Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003662
The Department of Energy (DOE), through its Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) and on behalf of DOE's Analysis and Strategy Office (ASO), has issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) for a planned program called PROSPECT, short for Providing Opportunities for Specialized Education in Critical Technologies. This is not yet the full funding announcement; it is an advance notice to signal that DOE expects to launch the program in the near term. The agency indicates it may invest up to $100 million total, depending on future appropriations, with the main goal of strengthening U.S. educational and workforce capacity tied to critical minerals and materials.
The core purpose of PROSPECT is to build a stronger talent pipeline for the full critical minerals and materials value chain. That includes the upstream and downstream segments needed to support a reliable domestic supply chain: mineral resource development and extraction, processing and refining, manufacturing and use in technologies, recycling and circularity efforts, and other related supply chain activities. The emphasis is on educational pathways and specialized training that can feed the workforce needs of these sectors, rather than only funding technical R&D. In practical terms, the program is framed as a way to ensure the United States has enough skilled workers to sustain and scale the research, development, demonstration, and deployment investments DOE and its partners have already been making in this space.
DOE highlights collaboration as a central feature. The program is expected to encourage joint efforts among universities and colleges, industry partners, national laboratories, and other relevant organizations to create durable, coordinated education and training approaches. The intent is to move beyond isolated or one-off workforce initiatives and instead develop pipelines that are aligned with real-world supply chain needs, producing graduates and trainees with skills that match the evolving technical and operational demands of critical minerals and materials. DOE ties the expected outcomes to broader national priorities, explicitly linking a stronger workforce and domestic supply chain to U.S. economic competitiveness, energy security, and national security.
From the opportunity metadata provided, the funding opportunity is listed as discretionary and categorized under energy (CFDA 81.117), with the administering office noted as DOE's Golden Field Office. Eligibility is shown as "Unrestricted," suggesting a wide range of applicant types may be able to participate once the actual funding opportunity is released, although the final eligibility rules and program structure will only be confirmed in the forthcoming formal announcement. The posting notes an original closing date of January 15, 2027, but since this is an NOI and the document states all details are subject to change, interested parties should treat dates, amounts, and requirements as preliminary until DOE issues the full funding opportunity announcement on EERE Exchange.
Finally, DOE states it will not respond to questions about this NOI, reinforcing that it is informational rather than an active solicitation. Anyone tracking the opportunity is directed to the CMEI funding page on EERE Exchange (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/) for the complete Notice of Intent and for future updates when the formal PROSPECT funding announcement is released.Apply for DE FOA 0003662
- The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NOI: PROSPECT Program: Providing Opportunities for Specialized Education in Critical Technologies" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.117.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-08-07.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-01-15.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
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PROSPECT (DOE) Notice of Intent - Frequently Asked Questions
1) What is PROSPECT?
PROSPECT stands for Providing Opportunities for Specialized Education in Critical Technologies. It is a planned Department of Energy (DOE) program intended to strengthen U.S. education and workforce capacity connected to critical minerals and materials.
2) Is this a current grant application I can apply to right now?
No. The information provided is a Notice of Intent (NOI), which is an advance notice that DOE expects to launch PROSPECT in the near term. It is not the formal funding opportunity announcement, and it is not an active solicitation.
3) Which DOE offices are involved in this opportunity?
DOE issued the NOI through its Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) and on behalf of DOE's Analysis and Strategy Office (ASO). The administering office is noted as DOE's Golden Field Office.
4) What is the main goal of the PROSPECT program?
The main goal is to build a stronger U.S. talent pipeline for the full critical minerals and materials value chain, improving educational pathways and specialized training aligned to workforce needs in these sectors.
5) What parts of the critical minerals and materials value chain are in scope?
The NOI describes coverage across upstream and downstream segments, including mineral resource development and extraction, processing and refining, manufacturing and use in technologies, recycling and circularity efforts, and other related supply chain activities.
6) Is PROSPECT focused on research and development (R&D) or workforce training?
Based on the NOI, the emphasis is on educational pathways and specialized training that support workforce needs, rather than only funding technical R&D.
7) Why is DOE proposing this program now?
DOE frames PROSPECT as a way to ensure the United States has enough skilled workers to sustain and scale research, development, demonstration, and deployment investments that DOE and its partners have already been making in critical minerals and materials.
8) How much funding may be available?
DOE indicates it may invest up to $100 million total, depending on future appropriations. The NOI also notes that details are subject to change until the formal announcement is released.
9) Is the $100 million guaranteed?
No. The NOI states the potential investment is dependent on future appropriations, and the notice emphasizes that all details are preliminary.
10) What kinds of projects does DOE expect to support?
The NOI suggests DOE expects efforts that create durable, coordinated education and training approaches for critical minerals and materials, designed to produce graduates and trainees whose skills match evolving technical and operational supply chain demands.
11) Does the program encourage partnerships or collaboration?
Yes. Collaboration is described as a central feature. DOE expects the program to encourage joint efforts among universities and colleges, industry partners, national laboratories, and other relevant organizations.
12) What outcomes is DOE trying to achieve?
DOE ties expected outcomes to building a stronger workforce and domestic supply chain, and links these outcomes to U.S. economic competitiveness, energy security, and national security.
13) Who is eligible to apply?
The opportunity metadata lists eligibility as "Unrestricted," which suggests a wide range of applicant types may be able to participate once the formal funding opportunity is released. Final eligibility rules will be confirmed in the forthcoming announcement.
14) What is the program category and CFDA number?
The metadata categorizes the opportunity under energy and lists CFDA 81.117.
15) What does "discretionary" funding mean here?
The opportunity is listed as discretionary in the provided metadata, meaning it is not an entitlement program and would be administered under DOE's competitive and/or programmatic funding processes as defined in the eventual formal announcement.
16) Is there an application deadline?
The posting notes an original closing date of January 15, 2027. However, because this is an NOI and the notice states details are subject to change, dates should be treated as preliminary until DOE issues the formal funding opportunity announcement.
17) Where will the official funding announcement be posted?
DOE directs interested parties to the CMEI funding page on EERE Exchange at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ for the complete NOI and for future updates when the formal PROSPECT funding announcement is released.
18) Can I ask DOE questions about this Notice of Intent?
No. DOE states it will not respond to questions about this NOI, reinforcing that it is informational rather than an active solicitation.
19) What should interested organizations do right now?
Based on the NOI, the practical next step is to monitor EERE Exchange (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/) and the CMEI funding page for the formal PROSPECT funding opportunity announcement and any updates to dates, funding, eligibility, and requirements.
20) Why are the details described as subject to change?
This notice is an advance signal rather than the final program documentation. DOE explicitly indicates that amounts, dates, requirements, and other program details may change and will only be finalized in the formal funding opportunity announcement.
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