Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs)

The Department of Energy's Basic Energy Sciences program is seeking applications for the Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) re-competition, which will establish multi-disciplinary research centers conducting fundamental energy-relevant basic research beyond the scope of single-investigator projects. Eligible applicants include domestic universities, national laboratories, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit entities, with multi-institutional teams required to use a lead institution model with subawards. Proposed research must address one or more BES Report Topics (foundational science for nuclear energy, subsurface fractures and fluid flow, next-generation electrical energy storage, transformative manufacturing, microelectronics, quantum computing, or next-generation quantum systems) or Special Topics (controlling quantum phenomena, AI/ML models for materials discovery, emergent phenomena of complex chemical systems, or critical minerals and materials). Applications will be evaluated on scientific and technical merit, appropriateness of methods, personnel competency and resources, EFRC management plan strength, data management and sharing plans, and budget reasonableness. The pre-application deadline is April 1, 2026 (5:00 PM ET) with pre-application responses by May 6, 2026, and full applications are due July 1, 2026 (11:59 PM ET), with anticipated award selections in the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2026.

Individual EFRC awards will range from $3 million to $4.5 million per year, totaling $12 million to $18 million over the four-year project period, with approximately $352 million in total available funding supporting 20-25 new and renewal awards. The project period is four years beginning August 1, 2026, with continuation funding contingent on availability of appropriations, progress toward objectives, required reporting, and award compliance. Research will be conducted at the applicant institutions, which may include universities, national laboratories, and other eligible domestic institutions, with no cost-sharing requirements for basic research activities.