000, and DOE anticipates making about 12 awards, indicating a competitive selection environment and a relatively substantial per-project upper bound for proposals that justify the scope. The posting date (creation date) is March 12, 2026, which helps frame the timeline applicants have to develop partnerships, define technical milestones, and assemble the required application materials.

Overall, this NOFO is best understood as DOE HEP using its accelerator stewardship role to fund enabling accelerator R&D and U.S. supplier development that benefits a wide range of scientific facilities and downstream users, rather than funding that is tightly tied to one experiment, one facility, or one Office of Science program. For most prospective applicants, the key decision is which open track fits their organization type and goals: Track 1 for cross-cutting accelerator R&D from a broad set of domestic organizations, Track 2 only for eligible incumbent CART awardees needing a one-year terminal renewal, and Track 4b for U.S. for-profit firms working to build domestic capability to deliver accelerator components for DOE and commercial demand.

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Previous opportunity: FY 2026 Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars

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