DOE Office of Science Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs)

DOE Office of Science Energy Frontier Research Centers are university-led, multi-investigator basic energy research centers under Basic Energy Sciences. They sit among SC's flagship collaborative awards and are built for teams that need a center structure rather than a single-PI grant. The awards are grants, typically about $3 million to $4 million per year over four years for each center. The FY2026 FOA, DE-FOA-0003614, uses a pre-application due April 1, 2026, and a full application due July 1, 2026. The mechanism requires a consortium and runs on a biennial cycle. Applicants do best when they organize a coherent scientific theme, a strong management plan, and a genuinely multi-institutional team. EFRCs favor groups that can show why a center will advance frontier energy science better than a narrower project, with the consortium structure carrying the science rather than decorating it. The long time horizon also means the program rewards durable partnerships, shared facilities, and a leadership team that can keep several disciplines moving in the same direction.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.