Legally-directed Academic Programs, Workforce Development and Community Support

The Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) funds legally-directed academic programs supporting scientific research and workforce development at universities and nonprofit organizations under CFDA 81.252, with the most recent grant award disbursed in September 2023.

Program activity is minimal and episodic. Two Project Grants totaling $19.1 million have been awarded over the past four years, at a rate of one award per year in 2022 and 2023. No grant opportunities have been posted recently. The source does not indicate an open solicitation or a defined funding cycle; awards are driven by Congressional mandate on a case-by-case basis, making predictability and award frequency difficult to project.

Funding scope is narrowly specialized within NNSA's stockpile stewardship and nuclear materials missions. Recent awards support workforce development in nuclear materials science, engineering, and manufacturing trades for Los Alamos National Laboratory, and materials degradation research combined with data science and computer science education to advance understanding of nuclear stockpile component failure mechanisms. Eligible recipients include U.S. public and private institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations. Allowable costs include salaries, materials and supplies, equipment, travel, publication costs, and training costs required for research and advanced technology projects.

All funding is concentrated in NNSA, which obligated the full $19.1 million across both awards. The assistance type is exclusively Project Grants.

Representative recent awards include a $14.2 million grant to Case Western Reserve University (September 2022, completion September 2027) for the Center to Materials Data Science for Stockpile Stewardship (MDS3), and a $4.9 million grant to the New Mexico Consortium (September 2023, completion September 2026) for the Plutonium Workforce Development Initiative supporting Los Alamos technical workforce development with emphasis on underrepresented minorities.

No recent grant opportunities are publicly posted. Funding flows through Congressional direction rather than competitive solicitation. This program is unlikely to offer near-term pursuit opportunities outside of institution-specific mandates.