Advanced Nuclear Energy Licensing Cost-Share Grant Program

Open Posted

Opportunity number
DE-FOA-0003339
Agency
Applications due
Award size
$5,000 to $8,000,000

Opportunity facts

Funding instrument
Grant
Category
  • Energy
Eligible applicants
  • Small Businesses
  • City/Township Governments
  • For Profit Organizations
  • County Governments
  • Higher Education Inst. (Private)
  • Higher Education Inst. (Public)
  • Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
  • Non-501(c)(3) Nonprofits

Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .

About this opportunity

The Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration is soliciting applications for cost-shared grants to fund Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) fees for advanced reactor and supporting facilities' regulatory review activities, with applications due November 30, 2026.

Eligible applicants are domestic for-profit entities, non-profit organizations, higher education institutions (public and private), state and local government entities, county governments, and federally recognized tribal governments. All work must be performed in the United States unless a foreign work waiver is approved.

Two topic areas structure the opportunity. Topic Area 1 supports pre-application review activities with awards ranging from $5,000 to $200,000 and a required 20 percent cash cost share; performance periods extend up to 24 months. Topic Area 2 funds formal application review activities with awards from $100,000 to $8 million and a mandatory 50 percent cash cost share; performance periods extend up to 48 months. Cost share must be provided in cash only and applied exclusively to NRC licensing fees; in-kind contributions and costs for developing licensing documents do not qualify. The program anticipates 1–20 awards under Topic Area 1 and 0–5 awards under Topic Area 2, with total expected funding of $50 million over five years and $13 million available in FY 2025.

Applicants are limited to two applications per annual review cycle and may hold no more than two simultaneous active awards under this NOFO. Merit review weighs regulatory merit (35 percent), technical feasibility (30 percent), prior NRC regulatory engagement (25 percent), and key personnel expertise (10 percent). Technical volume submissions are capped at 12 pages for Topic Area 1 and 25 pages for Topic Area 2.

The program operates under CFDA 81.121 (Nuclear Energy Research, Development and Demonstration) and will remain open through the 2029 review cycle. Recent amendments (issued October 2, 2026) extended the application period to July 1–November 30, 2026, and rescinded all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policy requirements per Presidential Executive Orders.

Synopsis

8 versions

Update #8 · Latest ·

U.S. Advanced Nuclear Energy Licensing Cost-Share Grant Program The application deadline for current review cycle, anticipated selection notification date for the current review cycle, and anticipated award date for current review cycle have changed. See date changes on page 6 of NOFO Part 1. Also, applications must now be submitted within the respective application period (July 1, 2026 - November 30, 2026). See date changes on page 24 of NOFO Part 1.

Update #7 ·

The application deadline for current review cycle, anticipated selection notification date for the current review cycle, and anticipated award date for current review cycle have changed. See date changes on page 6 of NOFO Part 1. Also, applications must now be submitted within the respective application period (July 1 - September 30). See date changes on page 24 of NOFO Part 1. - U.S. Advanced Nuclear Energy Licensing Cost-Share Grant Program The application deadline for current review cycle, anticipated selection notification date for the current review cycle, and anticipated award date for current review cycle have changed. See date changes on page 6 of NOFO Part 1. Also, applications must now be submitted within the respective application period (July 1 - September 30). See date changes on page 24 of NOFO Part 1.

Update #6 ·

U.S. Advanced Nuclear Energy Licensing Cost-Share Grant Program The application deadline for current review cycle, anticipated selection notification date for the current review cycle, and anticipated award date for current review cycle have changed. See date changes on page 6 of NOFO Part 1. Also, applications must now be submitted within the respective application period (July 1 - September 30). See date changes on page 24 of NOFO Part 1.

Update #5 ·

U.S. Advanced Nuclear Energy Licensing Cost-Share Grant ProgramThis amendment: 1. Removes documents that were listed but not required from being listed as such in Part 1.2. Corrects instructions for the naming convention for submitting documents for the application.3. Correct instructions for providing "Project/Performance Site Location(s)" information in Part 2. 4. Adds a Question and Answers document to clarify questions received.Attachments:DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 1 Amendment 3 - RedlineDE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 1 Amendment 3 - FinalDE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 2 Amendment 3 - RedlineDE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 2 Amendment 3 - FinalQuestions and Answers - NOFO - NRC Licensing Grants

Update #4 ·

U.S. Advanced Nuclear Energy Licensing Cost-Share Grant Program This amendment: 1. Removes documents that were listed but not required from being listed as such in Part 1. 2. Corrects instructions for the naming convention for submitting documents for the application. 3. Correct instructions for providing "Project/Performance Site Location(s)" information in Part 2. 4. Adds a Question and Answers document to clarify questions received. Attachments: DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 1 Amendment 3 - Redline DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 1 Amendment 3 - Final DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 2 Amendment 3 - Redline DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 2 Amendment 3 - Final Questions and Answers - NOFO - NRC Licensing Grants - U.S. Advanced Nuclear Energy Licensing Cost-Share Grant Program This amendment: 1. Removes documents that were listed but not required from being listed as such in Part 1. 2. Corrects instructions for the naming convention for submitting documents for the application. 3. Correct instructions for providing "Project/Performance Site Location(s)" information in Part 2. 4. Adds a Question and Answers document to clarify questions received. Attachments: DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 1 Amendment 3 - Redline DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 1 Amendment 3 - Final DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 2 Amendment 3 - Redline DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 2 Amendment 3 - Final Questions and Answers - NOFO - NRC Licensing Grants

Update #3 ·

U.S. Advanced Nuclear Energy Licensing Cost-Share Grant Program This amendment: Removes all DEI policy from the Notification of Funding Opportunity per current Executive Orders. Due to recent Presidential Executive Orders, all Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) related efforts on current and future work related to this award are rescinded. Mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), "environmental justice" or "equity" should cease immediately and may not be conducted under this cooperative agreement. This includes preferencing activities closely related to DEI or "environmental justice" or "equity" that go by different names or are communicated with coded or imprecise language. Awardees shall not under any circumstances consider DEI or DEIA factors, goals, policies, mandates, or requirements in their activities. Attachments: DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 1 Amendment 2 - Redline DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 1 Amendment 2 - Final DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 2 Amendment 2 - Redline DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 2 Amendment 2 - Final - U.S. Advanced Nuclear Energy Licensing Cost-Share Grant Program This amendment: Removes all DEI policy from the Notification of Funding Opportunity per current Executive Orders. Due to recent Presidential Executive Orders, all Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) related efforts on current and future work related to this award are rescinded. Mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), "environmental justice" or "equity" should cease immediately and may not be conducted under this cooperative agreement. This includes preferencing activities closely related to DEI or "environmental justice" or "equity" that go by different names or are communicated with coded or imprecise language. Awardees shall not under any circumstances consider DEI or DEIA factors, goals, policies, mandates, or requirements in their activities. Attachments: DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 1 Amendment 2 - Redline DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 1 Amendment 2 - Final DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 2 Amendment 2 - Redline DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 2 Amendment 2 - Final

Update #2 ·

U.S. Advanced Nuclear Energy Licensing Cost-Share Grant Program This amendment: Removes all DEI policy from the Notification of Funding Opportunity per current Executive Orders. Due to recent Presidential Executive Orders, all Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) related efforts on current and future work related to this award are rescinded. Mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), "environmental justice" or "equity" should cease immediately and may not be conducted under this cooperative agreement. This includes preferencing activities closely related to DEI or "environmental justice" or "equity" that go by different names or are communicated with coded or imprecise language. Awardees shall not under any circumstances consider DEI or DEIA factors, goals, policies, mandates, or requirements in their activities. Attachments: DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 1 Amendment 2 - Redline DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 1 Amendment 2 - Final DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 2 Amendment 2 - Redline DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 2 Amendment 2 - Final -

This NOFO will provide direct assistance for advanced reactor and supporting facilities' regulatory review activities by supporting cost-shared grants to fund a portion of Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) fees for pre-application and application review activities. Cost-shared grants will be awarded to selected applicants seeking funds in support of work with the NRC to increase regulatory certainty, review topical reports or white papers, and other efforts focused on obtaining certification and licensing approvals.

Update #1 ·

This NOFO will provide direct assistance for advanced reactor and supporting facilities' regulatory review activities by supporting cost-shared grants to fund a portion of Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) fees for pre-application and application review activities. Cost-shared grants will be awarded to selected applicants seeking funds in support of work with the NRC to increase regulatory certainty, review topical reports or white papers, and other efforts focused on obtaining certification and licensing approvals.

Files

File Type Posted
FundOpp_DE-FOA-0003339_Amd_000007.pdf PDF
NOFO_DE-FOA-0003339_Part_1_Amendment_7.pdf PDF
NOFO_DE-FOA-0003339_Part_2__Amendment_7.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 2 , Amendment 6.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 1 Amendment 6.pdf PDF
FundOpp_DE-FOA-0003339_Amd_000006.pdf PDF
DE-FOA-0003339 Additional QAs - 4-28-25 (1).pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 2 , Amendment 5 - Final (1).pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 1 Amendment 5 - Final (2).pdf PDF
FundOpp_DE-FOA-0003339_Amd_000003.pdf PDF
Questions and Answers - NOFO - DE-FOA-0003339 NRC Licensing Grants.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 2 Amendment 3 - Redline.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 2 , Amendment 3 - Final.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 1 Amendment 3 - Redline.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 1 Amendment 3 - Final.pdf PDF
FundOpp_DE-FOA-0003339_Amd_000002.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 2 Amendment 2 - Redline.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 2 , Amendment 2 - Final.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 1 Amendment 2 - Redline.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 1 Amendment 2 - Final.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 2 , Amendment 2 - Final.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 2 Amendment 2 - Redline.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 1 Amendment 2 - Final.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 1 Amendment 2 - Redline.pdf PDF
DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 1 Amendment 1 - Final.pdf PDF
DE-FE-0003339 Notification of Funding Opportunity, Part 1 Amendment 1 - Redline.pdf PDF
DE-FOA-0003339_Amendment 001 Summary.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 2.pdf PDF
NOFO DE-FOA-0003339 Part 1.pdf PDF
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