Most recent content update: April 8, 2024
Note: The solicitation-specific information on this page is based on the 2024 FOA (DE-FOA-0003258) released January 22, 2024. New calls are expected every two years, subject to change.
Program Snapshot
DOE Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) are major, multi-disciplinary and multi-institution, basic research programs funded by the Department of Energy. EFRCs address big scientific questions that if solved will have a big impact on society and provide a great mechanism to support collaborative research in energy-relevant fields. The EFRC program aims to advance fundamental understanding of chemical sciences, materials sciences, geosciences, and biosciences that is relevant to addressing our biggest challenges in clean energy and climate, advanced and low-carbon manufacturing, and other priority areas such as quantum information science. EFRC basic research will continue to support cross-DOE initiatives including the Energy Earthshots.
Awards are expected to be from $2-4M per year for 4 years with possibility of renewal in subsequent competitions.
- Information from DOE
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- DOE Program Page
- Funding Opportunity Announcement
- 2024 FAQs
- Past Funding Opportunity Announcements
- DOE's Good Management Practices based on experience with successful Centers
- Funded EFRC Overviews (2 page descriptions, resource last updated November 2022)
- DOE Grand Challenges
- DOE BES Reports
- DOE BESAC Meetings
- DOE BESAC Meeting Presentations
- DOE EFRC FOA Webinar (held Feb 1, 2024): slides and video
Details, latest updates and related links are available on the DOE Basic Energy Sciences (BES) funding opportunities page and on grants.gov.
- Stanford and SLAC Limited Submissions
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This is a Limited Submission funding opportunity. An institution-wide internal selection process is required prior to proposal submission to DOE. Only two pre-applications may be submitted by any one organization as the lead institution. Stanford and SLAC will each perform their own internal selection, using the same deadlines and requested materials.
The internal deadline is February 7, 2024. More information on the selection and submission process is available through the Stanford Funding Opportunities portal.
For questions about the limited submissions process, please email:
- limitedsubmissions@stanford.edu (Stanford PIs)
- OCRO@slac.stanford.edu (SLAC PIs)
Timeline
- February 1, 2024: Informational webinar from DOE (slides and video)
- February 7, 2024: Internal proposal due to VPDoR or SLAC Limited Submissions
- February 28, 2024: Required pre-applications from internally selected teams due to DOE*
- For Stanford, required submission through OSR 3 business days before deadline
- For SLAC, required submission into DOE PAMS 1 business day before deadline
- May 8, 2024: Encouraged full applications due to DOE*
- For Stanford, please follow all OSR proposal submission deadlines
- For SLAC, please follow all SLAC PAO team submisison deadlines
Proposal Support and Resources
This list will be updated as new resources become available.
- RDO's Outline for EFRC Full Proposal: A list of full proposal components with an explanation of their purpose, highlights of key DOE requirements, and suggestions from RDO on how to make the most of each section (SUNet login required)
- RDO's Outline for EFRC Pre-application: A list of pre-application components and suggestions from RDO on how to organize your pre-application (SUNet login required)
- Stanford RDO and SLAC OCRO/OSP EFRC Facts, Insight, and Advice: A brief overview of the EFRC program structure, history, and advice on pulling together a successful team and proposal (SUnet login required)
- Advice from Stanford/SLAC for a Successful EFRC Application, from 2021 Stanford-SLAC workshop (SUNet login required)
- General Advice from the SLAC Science Council (SUNet login required)
- RDO General Guidance for Specific Proposal Sections
- 2021 Stanford-SLAC Workshop Materials (August 27, 2021): This workshop was an early preparation event intended to share insights and best practices around the EFRC program and to support the formation of new research ideas and collaborations. Access to these materials is restricted to workshop participants.
For proposal support, consultations, or EFRC-related questions please contact
- Kim Baeten, Director of Research Development, Stanford University. (For applications from the School of Engineering, RDO will coordinate with Blythe Nobleman in ERA to optimize research development support. See FAQs for details.)
- Steve Eglash, Director of the Applied Energy Division, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory