DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is the largest investor in clean energy technology development in the U.S. Government. EERE awards funding through an open, competitive process hosted primarily on the EERE Funding Opportunity eXCHANGE, but other types of funding are available as well.  

Learn more about how to apply for EERE funding. 

Learn more about EERE’s mission and goals.

Learn more about the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Learn more about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

Research, Development, and Demonstration Funding  

EERE issues funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) year-round, following a consistent process.  

  • First, EERE opens a request for information (RFI) to gather input from potential applicants and stakeholders.  
  • Next, the office will announce a notice of intent (NOI) to issue a FOA, which allows interested applicants to consider developing concept papers based on the stated areas of interest.  
  • Ultimately, EERE may announce a funding opportunity as described in the NOI, but the final FOA language may be significantly different or may not be issued at all. 

Anyone who is interested in applying for EERE funding notices will need to complete several one-time actions before submitting a FOA application, including registering with Login.gov, the System for Award Management (SAM), Grants.gov, and FedConnect.net. Project selections are merit-based with an emphasis on potential clean energy, environmental, and economic benefits. 

A full listing of current and past solicitations is available on the EERE eXCHANGE.

Prizes and Competitions 

EERE funds many competitions, prizes, and similar contests to support the next generation of scientists, innovative entrepreneurs, and community changemakers. 

Other Types of Funding

In addition to EERE funding opportunity announcements (FOA), there are other types of financial opportunities available to researchers, individuals, and businesses.

One way EERE partners with businesses is by buying goods and services. For example, EERE would use a procurement contract to purchase computers for its employees. To offer a product or service, getting listed on the General Service Administration's (GSA) schedule and bidders list is the first step toward selling products and services to the federal government. Learn more about the GSA's schedule and purchasing programs.

Also, partnering with an ESCO, or energy service company, is a way to provide services to federal facilities. An ESCO is a commercial business providing designs and implementation of energy savings projects, energy conservation, energy infrastructure outsourcing, power generation and energy supply, and risk management. DOE maintains a list of qualified ESCOs contracted to provide energy savings performance contract services.

The Federal Energy Management Program's Sell Energy-Efficient Products page shows manufacturers and vendors how to increase sales potential by helping federal purchasers meet their energy-efficient product purchasing requirements. 

A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement or CRADA is an agreement between a government laboratory and a private party to work together on the research and development of new technologies. 

EERE manages formula grants for state and local government energy projects, and funding formulas are set by federal statute. State energy offices may also have programs and opportunities of interest; look up a state energy office.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program is a highly competitive program that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) that has the potential for commercialization. Through a competitive awards-based program, SBIR enables small businesses to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. By including qualified small businesses in the nation's R&D arena, high-tech innovation is stimulated and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets its specific research and development needs.

For more information, visit the SBIR website.

A Technology Investment Agreement (TIA) is a type of assistance instrument used in rare cases to support or stimulate research projects involving for-profit firms, especially commercial firms that do business primarily in the commercial marketplace. TIAs are different from grants and cooperative agreements in that the award terms may vary from the government-wide standard terms (See DOE TIA regulations at 10 CFR Part 603). The primary purposes for including a TIA in the type of available award instruments are to encourage non-traditional government contractors to participate in an R&D program and to facilitate new relationships and business practices. A TIA can be particularly useful for awards to consortia (See 10 CFR 603.225(b) and 603.515, Qualification of a consortium).

In rare cases, funding may be provided non-competitively through the DOE unsolicited proposal process. An unsolicited proposal is an application for assistance that is not submitted at the request of the government or in response to a FOA. DOE's central point for unsolicited proposals is the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). Learn more at NETL's Solicitations and Business Opportunities page. 

Other DOE agencies, like the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) provide financial opportunities as well. ARPA-E advances high potential, high-impact energy technologies that are too early for private-sector investment. ARPA-E projects have the potential to radically improve U.S. economic security, national security, and environmental well-being. ARPA-E empowers America's energy researchers with funding, technical assistance, and market readiness.

Low-income individuals may be eligible for the Weatherization Assistance Program, a program that improves the energy efficiency of a home, by doing tasks like increasing insulation and replacing inefficient windows.

The U.S. Department of Energy supports a number of additional energy-related grant, loan, and financing programs, as does its Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) program.

Individuals or Businesses Purchasing Energy Efficient and Renewable Energy Technologies 

EERE does not provide grants to purchase or install energy-efficient or renewable energy technologies. However, there may be tax credits, rebates, or other funding sources available in your state, which can make it cheaper to purchase or install these technologies. Look up your state on the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency. 

The Energy Saver website is full of tips for increasing the energy efficiency of your home. Energy Saver also has a section on incentives and financing for energy-efficient homes.