Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy · Department of Energy
SEEDING CRITICAL ADVANCES FOR LEADING ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES WITH UNTAPPED POTENTIAL (SCALEUP) READY
In short: Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy gives grants of $5 million to $20 million. Anyone can apply.
Key facts
- Deadline
- Accepts applications through Sep 29, 2029. Rounds may close sooner: check the notice
The funder says: “Open continuously until otherwise amended.” - Award size
- $5M – $20M
- Match ?
- Required · Work out your budget and match
- Who can apply
- Anyone (unrestricted)
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee
How this fits you
- Available in Hamblen County (nationwide program)
- Needs a match (see how much in the notice)
- Past Tennessee awards on file: 51
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
About this grant
Who can apply, from the official notice
Official notice: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/fd281670-a13c-4cd9-a526-7bb67a98d227 · Printed from grantme.click/grants/d7989228-22f6-4d8d-84e2-d2d850a33863
View on Grants.gov Add deadline to my calendar
Your schedule, working back from the deadline
- Oct10
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 - Sep8
Ask partners for letters of support or commitment
Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters. - Sep24
Finish a complete draft for a final review
Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft. - Sep27
Submit
Grants.gov: submit at least 24–48 hours before the deadline: uploads fail, systems slow down, errors need fixing. Grants.gov blog - Sep29
Deadline
From the funder.
Save this grant to put these dates in My grants and your private calendar.
Writing the need statement? Hamblen County facts with citations.
What the official notice requires
Pulled from the official notice SCALEUP_Ready_FA_NOFO.pdf (65 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: 36 months · p. 5
“Anticipated Period of Performance Approximately 36 months.” Open page 5
Registrations you need first (2)
Grants.gov · p. 1
“DE-FOA-0003467 Assistance Listing Number 81.135 NOFOs are posted on ARPA-E eXCHANGE (https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/), Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov/), and FedConnect (https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/).” Open page 1
SAM.gov, Unique Entity ID (UEI) · p. 38
“UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER AND SAM REGISTRATION Applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov/SAM prior to submitting an application, at which time the system will assign (if newly registered) a Unique Entity Identifier…” Open page 38
Registration is free but can take weeks, so start now, not when the deadline is close. Get-ready checklist
Steps before the deadline
Letter of intent · p. 16
“At least one Letter of Intent from one or more Commercialization Partners is required as part of the Full Application.” Open page 16
Letter of intent · p. 34
“A Letter of Intent from at least one Commercialization Partner is required for the Full Application.” Open page 34
What to submit
Form SF-LLL · p. 19
“Recipients and Subrecipients are required to complete and submit SF-LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” (https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/disclosure-lobbying-activities) if any non-Federal funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for…” Open page 19
Resumes or bios of key staff · p. 21
“Further, the selectee must submit 1) current and pending support disclosures and resumes for any new Covered Individuals, and 2) updated disclosures if there have been any changes to the current and pending support submitted with the application. 5 See…” Open page 21
Form SF-424 · p. 34
“SF-424 The SF-424 must be submitted in Adobe PDF format using the available template.” Open page 34
Form SF-424A · p. 35
“Applicants are responsible for ensuring that the proposed costs listed in eXCHANGE match those listed on forms SF-424 and the Budget Justification Workbook/SF-424A.” Open page 35
Budget narrative / justification · p. 35
“BUDGET JUSTIFICATION WORKBOOK/SF-424A Applicants are required to complete the Budget Justification Workbook/SF-424A Excel spreadsheet using the available template.” Open page 35
Environmental documentation · p. 54
“In particular, ARPA-E must determine before funding a project whether the project qualifies for a categorical exclusion under 10 C.F.R. § 1021.410 or whether it requires further environmental review (i.e., an environmental assessment or an environmental…” Open page 54
Data management plan · p. 56
“Awardees are also required, post-award, to submit a Data Management Plan (DMP) that addresses how data generated in the course of the work performed under an ARPA-E award will be preserved and, as appropriate, shared publicly.” Open page 56
Length limits
Reviewer Comments: 3 pages max · p. 37
“The Reply to Reviewer Comments must be a maximum of 3 pages – 2 pages maximum for text, and 1 page maximum for images (e.g., graphics, charts, or other data).” Open page 37
Reviewer Comments: 2 pages max · p. 37
“The Reply to Reviewer Comments must be a maximum of 3 pages – 2 pages maximum for text, and 1 page maximum for images (e.g., graphics, charts, or other data).” Open page 37
Reviewer Comments: 1 page max · p. 37
“The Reply to Reviewer Comments must be a maximum of 3 pages – 2 pages maximum for text, and 1 page maximum for images (e.g., graphics, charts, or other data).” Open page 37
Executive Summary: 1 page max · p. 40
“The Technical Volume must include only the following: o Executive Summary (1 page max.); o Sections 1-8 (20 pages max.); 1.” Open page 40
Sections: 20 pages max · p. 40
“The Technical Volume must include only the following: o Executive Summary (1 page max.); o Sections 1-8 (20 pages max.); 1.” Open page 40
PQS: 5 pages max · p. 40
“Budget o References and Business Documents (no page limit); and o Personal Qualification Summaries (each PQS limited to 5 pages in length, no cumulative page limit).” Open page 40
Summary Slides: 3 pages max · p. 41
“o Summary Slides (3 page limit, Microsoft PowerPoint format); and o Completed and signed Business Assurances & Disclosures Forms (no page limit, Adobe PDF format).” Open page 41
Reply: 2 pages max · p. 41
“The Reply may include: o Up to 2 pages of text; and o Up to 1 page of images.” Open page 41
Up: 1 page max · p. 41
“The Reply may include: o Up to 2 pages of text; and o Up to 1 page of images.” Open page 41
Formatting rules
12-point font, single-spaced · p. 33
“Single space all text and use Times New Roman typeface, a black font color, and a font size of 12 point or larger (except in figures and tables).” Open page 33
Cost share or match
Cost share / match · p. 24
“Such businesses should have the incentive, ability, and organizational competencies to attract financial support during the project, such as the 20%-33.3% cost share, as well as additional private capital, particularly after a successful SCALEUP Ready project.” Open page 24
Cost share / match · p. 28
“For a Cooperative Agreement awarded under this NOFO, the Prime Recipient must provide at least 33.3% of the Total Project Cost12F 13 as cost share, except as provided in Section II.F.3 of the NOFO.13 F 14 Under an other transaction agreement, a higher level…” Open page 28
Cost share / match · p. 28
“REDUCED COST SHARE REQUIREMENT Project teams may qualify for a reduced cost share of 20% if they qualify under one of the following specified applicant categories:” Open page 28
Cost share / match · p. 28
“Small businesses – or consortia of small businesses – will provide at least 20% of the Total Project Cost as cost share.” Open page 28
Dates in the notice
October 2, 2024 · p. 5
“October 2, 2024 Full Application Due Date:” Open page 5
Mistakes that get applications rejected (2)
Outside what the program funds: The following types of submissions may be deemed nonresponsive and may not be reviewed or considered: · p. 42
“The following types of submissions may be deemed nonresponsive and may not be reviewed or considered:” Open page 42
Could get your application rejected: Submissions will not be evaluated against each other since they are not submitted in accordance with a... · p. 44
“Submissions will not be evaluated against each other since they are not submitted in accordance with a common work statement. 2.” Open page 44
Files from the official listing
The notice, forms and templates the agency attached.
- SCALEUP_Ready_FA_NOFO.pdf (860 KB)
SCALEUP Ready NOFO
Who in Tennessee has won this program
23 awards to Tennessee groups in 4 counties since 2016 · 0 in Hamblen County. 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. 28 pass-through grants on file · 0 in Hamblen County. 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 | $189K | 2026 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | Northwestern University | $181K | 2025 |
Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).
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)