Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy · Department of Energy
Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources (UNLOCK)
In short: Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy expects to make 12 awards of $3 million to $5 million. Anyone can apply.
Key facts
- Deadline
- Due Nov 20, 2026 · 29 days left
- Award size
- $3M – $5M
- Total available
- $45M · about 12 awards
- Match ?
- Required · Work out your budget and match
- Who can apply
- Anyone (unrestricted)
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee
Before you apply: federal grants require an active SAM.gov registration (Unique Entity ID) and a Grants.gov account. The deadline is in 29 days. If your registration isn't already active, it may not be ready in time, so check it today. Get-ready checklist
How this fits you
- Available in Tennessee (nationwide program)
- Needs a match (see how much in the notice)
- Past Tennessee awards on file: 52
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
About this grant
NOFO Number: DE-FOA-0003630 - Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources (UNLOCK)
To obtain a copy of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) please go to DOE eXCHANGE at https://exchange.energy.gov/. To apply to this NOFO, Applicants must register with and submit application materials through DOE eXCHANGE (https://exchange.energy.gov/Registration.aspx). For detailed guidance on using DOE eXCHANGE, please refer to the DOE eXCHANGE User Guide (https://exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx). ARPA-E will not review or consider application materials submitted through other means. For problems with DOE eXCHANGE, email ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov (with NOFO name and number in the subject line). Questions about this NOFO? Check the Frequently Asked Questions available at http://arpa-e.energy.gov/faq. For questions that have not already been answered, email ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov.
Agency Overview:
The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E), an organization within the Department of Energy (DOE), is chartered by Congress in the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-69), as amended by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-358), as further amended by the Energy Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-260).
ARPA-E issues this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) under its authorizing statute codified at 42 U.S.C. § 16538. The NOFO and any cooperative agreements or grants made under this NOFO are subject to 2 C.F.R. Part 200 as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 910.
ARPA-E funds research on, and the development of, transformative science and technology solutions to address the energy and environmental missions of the Department. The agency focuses on technologies that can be meaningfully advanced with a modest investment over a defined period of time in order to catalyze the translation from scientific discovery to early-stage technology. For the latest news and information about ARPA-E, its programs and the research projects currently supported, see: http://arpa-e.energy.gov/.
ARPA-E funds transformational research. Existing energy technologies generally progress on established “learning curves” where refinements to a technology and the economies of scale that accrue as manufacturing and distribution develop drive improvements to the cost/performance metric in a gradual fashion. This continual improvement of a technology is...
Who can apply, from the official notice
See Section II.A. of the NOFO.
Official notice: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/04fa4318-73a3-44fa-a4a3-0523e9700fae · Printed from grantme.click/grants/c7975cd8-db4e-4523-8082-1af91dad5b39
View on Grants.gov Add deadline to my calendar
Your schedule, working back from the deadline
- Oct22
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 - Oct30
Ask partners for letters of support or commitment
Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters. - Nov13
Finish a complete draft for a final review
Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft. - Nov18
Submit
Grants.gov: submit at least 24–48 hours before the deadline: uploads fail, systems slow down, errors need fixing. Grants.gov blog - Nov20
Deadline
From the funder.
Save this grant to put these dates in My grants and your private calendar.
Who in Tennessee has won this program
23 awards to Tennessee groups in 4 counties since 2016. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | $4M | 2016 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $3.4M | 2016 |
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | $3M spent that year | 2025 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $2.8M | 2024 |
| Espin Technologies, Inc. | Chattanooga, Hamilton County | $2.7M | 2022 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $2.6M | 2023 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $2.5M | 2026 |
| Skynano LLC | Knoxville, Knox County | $2M | 2023 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $2M | 2022 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $1.5M | 2019 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $1.4M | 2021 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $1.4M | 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. 29 pass-through grants on file. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Through | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | North Carolina State University | $2.1M | 2023 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville | North Carolina State University | $560K spent that year | 2025 |
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | Research Foundation for the State of New York | $434K spent that year | 2023 |
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | The Research Foundation for the State University of New York | $304K spent that year | 2025 |
| Factor, Inc. | Nashville, Davidson County | American Bureau of Shipping | $282K | 2024 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | The Research Foundation for the State University of New York | $281K | 2024 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | The Research Foundation for the State University of New York | $277K | 2023 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | Northwestern University | $276K | 2026 |
| Nissan North America Inc | Franklin, Williamson County | Washington State University | $253K | 2026 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | The Research Foundation for the State University of New York | $240K | 2025 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | The Research Foundation for the State University of New York | $201K | 2026 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | The Research Foundation for the State University of New York | $189K | 2026 |
Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).
More from Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy
- Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources SBIR/STTR (UNLOCK SBIR/STTR) · Due Nov 20, 2026 · 29 days left
- SEEDING CRITICAL ADVANCES FOR LEADING ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES WITH UNTAPPED POTENTIAL (SCALEUP) READY · Accepts applications through Sep 29, 2029. Rounds may close sooner: check the notice
About the federal program
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy, also called “(ARPA-E)”
Program number 81.135 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · U.S. Department of Energy · Cooperative agreement (a grant with close agency involvement)
How applications are judged
As described in the Funding Opportunity Annoucement.
Match
Detailed cost share requirements are specified in each Funding Opportunity Announcement.