National Energy Technology Laboratory · Department of Energy
Annual Recurring University Training and Research
Key facts
- Deadline
- Due Oct 16, 2026 · 9 days left
- Award size
- Up to $750K
- Total available
- $10.8M · about 15 awards
- Match ?
- Not required · Work out your budget and match
- Who can apply
- Private college or university, Public college or university
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee
How this fits you
- Available in Rhea County (nationwide program)
- No match required
- Only 9 days left to apply
- Past Tennessee awards on file: 38
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
Official notice: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/d5000ab5-7171-4c60-8d85-ce2117bfc9aa · Printed from grantme.click/grants/a61321d0-eb42-4aa0-9be1-47aef2da66d6
View on Grants.gov Add deadline to my calendar
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About this grant
Annual Recurring University Training and ResearchThe purpose of this funding opportunity is to solicit and award research and development grants to educate and train the next generation of engineers and scientists; to support novel, early-stage research at U.S. colleges and universities; to increase research and development opportunities for underrepresented and structurally marginalized communities; and to ensure that students are equipped with cutting-edge, translatable skillsets that allow them to contribute to the U.S. workforce and greater economy over the course of a longstanding and enduring career.
Your schedule, working back from the deadline
- Oct7
Check that your SAM.gov registration is active (or start it now)
Grants.gov: allow up to 10 business days for SAM registration, weeks or months if information isn't verified. It must be renewed every year. Grants.gov - Sep25
Ask partners for letters of support or commitment (already past: do it now)
Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters. - Oct9
Finish a complete draft for a final review
Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft. - Oct14
Submit
Grants.gov: submit at least 24–48 hours before the deadline: uploads fail, systems slow down, errors need fixing. Grants.gov blog - Oct16
Deadline
From the funder.
Save this grant to put these dates in My grants and your private calendar.
Writing the need statement? Rhea County facts with citations.
What the official notice requires
Pulled from the official notice FundOpp_DE-FOA-0003215.pdf (43 pages) so you can see the requirements at a glance. Each item shows the notice's own words. Open the page to read it in context.
Award size and project length
Project period: 3 years · p. 5
“Ap ril 2029 E stimated Period of Performance: 3 years from project start” Open page 5
Project period: 36 months · p. 6
“Approximate award project period: 36 months” Open page 6
Registrations you need first (1)
Login.gov · p. 30
“To log in, click More Options, Login.gov, then sign in 3.” Open page 30
The deadline is in 9 days. If your registration isn't already active, it may not be ready in time, so check it today. Get-ready checklist
Steps before the deadline
Letter of intent · p. 6
“Applicants must submit a Letter of Intent by 5:00 pm E.T. on the due date listed above to be eligible to submit a Full Application for each Application Submission Period.” Open page 6
Letter of intent · p. 20
“Application Submission Phase Eligibility for Submission Letter of Intent Must be submitted by the specified due date and time to be eligible to submit an application.” Open page 20
Letter of intent · p. 20
“Letter of Intent You must submit a letter of intent by the specified due date and time to be eligible to submit an application.” Open page 20
Letter of intent · p. 21
“You must provide the following information in your letter of intent.” Open page 21
What to submit
Letters of support or commitment · p. 17
“Program Description All applications must include a letter of commitment from at least one partnering organization.” Open page 17
Project abstract or summary · p. 21
“The letter of intent must have an abstract, which should be a short explanation of the proposed project.” Open page 21
Resumes or bios of key staff · p. 23
“When you submit a current and pending support disclosure and biographical sketch (biosketch) or resume for a person, you are acknowledging that DOE designates that person as a Covered Individual.” Open page 23
Length limits
Character limit (see quote): 6,000 characters max · p. 21
“You will enter the abstract in eXCHANGE, so it cannot exceed 6,000 characters.” Open page 21
DESCRIPTION Cover Page Included: 1 page max · p. 28
“SECTION MAXIMUM PAGE LIMIT* (if applicable) DESCRIPTION Cover Page Included in the page limitation (1-page maximum) The cover page must include all the following:” Open page 28
How applications are scored (100% listed)
Build your narrative outline from these criteria
Scientific and Technological Merit: 25% · p. 37
“Scientific and Technological Merit (25%) 1.” Open page 37
Technical Approach and Understanding: 25% · p. 37
“Technical Approach and Understanding (25%) 1.” Open page 37
Strengthening the Energy Workforce: 30% · p. 37
“Strengthening the Energy Workforce (30%) 1.” Open page 37
Technical and Management Capabilities: 20% · p. 38
“Technical and Management Capabilities (20%) 1.” Open page 38
Cost share or match
Cost share / match · p. 6
“Minimum non-Federal share required: 0% of the total project costs” Open page 6
Cost share / match · p. 11
“Cost Share Requirements Cost sharing is not required under this NOFO for prime or subrecipients.” Open page 11
Dates in the notice
May 15, 2028 · p. 5
“May 15, 2028 L etter of Intent Deadline: 1.” Open page 5
July 25, 2028 · p. 5
“July 25, 2028 A pplication Submission Deadline: 1.” Open page 5
October 16, 2026 · p. 6
“Funding Details Single Topic Area Submission Deadline One (October 16, 2026):” Open page 6
Mistakes that get applications rejected (2)
Missing a required part: Failure to submit a Letter of Intent by the date and time listed for the submission period automatically... · p. 6
“Failure to submit a Letter of Intent by the date and time listed for the submission period automatically disqualifies a potential applicant from being considered for that submission period.” Open page 6
Outside what the program funds: Applications that do not align with a priority initiative listed within one of the following three... · p. 15
“Applications that do not align with a priority initiative listed within one of the following three subtopics will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed or considered for selection. 1.3.1.” Open page 15
Who in Tennessee has won this program
14 awards to Tennessee groups in 4 counties since 2017 · 0 in Rhea County. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collaborative Composite Solutions Corporation | Knoxville, Knox County | $2.1M | 2021 |
| Applied Thermal Coatings, Inc. | Chattanooga, Hamilton County | $1.8M | 2020 |
| Skynano LLC | Knoxville, Knox County | $1.8M | 2021 |
| Holocene Climate Corporation | Knoxville, Knox County | $1.5M | 2024 |
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | $1.3M spent that year | 2025 |
| Tennessee Technological University | Cookeville, Putnam County | $1M | 2023 |
| We New Energy, Inc. | Farragut, Knox County | $997K | 2021 |
| Tennessee State University | Nashville, Davidson County | $800K | 2024 |
| Tennessee Technological University | Cookeville, Putnam County | $780K | 2020 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $524K | 2026 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $425K | 2021 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $400K | 2024 |
Source: USAspending.gov, Federal Audit Clearinghouse. Past awards show who this program funds. They don't guarantee future awards.
Tennessee groups that got this money through a state agency or another organization
This federal money also reaches local groups as pass-through grants. 24 pass-through grants on file · 0 in Rhea County. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Through | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ut-Battelle LLC | Oak Ridge | West Virginia University Research Corporation | $1.3M | 2023 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | University of Kentucky Research Foundation, the | $1.2M | 2023 |
| Ut-Battelle LLC | Oak Ridge, Anderson County | Holocene Climate Corporation | $675K | 2024 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | University of Alabama | $427K | 2024 |
| Ut-Battelle LLC | Oak Ridge, Anderson County | Collaborative Composite Solutions Corp | $339K | 2024 |
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | The University of Alabama in Huntsville | $185K spent that year | 2025 |
| Ut-Battelle LLC | Oak Ridge, Anderson County | Collaborative Composite Solutions Corp | $170K | 2023 |
| Ut-Battelle LLC | Oak Ridge | West Virginia University Research Corporation | $150K | 2024 |
| Ut-Battelle LLC | Oak Ridge, Anderson County | University of Tennessee | $125K | 2024 |
| Electric Power Research Institute Inc | Knoxville, Knox County | University of Kentucky Research Foundation, the | $124K | 2025 |
| Tennessee State University | Nashville, Davidson County | Tennessee Technological University | $102K | 2025 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | University of Kentucky Research Foundation, the | $100K | 2024 |
Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).
About the federal program
Fossil Energy Research and Development, also called “Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO)”
Program number 81.089 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · U.S. Department of Energy · Cooperative agreement (a grant with close agency involvement)
How applications are judged
Criteria varies according to the specific notice of funding opportunity. Typically, the selection criteria includes criteria related to merit of the technical work proposed, the reasonableness and thoroughness of the technical approach, program policy factors, the quality of the technical capabilities, facilities and personnel involved in the scope of work, availability of funds, and the thoroughness of the project management plan.
Match
Matching Requirements: Percent: Other As Specified under Section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and EISA, with exceptions, a minimum of 20% cost share is required for research and development. A minimum of 50% is required for demonstration. Higher cost share may be requested. For education and outreach projects, the statuatory cost share is 0%.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal year 2025: Advanced Energy Systems, Advanced Production Technologies, Carbon Transport and Storage; Mineral Sustainability; Enhanced Oil Recovery; Carbon Capture; University Training and Research; and Advanced Remediation Technologies.
Fiscal year 2026: Advanced Energy Systems; Transport and Storage; Conversion and Value-Added Product; Point-Source Capture; Advanced Production Technologies; Natural Gas Infrastructure and Hydrogen Technologies, Mineral Production and Processing Technologies; and University Training and Research