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OPPORTUNITIES

The Illinois Energy Scholars maintain an email list for sharing opportunities for research funding, industry partnerships, student funding, and education and outreach activities. If you are a faculty-level researcher who would like to be counted among the Illinois Energy Scholars and receive these updates, please email us at sustainability@illinois.edu with the subject line, “Add an Energy Scholar.”

Grant and Other Opportunities for Illinois Scholars ...

Current and recent calls for proposals from major funding agencies, as well as speaking opportunities and other announcements for Illinois faculty-level scholars.

FEBRUARY 2023: USDA NIFA FAS
From iSEE Associate Director for Research Jeremy Guest:
 
This is the annual USDA NIFA request for applications for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Foundational and Applied Science (FAS) program, which aims to advance fundamental and applied knowledge in agricultural and food sciences to address current and future societal challenges. A summary of the program areas and USDA deadlines are shown below. 
 
Agency/Foundation: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
RFP/FOA topic: FY 2023 AFRI Foundational and Applied Science RFA
Letter of Intent Deadlines*: Varies by program
Proposal Deadlines*: Varies by program
Funding: Varies by program
Duration: Varies by program
Program Areas (sub-topics listed in email below): 
Program Area 1 – Plant Health and Production and Plant Products
Program Area 2 – Animal Health and Production and Animal Products
Program Area 3 – Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health
Program Area 4 – Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment (BNRE)
Program Area 5 – Agriculture Systems and Technology (AST)
Program Area 6 – Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities (AERC)
Program Area 7 – Crosscutting Programs
 
*If you plan to pursue a funding opportunity, please confirm deadlines for yourself and remember that SPA requires proposals to be submitted at least FOUR full business days prior to the deadline. 
 
If researchers are interested and pursuing this opportunity, have an interdisciplinary team (at least two campus units), and iSEE can support this endeavor (including helping bring an interdisciplinary team together, business office support, etc.), please let me know via email at jsguest@illinois.edu.
 
Best of luck!!!
FEBRUARY 2023: NSF Opportunity
From iSEE Associate Director for Research Jeremy Guest:
 
This is an opportunity for the new Global Centers program from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support Use-Inspired Research Addressing Global Challenges in Climate Change and Clean Energy. These centers are to support collaboration with researchers in Australia, Canada, or the United Kingdom (UK). There are two tracks: Track 1 to establish a Global Center at $5M (total) for up to five years, and Track 2 planning grants at $250K for up to two years. 
 
Agency/Foundation: National Science Foundation
RFP/FOA topic: Global Centers (GC) - Use-Inspired Research Addressing Global Challenges in Climate Change and Clean Energy
Proposal Deadlines: May 10, 2023 (estimated SPA deadline*: May 4, 2023)
Funding: $5M (total) for Global Centers, $250K (total) for planning grants
Duration: 5 years for Global Centers, 2 years for planning grants
Brief Overview: Supports use-inspired research addressing global challenges in climate change and clean energy. Collaborations must be with researchers in Australia, Canada, or the UK.
 
*If you plan to pursue a funding opportunity, please confirm deadlines for yourself and remember that SPA requires proposals to be submitted at least FOUR full business days prior to the deadline. 
 
If researchers are interested and pursuing this opportunity, have an interdisciplinary team (at least two campus units), and iSEE can support this endeavor (including helping bring an interdisciplinary team together, business office support, etc.), please let me know via email at jsguest@illinois.edu.
 
Best of luck!!!

 

October 2022: DOE seed investments in fundamental physical sciences research

A message from iSEE Acting Associate Director for Research Jeremy Guest:

 
An update from Lewis-Burke about DOE's recent open call to seed investments in fundamental research in the physical sciences.
 
Agency/Foundation: Department of Energy
RFP/FOA topic: FY 2023 Continuation of Solicitation for the Office of Science Financial Assistant Program (DE-FOA-0002844)
Proposal Deadlines (estimated*): Between Oct. 1, 2022 and Sept. 20, 2023. However, applicants are encouraged to apply soon (earlier in the fiscal year).
Pre-application: Pre-applications are optional/encouraged
Funding (total): Average amounts are $200,000 to $1 million per year for Principal Investigators and from $2 million to $4 million per year for multi-institution teams
Duration: 6 months to 5 years
Brief Overview: DOE is seeking applications in research areas not covered by more specific, topical funding opportunity announcements that are issued throughout the fiscal year and awards from the open funding call often serve as seed funding for larger-scale research programs in the future based on community interest and demand. This can include new, renewal, and supplemental applications. These opportunities are through the Office of Science (SC) of the Department of Energy (DOE) to support work in the following program areas: 
- Advanced Scientific Computing Research;
- Basic Energy Sciences
- Biological and Environmental Research;
- Fusion Energy Sciences;
- High Energy Physics;
- Nuclear Physics;
- Isotope R&D and Production;
- Accelerator R&D and Production.
 
If researchers are interested and pursuing this opportunity, have an interdisciplinary team (at least two campus units), and iSEE can support this endeavor (including helping bring an interdisciplinary team together, business office support, etc.), please let me know at jsguest@illinois.edu.
 



Best of luck!
August 2022: DOE

A message from iSEE Acting Associate Director for Research Jeremy Guest:

 
A recent summary from Lewis-Burke about anticipated funding opportunities from the DOE: Some of these opportunities are expected to be in the $1M-5M range, while others may be larger ($10M+). If you anticipate pursuing any of these funding opportunities, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions. iSEE is also glad to support any multidisciplinary teams (teams that include researchers from more than one campus unit) in proposal development.
 
Some highlights from the attached document:
 
1. Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies in Support of Hydrogen Shot; https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaIddddc3466-5d8d-4092-8a9b-269d2bda3629 
Topic 1) HydroGEN: Solar Fuels from Photoelectrochemical and Solar Thermochemical Water Splitting
Topic 2) Development and Validation of Sensor Technology for Monitoring and Measuring Hydrogen Losses
Topic 3) Materials-based H2 Storage Demonstrations
Topic 4) M2FCT: High Performing, Durable, and Low-PGM Catalysts/Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEAs) for Medium- and Heavy-duty Applications
 
Topic 5) University Research Consortium on Grid Resilience

3. Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization; https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaId9809abda-a152-49e7-8ca3-4cc34d57ea18
The six industry topic areas will likely include: 
Topic 1) Decarbonizing Chemicals: This topic will focus on unit operations, including advanced separations and advanced reactors, and alternative production and process heating technologies to reduce carbon impacts from the production of high-volume chemicals. 

Topic 2) Decarbonizing Iron and Steel: This topic will focus on advancements that enable decarbonization in ore-based or scrap-based iron and steelmaking operations, and that convert other existing iron and steelmaking ancillary and thermal processes to use clean fuels or electricity. 
Topic 3) Decarbonizing Food and Beverage Products: This topic will focus on innovative technologies that decarbonize process heating operations within the food and beverage sector. 
Topic 4) Decarbonizing Cement and Concrete: This topic will focus on next generation cement formulations and process routes, utilization of low carbon fuels, and carbon capture technologies. 
Topic 5) Decarbonizing Paper and Forest Products: This topic will focus on novel paper and wood drying technologies, and innovative pulping and paper forming technologies. 
Topic 6) Cross-sector Decarbonization Technologies: This topic will focus on innovations in low temperature waste heat to power, thermal energy storage, and industrial heat pump technologies.” 

4. Regional Direct Air Capture Hubs; https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/default.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2ffedconnect%3fdoc%3dDE-FOA-0002746%26agency%3dDOE&doc=DE-FOA-0002746&agency=DOE (see link to the notice of intent on right side of page under "Documentation")

DOE plans to fund 4 regional DAC Hubs that must: 
▪ facilitate the deployment of direct air capture projects; 
▪ has the capacity to capture and sequester, utilize, or sequester and utilize at least 1,000,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually from a single unit or multiple interconnected units; 
▪ demonstrate the capture, processing, delivery, and sequestration or end use of captured carbon; and 
▪ could be developed into a regional or interregional carbon network to facilitate sequestration or carbon utilization. 
Key technologies and approaches DOE plans to support include: 
▪ chemical direct air capture technologies, 
▪ biomass carbon removal and storage, 
▪ ocean-based carbon removal (Direct Ocean Capture), and 
▪ enhanced mineralization. 


Best of luck!

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