Fossil Energy Research and Development
Active
- Assistance listing
- 81.089
- Agency
-
Department of Energy
- Grant awards
- 2,962 $10,517,653,825 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM)
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Formula Grant
- Project Grant
- Block Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 89-0224-0-1-271
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management funds research and development across carbon capture, methane emissions mitigation, critical minerals extraction, hydrogen production, oil and gas efficiency improvement, and coal power modernization, through CFDA 81.089, with the most recent award dated October 1, 2026.
The program maintains sustained activity: 2,962 cumulative awards totaling $10.52 billion in federal obligations (against $19.07 billion in combined federal and non-federal dollars obligated) spanning from 1984 to the present. In the past five years, award volume has fluctuated significantly—170 awards in 2023, 118 in 2024, declining to 60 in 2025 and 17 year-to-date in 2026—suggesting a recent shift in funding concentration or cycle timing.
Recent awards illustrate the program's active scope: a $209.99 million Cooperative Agreement supporting methane emissions mitigation at marginal wells operated by small oil and gas producers (Well Check program); a $299.99 million Cooperative Agreement for collaborative emissions reduction on marginal conventional wells (CARE program); a $62.87 million award for the National Carbon Capture Center; a $45 million award for enhanced oil recovery in the Bakken formation incorporating CO2-based EOR; methane measurement and monitoring initiatives across multiple basins (North-Central, South-Central, Northeast, and Southeast regions) at $20 million each; and technology development projects for critical minerals recovery, direct air capture, hydrogen production with carbon capture, and carbon dioxide electrolyzer systems ranging from approximately $1 million to $21.45 million.
Cooperative Agreements dominate the portfolio at 86 percent of awards (2,555 total), with Project Grants representing 13 percent (385 awards) and Formula and Block Grants together comprising 1 percent. The Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy administers 1,242 awards ($6.33 billion federal dollars), with the broader Department of Energy mechanism adding 1,708 awards ($4.18 billion). The program is funded predominantly through Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) authorizations.
Grant opportunities currently open include "Advancing Oil and Natural Gas Production and Delivery" (Cooperative Agreement, due September 22, 2026), "Improved Oil and Gas Recovery and Produced Water Management Technologies" (Cooperative Agreement, modified due date, amended Modification 000003), and "Annual Recurring University Training and Research" (due October 16, 2026, restricted to higher education institutions). A Request for Information on subsurface energy technology commercialization (DE-FOA-0003671) remains open until November 5, 2026 but is not accepting funding applications. Multiple other NOFOs in preliminary stages target carbon capture, critical minerals, coal plant modernization, mining technology, and hydrogen production.
Objective and description
- Objective
The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management's mission is to minimize the environmental and climate impacts of fossil fuel and industrial processes while working to achieve net-zero emissions across the U.S. economy. The Office's programs use re
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
States, local governments, universities, governmental entities, consortia, nonprofit institutions, commercial corporations, joint Federal/Industry corporations, U.S. Territories, and individuals are eligible to apply.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Federal, State, local governments, universities, consortia, nonprofit institutions, commercial corporations, joint Federal/Industry corporations, and individuals will benefit.
- Credentials and documentation
Prior successful research and development experience in the fossil energy field and related areas. 2 CFR 200 Subpart E-Cost Principles applies to this program.
- Uses of assistance
Emphasis is on fundamental and applied research and technology development .
- Length and time phasing of assistance
The time period for a grant or cooperative agreement is dependent upon the notice of funding opportunity and the individual project award.
How to apply
- Application procedure
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. All information regarding application requirements will be included in the specific Notice of Funding Opportunity.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Criteria varies according to the specific notice of funding opportunity. Typically, the selection criteria includes criteria related to merit of the technical work proposed, the reasonableness and thoroughness of the technical approach, program policy factors, the quality of the technical capabilities, facilities and personnel involved in the scope of work, availability of funds, and the thoroughness of the project management plan.
- Award procedure
DOE opportunity announcement set forth award procedures. Unsolicited proposals will be evaluated by DOE personnel assigned to the specific area with merit reviews as required. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
- Deadlines
Deadlines vary and are subject to change. There are deadlines stated in the financial assistance opportunity announcement (FOA) posted at http://www.grants.gov. For unsolicited proposals, there are no deadlines.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Approximately 90 to 180 days.
- Renewals
Awards may be amended or extended as required. In addition, awards may be renewed according to the notice funding opportunity and award requirements. This includes both competitive and non-competitive down-selections, as applicable.
- Appeals
Unsuccessful applicants are entitled to a written debriefing. This is typically done as a document containing the "Strengths and Weaknesses", grouped by the evaluation criteria, of the application.
Grant opportunities
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Latest 50 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 2,962 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern Company Services, Inc. | $907,657,716 | 9% |
| 2 | University Of North Dakota | $536,599,853 | 5% |
| 3 | University Of Illinois | $360,394,375 | 3% |
| 4 | Summit Texas Clean Energy, LLC | $352,278,720 | 3% |
| 5 | Colorado State University | $337,467,657 | 3% |
| 6 | Southern States Energy Board | $310,336,434 | 3% |
| 7 | Archer-Daniels-Midland Company | $282,998,590 | 3% |
| 8 | Institute Of Gas Technology | $281,230,310 | 3% |
| 9 | Institute Of Gas Technology | $269,061,862 | 3% |
9 of 644 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $157,210,302 |
| FY2025 | $966,343,898 |
| FY2024 | $1,109,035,315 |
| FY2023 | $477,680,715 |
| FY2022 | $219,515,038 |
| FY2021 | $418,364,540 |
| FY2020 | $308,337,561 |
| FY2019 | $302,728,076 |
| FY2018 | $334,278,147 |
| FY2017 | $191,022,631 |
| FY2016 | $357,612,719 |
| FY2015 | $261,164,198 |
| FY2014 | $270,911,774 |
| FY2013 | $146,266,716 |
| FY2012 | $221,134,058 |
| FY2011 | $497,320,288 |
| FY2010 | $2,359,740,096 |
| FY2009 | $865,047,899 |
| FY2008 | $176,402,167 |
| FY2007 | $465,688,650 |
| FY2006 | $280,773,417 |
| FY2005 | $227,427,216 |
| FY2004 | $243,831,807 |
| FY2003 | $243,815,345 |
| FY2002 | $208,646,573 |
| FY2001 | $148,057,192 |
Show all 26
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 81.089?
Assistance Listing 81.089 is Fossil Energy Research and Development, a federal grant program run by Department of Energy.
What is the CFDA number for Fossil Energy Research and Development?
Its CFDA number is 81.089: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 81.089 awarded?
2,962 grant awards under 81.089 have obligated $10,517,653,825 in federal funds to 644 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 81.089?
The recipients obligated the most under Fossil Energy Research and Development are Southern Company Services, Inc. ($907,657,716), University Of North Dakota ($536,599,853) and University Of Illinois ($360,394,375).
How much did 81.089 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 81.089 obligated $966,343,898 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 81.089?
1 of the latest 50 opportunities under 81.089 is open or forecasted. The latest, Request for Information - Gauging Investor Interest in the Development and Commercialization of Subsurface Energy Technologies, was posted on September 3, 2026.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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