Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources (UNLOCK)

Deadline

Nov 20, 2026 (27 days left)

Who can apply

Anyone eligible under the notice (unrestricted)

Award range

$3.0 million to $5.0 million

Expected awards

12

Total program funding

$45 million

Your own money required

Yes, cost sharing or matching is required

Opportunity number

DE-FOA-0003630

Posted

Oct 21, 2026

Assistance listing

81.135

More on who can apply

See Section II.A. of the NOFO.

What it funds

NOFO Number: DE-FOA-0003630 - Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources (UNLOCK) To obtain a copy of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) please go to DOE eXCHANGE at https://exchange.energy.gov/. To apply to this NOFO, Applicants must register with and submit application materials through DOE eXCHANGE (https://exchange.energy.gov/Registration.aspx). For detailed guidance on using DOE eXCHANGE, please refer to the DOE eXCHANGE User Guide (https://exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx). ARPA-E will not review or consider application materials submitted through other means. For problems with DOE eXCHANGE, email ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov (with NOFO name and number in the subject line). Questions about this NOFO? Check the Frequently Asked Questions available at http://arpa-e.energy.gov/faq. For questions that have not already been answered, email ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov. Agency Overview: The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E), an organization within the Department of Energy (DOE), is chartered by Congress in the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-69), as amended by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-358), as further amended by the Energy Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-260). ARPA-E issues this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) under its authorizing statute codified at 42 U.S.C. § 16538. The NOFO and any cooperative agreements or grants made under this NOFO are subject to 2 C.F.R. Part 200 as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 910. ARPA-E funds research on, and the development of, transformative science and technology solutions to address the energy and environmental missions of the Department. The agency focuses on technologies that can be meaningfully advanced with a modest investment over a defined period of time …

What to do next

1. Open the official notice on Grants.gov and download the full announcement (the NOFO) and any attachments.
2. Check you can apply: the eligible applicants above, and any detail in the notice's eligibility section.
3. Register your organization in SAM.gov (choose "all awards") and create a Grants.gov account; allow several weeks the first time.
4. Apply through Grants.gov exactly as the notice says, before Nov 20, 2026. Late applications are usually not accepted.

New to this? Applying for a federal grant, step by step · Register to apply · How to read the notice · Write the narrative · Build the budget · Agency contact: arpa-e-co@hq.doe.gov

From Grants.gov's official daily extract of Oct 25, 2026. The notice on Grants.gov and its attachments are what count. UX Contract is independent and not a government website.