Idaho Field Office · Department of Energy
University Nuclear Leadership Program– Scholarship and Fellowship Support
Key facts
- Deadline
- Due Oct 14, 2030 · 1468 days left
- Award size
- Up to $3M
- Total available
- $50M · about 80 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 Tennessee (nationwide program)
- No match required
- Past Tennessee awards on file: 44
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
Official notice: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/e66f1f91-42dc-4a57-acba-8986d3e08df1 · Printed from grantme.click/grants/f27c0558-e019-454d-9581-358bc1af5193
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About this grant
A. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to award multiple cooperative agreements to accredited United States (U.S.) two- and four-year colleges and universities (Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs)) to receive and administer scholarship and fellowship funding—provided through the University Nuclear Leadership Program (UNLP) and as administered by the Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE)—on behalf of selected students attending these U.S. IHEs. The selection of students to receive scholarships and fellowships through the program will occur via a separate DOE-NE process.
A.1 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
UNLP works to attract qualified nuclear science and engineering students (NS&E) to nuclear energy professions by providing undergraduate level scholarships and graduate level fellowships. The scholarships and fellowships are focused on two-, four-year, and graduate programs in science and engineering disciplines related to nuclear energy such as nuclear engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemistry, health physics, nuclear materials science, radiochemistry, applied nuclear physics, nuclear policy, radiation protection technology, nuclear power technology, nuclear maintenance technology, nuclear engineering technology, computer science, cybersecurity, nuclear safety, nuclear operations, mechanical and electrical maintenance, and radiation protection.
NE’s mission is to advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet U.S. energy, environmental, and economic needs. NE has identified the following goals to address challenges in the nuclear energy sector, help realize the potential of advanced technology, and leverage the unique role of the government in spurring innovation:
• Keep existing U.S. nuclear reactors operating
• Deploy new nuclear reactors
• Secure and sustain our nuclear fuel cycle
• Expand international nuclear energy cooperation
Collectively, all NE-sponsored activities support the Department’s priorities to combat the climate crisis, create clean energy jobs with the free and fair chance to join a union and bargain collectively, and promote equity and environmental justice by delivering innovative clean energy technologies for nuclear energy systems.
UNLP supports NE’s Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP), which enables outstanding, cutting-edge,...
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 - Sep23
Ask partners for letters of support or commitment
Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters. - Oct7
Finish a complete draft for a final review
Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft. - Oct12
Submit
Grants.gov: submit at least 24–48 hours before the deadline: uploads fail, systems slow down, errors need fixing. Grants.gov blog - Oct14
Deadline
From the funder.
Save this grant to put these dates in My grants and your private calendar.
What the official notice requires
Pulled from the official notice DE-FOA-0002265_Amend_002_Final.pdf (25 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
Award amounts here are per year · p. 7
“This equates to a maximum of $52,000 per year, with an additional $5,000 provided to offset the costs of a 10-week minimum internship required of all fellows.” Open page 7
Registrations you need first (2)
SAM.gov · p. 17
“Prime awardees must keep their data at the System for Award Management (SAM) current at http://www.sam.gov.” Open page 17
Grants.gov · p. 21
“MODIFICATIONS Notices of any modifications to this announcement will be posted on Grants.gov and the FedConnect portal.” Open page 21
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. 10
“Letter of Intent Letter of Intent is not required. 2.” Open page 10
Pre-application · p. 10
“Pre-application Pre-applications are not required.” Open page 10
Pre-application · p. 13
“Pre-application Due Date Pre-applications are not required. 2.” Open page 13
What to submit
Form SF-LLL · p. 10
“CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION Applicants must complete the mandatory forms and any applicable optional forms (e.g., SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities) in accordance with the instructions on the forms and the additional instructions below.” Open page 10
Form SF-424 · p. 10
“The correct form to use is Application for Federal Assistance SF-424 (OMB 4040-0004) and is available at NEUP.gov.” Open page 10
Resumes or bios of key staff · p. 12
“Principal Investigator (PI) Curriculum Vitae (CV) Applicants shall provide a CV from the PI.” Open page 12
Length limits
Nuclear Science and Engineering: 2 pages max · p. 11
“Program Description This section should describe the currently established Nuclear Science and Engineering programs, not to exceed 2 pages per discipline.” Open page 11
Page limit (see quote): 2 pages max · p. 12
“CVs are limited to a 2-page maximum.” Open page 12
Formatting rules
1-inch margins · p. 10
“The program narrative shall be a document that fits on a standard 8.5" by 11" paper with 1-inch margins (top, bottom, left, and right).” Open page 10
single-spaced · p. 10
“The document shall be single spaced and use a standard font no smaller” Open page 10
Cost share or match
Cost share / match · p. 9
“COST SHARING Cost sharing is not required.” Open page 9
Dates in the notice
October 15, 2020 · p. 1
“Initial – October 15, 2020 Amendment 001 – March 9, 2021 Amendment 002 – September 23, 2021 CFDA Number: 81.121 Initial Application Due Date:” Open page 1
October 14, 2030 · p. 13
“Application Due Date Applications will be accepted continuously until October 14, 2030.” Open page 13
December 2, 2020 · p. 16
“IHEs will be due December 2, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.” Open page 16
Who in Tennessee has won this program
27 awards to Tennessee groups in 3 counties since 2009. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $3.7M | 2009 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $3.2M | 2023 |
| Container Technologies Industries, LLC | Helenwood, Scott County | $3M | 2026 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $2.9M | 2021 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $2.6M | 2021 |
| Analysis and Measurement Services Corporation | Knoxville, Knox County | $2.1M | 2019 |
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | $2.1M spent that year | 2025 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | $2M | 2023 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $1.2M | 2024 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville | $1M spent that year | 2025 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | $1M | 2024 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | $1M | 2026 |
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. 17 pass-through grants on file. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Through | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | Regents of the University of Michigan | $736K | 2024 |
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | The Regents of the University of Michigan | $596K spent that year | 2025 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | University of New Mexico, the | $280K | 2024 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | Regents of the University of Michigan | $280K | 2024 |
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | The Regents of the University of New Mexico | $161K spent that year | 2025 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | North Carolina State University | $125K | 2023 |
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | University of Cincinnati | $121K spent that year | 2023 |
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | University of Illinois | $117K spent that year | 2023 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | The Research Foundation for the State University of New York | $113K | 2025 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | The Research Foundation for the State University of New York | $113K | 2024 |
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Knox County | The Research Foundation for the State University of New York | $113K | 2025 |
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | The Research Foundation for the State University of New York | $97K spent that year | 2025 |
Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).
About the federal program
Nuclear Energy Research, Development and Demonstration, also called “(NE RD&D)”
Program number 81.121 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · U.S. Department of Energy · Project grant
How applications are judged
Each proposal will be evaluated based on an objective merit review in accordance with the requirement of "DOE Financial Assistance Regulations" (2 CFR 200) and the evaluation criteria set forth in the competitive solicitations. These criteria typically include: appropriateness of the proposal method or approach, competency of research personnel and adequacy of proposed resources, reasonableness and appropriateness of the proposed budget, and other appropriate factors.
Match
None required (federal program listing).
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal year 2016: Similar to previous years See the NE Web site at http://energy.gov/ne/office-nuclear-energy
Fiscal year 2018: Similar to previous years
Fiscal year 2022: The NEUP.gov website is updated regularly with information on financial assistance to universities and colleges through Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA) to stimulate and guide advanced nuclear energy research and to support students pursuing nuclear energy related disciplines at universities and colleges across the country. The website offers facts on prior awards, reporting information, and upcoming funding opportunity announcements (FOA). The programs covered in this website include the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) and Integrated University Program (IUP). NEUP has three R&D elements: Integrated Research Projects (IRP), NEUP R&D, and Infrastructure. IRPs cover large, collaborative, university-led projects, addressing near-term needs of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy's (NE) research and development (R&D) programs. NEUP R&D projects are university led projects that focus on more general and longer term R&D, guided by NE's programs. And Infrastructure support, including upgrades to...