Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003612
Apply for DE FOA 0003612
- The Office of Science in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "The Genesis Mission: Transforming Science and Energy with AI" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.049.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-03-17.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-12-17. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Genesis Mission: Transforming Science and Energy with AI (DE-FOA-0003612) is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science-led grant opportunity that aims to fund interdisciplinary teams developing and applying new artificial intelligence models and frameworks to speed up scientific discovery and modernize research and development workflows. Multiple DOE organizations are participating, including the Office of Science (SC) alongside the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI), Office of Environmental Management (EM), Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Office of Electricity (OE), and the Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Office (HGEO). The central idea is to create an "AI advantage" for the nation by using advanced AI to tackle high-impact energy, environmental, and nuclear science and technology challenges tied to U.S. security and economic competitiveness.
A key feature of the program is its emphasis on teams that can combine domain science expertise with AI/ML research and strong computing and data capabilities. Applicants are encouraged to make full use of the DOE and NNSA ecosystem, including unique scientific user facilities, high-performance computing resources, large experimental and simulation datasets, and the applied expertise resident at the National Laboratories, as well as partnerships with U.S. industry and academia. The program also signals a pathway to broader deployment: successful AI models and end-to-end workflows developed under the awards may be candidates for integration into the American Science Cloud, implying an expectation that outputs could be reusable, scalable, and valuable beyond a single project.
The solicitation supports a phased structure in FY26 with two entry points: Phase I awards aimed at smaller teams and Phase II awards aimed at larger teams. The Phase I track is positioned as an on-ramp for focused, proof-of-concept efforts, while Phase II is framed for more ambitious, integrated, and higher-scale efforts that can drive broader impact. Importantly, the funding announcement will remain open to allow FY26 Phase I awardees to apply later for Phase II expansion funding, creating a built-in growth path from early validation to larger-team execution. DOE also notes that it expects to amend the solicitation in the near term to clarify the letter of intent and application guidance specifically for FY26 Phase II submissions, so prospective applicants should anticipate updated instructions and plan to track amendments closely.
Topic coverage is broad but clearly centered on DOE mission priorities where AI can change the pace and cost of R&D. The FOA lists the following major topic areas: advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, critical materials, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, quantum information science, semiconductors and microelectronics, discovery science, and energy. The detailed subtopics and specific focus areas are referenced as being in Section III of the full FOA, which typically defines the mission problems, expected technical outcomes, and any constraints around data, validation, or deliverables. Across these areas, DOE is looking for AI-enabled approaches that do more than apply standard machine learning; the language points toward novel models, frameworks, and workflows that can reliably accelerate end-to-end scientific processes (for example, experiment design, simulation, data reduction, model training, uncertainty quantification, and decision support), not just isolated analytics.
From an eligibility and administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary and marked as unrestricted eligibility, meaning a wide range of applicant types may apply as long as they meet FOA requirements. It is listed under CFDA 81.049 and uses a funding instrument type labeled "Other." The award ceiling is $5,000,000, indicating the program is designed to support substantial efforts, especially on the large-team side, though actual award sizes and project periods would depend on the specific phase, topic area, and final FOA guidance. The original closing date is December 17, 2026, and the posting indicates DOE intends to keep the FOA available to support the Phase I to Phase II progression process.
Looking ahead, DOE also signals that Genesis Mission will likely continue beyond FY26. In FY27, DOE expects either to amend this FOA or release an alternative funding opportunity to refresh or update topics and focus areas and to run a second competition for both Phase I small-team applications and Phase II large-team applications. This forward-looking note is useful for teams that are not ready for the FY26 cycle, as it suggests another chance to compete and that DOE may refine priorities based on early results, technology shifts, or emerging national needs.
FAQs: The Genesis Mission: Transforming Science and Energy with AI (DE-FOA-0003612)
What is The Genesis Mission (DE-FOA-0003612)?
The Genesis Mission: Transforming Science and Energy with AI (DE-FOA-0003612) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science-led funding opportunity to support interdisciplinary teams developing and applying new artificial intelligence (AI) models and frameworks to accelerate scientific discovery and modernize research and development (R&D) workflows.
Which DOE organizations are participating in this opportunity?
The FOA is led by the DOE Office of Science (SC) with participation from multiple DOE organizations, including the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI), Office of Environmental Management (EM), Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Office of Electricity (OE), and the Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Office (HGEO).
What is the main goal of the program?
The central goal is to create an "AI advantage" for the nation by using advanced AI to address high-impact energy, environmental, and nuclear science and technology challenges tied to U.S. security and economic competitiveness.
What kinds of teams is DOE looking to fund?
DOE emphasizes interdisciplinary teams that combine domain science expertise with AI/ML research and strong computing and data capabilities. The intent is to support teams that can build reliable AI-enabled approaches that improve the speed and cost of end-to-end R&D, not just isolated analytics.
What does DOE mean by end-to-end AI-enabled workflows?
Based on the FOA description, DOE is interested in AI approaches that can accelerate multiple stages of the scientific process such as experiment design, simulation, data reduction, model training, uncertainty quantification, and decision support, rather than applying standard machine learning to a single step.
Is the program focused on using existing machine learning methods, or developing new AI?
The FOA language points toward novel AI models, frameworks, and workflows, implying DOE is looking for efforts that go beyond simply applying standard machine learning methods and instead develop new capabilities that can reliably accelerate scientific discovery and R&D processes.
How does DOE expect teams to use DOE and NNSA resources?
Applicants are encouraged to make full use of the DOE and NNSA ecosystem, including unique scientific user facilities, high-performance computing (HPC) resources, large experimental and simulation datasets, and expertise at the DOE National Laboratories, along with partnerships with U.S. industry and academia.
Are partnerships with industry and universities encouraged?
Yes. The FOA explicitly encourages partnerships with U.S. industry and academia, alongside leveraging DOE National Laboratory expertise and DOE/NNSA infrastructure.
What is the American Science Cloud and why is it mentioned?
The FOA indicates that successful AI models and end-to-end workflows developed under awards may be candidates for integration into the American Science Cloud. This suggests an expectation that outputs could be reusable, scalable, and valuable beyond a single project team.
What topic areas does the FOA cover?
The FOA lists broad topic areas centered on DOE mission priorities, including advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, critical materials, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, quantum information science, semiconductors and microelectronics, discovery science, and energy.
Where can applicants find the detailed subtopics and specific focus areas?
The FOA states that detailed subtopics and specific focus areas are referenced in Section III of the full funding opportunity announcement, where mission problems, expected technical outcomes, and constraints (for example around data, validation, or deliverables) are typically defined.
What is the phased structure mentioned for FY26?
The solicitation supports a phased structure in FY26 with two entry points: Phase I awards aimed at smaller teams (focused proof-of-concept efforts) and Phase II awards aimed at larger teams (more ambitious, integrated, and higher-scale efforts).
What is Phase I intended for?
Phase I is positioned as an on-ramp for smaller teams conducting focused, proof-of-concept work, supporting early validation of ideas and approaches.
What is Phase II intended for?
Phase II is framed for larger teams pursuing more ambitious, integrated, and higher-scale efforts intended to drive broader impact across DOE mission areas.
Can a Phase I awardee later apply for Phase II funding?
Yes. The FOA indicates it will remain open to allow FY26 Phase I awardees to apply later for Phase II expansion funding, creating a growth path from early validation to larger-team execution.
Will the FOA instructions change for FY26 Phase II submissions?
DOE notes it expects to amend the solicitation in the near term to clarify the letter of intent and application guidance specifically for FY26 Phase II submissions. Applicants should plan to track amendments closely and follow updated instructions as they are released.
What is the closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date shown is December 17, 2026, and DOE indicates it intends to keep the FOA available to support the Phase I to Phase II progression process.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed is $5,000,000. Actual award sizes and project periods are expected to depend on the phase (Phase I vs Phase II), the selected topic area, and final FOA guidance.
What is the funding instrument type?
The FOA lists the funding instrument type as "Other."
How is eligibility described in the posting?
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary and marked as having unrestricted eligibility, meaning a wide range of applicant types may apply as long as they meet the FOA requirements.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The posting lists CFDA 81.049.
Is this program expected to continue beyond FY26?
Yes. DOE signals that the Genesis Mission will likely continue beyond FY26. For FY27, DOE expects either to amend this FOA or release an alternative funding opportunity to refresh or update topics and focus areas and to run a second competition for both Phase I and Phase II applications.
If a team is not ready for FY26, is there another chance to apply?
The FOA notes DOE anticipates a FY27 competition (either via an amendment to this FOA or an alternative FOA). This suggests another opportunity for teams that are not prepared to compete in FY26, with the possibility that DOE priorities and topics may be refined.
What are the main things applicants should watch for while planning?
Based on the information provided, teams should closely track FOA amendments (especially guidance for FY26 Phase II submissions), review Section III for detailed topic requirements, and plan for an approach that combines domain science, AI/ML innovation, and strong computing/data capabilities while leveraging DOE/NNSA facilities and resources.
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