FES Early Career Research Program
Supports research teams and institutions for FES Early Career Research in energy systems and fusion research.
The DOE Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) Early Career Research Program FY2026 cycle is funded under FOA DE-FOA-0003602, a solicitation issued jointly across seven DOE Office of Science program offices. FES uses this vehicle to fund early-career plasma physicists and fusion scientists at U.S. academic institutions and DOE national laboratories for five-year research projects aligned with FES strategic …
Five-year research grants for early-career plasma physicists and fusion scientists at US universities and DOE national laboratories, funded under FOA DE-FOA-0003602.
Sign up free to see the funding breakdown
Sign up free to see the industries in scope
Sign up free to see the full eligibility
Sign up free to see how to apply
Sign up free to see what you submit
Sign up free to see the timeline
Guides for this application
All guides →Grant Work Plan Template: Work Packages, Gantt, Milestones, and Risks
Use this grant work plan template to structure work packages, tasks, owners, deliverables, Gantt timing, dependencies, and risk registers.
Submit & reportGrant Reporting Requirements: Post-Award Reports and Compliance
Learn what grant reporting requirements cover, how financial and performance reports work, what to track after an award, and how to avoid post-award compliance mistakes.
Write proposalGrant Letter of Intent: How to Write an LOI or Letter of Inquiry
Learn what a grant letter of intent is, when funders ask for LOIs or letters of inquiry, what to include, what to avoid, and how funder rules differ.
Submit & reportSAM.gov Registration and UEI Guide for Federal Grant Applicants
Learn how SAM.gov registration, UEI numbers, Grants.gov accounts, organization profiles, workspace roles, and renewal timing fit together.
More from DOE FES
All grants from this funder →Genesis Mission AI FOA — Phase I and Phase II (FES)
🇺🇸DOE FES · United States
Supports AI-enabled fusion and plasma research with continuation pathways for strong performers.
FES Continuation Solicitation
🇺🇸DOE FES · United States
Supports fusion, plasma, and high-energy-density research partnerships blending public and private work.
INFUSE RFA Cycle
🇺🇸DOE FES · United States
Supports private fusion companies through annual partnerships with national laboratories.
Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program — Expansion
🇺🇸DOE FES · United States
Helps research teams and institutions for Milestone Based Fusion Development Expansion in energy systems and fusion research.
Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program — Between
🇺🇸DOE FES · United States
Supports private fusion teams through milestone-based programs advancing through development gates.
Similar grants
Browse the directory →
DOE Early Career Research Program
🇺🇸DOE SC · United States
Funds research teams and institutions for DOE Early Career Research in energy systems, artificial intelligence, and quantum systems.
Continuation of Solicitation for the DOE Office of Science Financial Assistance Program
🇺🇸DOE SC · United States
Supports unsolicited basic research proposals across all Office of Science thematic areas in the United States.
The Genesis Mission: Transforming Science and Energy with AI
🇺🇸DOE SC · United States
Supports AI for science progress from early concept stages toward national-scale implementation.
DOE Energy Frontier Research Centers
🇺🇸DOE SC · United States
Backs research teams and institutions for DOE Energy Frontier Research Centers in energy systems, materials science, and quantum systems.
Renewable Energy Program Grants
🇺🇸PA DCED · United States
Funds Pennsylvania businesses developing wind and geothermal energy projects through Commonwealth Financing Authority grants.
Energy Frontier Research Centers — 8th Class
🇺🇸DOE SC · United States
Supports multidisciplinary research centers tackling fundamental energy science grand challenges.