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.
June 2022: Midwest CASC
A message from iSEE Acting Associate Director for Research Jeremy Guest:
The Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (CASC) is seeking FY23 climate adaptation research projects. These science projects should inform high-priority natural and cultural heritage resource management issues that could benefit from climate adaptation science and traditional knowledges. Proposed project ideas must address at least one of the MW CASC science priority topics and applicants must be associated with a member of the consortium to be considered (UIUC is a member).
Midwest CASC Science Priorities: View the PDF
Funding opportunity details: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XZj3VPH3ugWn5_OgrqEn5kWb81sWZ4n3/view
Project Funding Amount: The Midwest CASC intends to fund 4-6 projects through this Project Solicitation. Individual project awards are not expected to exceed $400k
Submission Deadlines: The deadline to submit a Statement of Interest (SOI) is 5 p.m. Eastern time July 21.
Additional deadlines:
Additional deadlines:
- Full Proposals Invited (Planned) — 5 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022
- Deadline for Invited Full Proposals — 5 p.m. EDT Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022
You are invited to join an informational webinar on the MW CASC solicitation process on June 28 at 2:30pm CT (here’s the meeting join link: https://umn.zoom.us/j/9792958641?pwd=ZExtamwxWTR5Y3NSenh1TFJraDMzdz09#success; password: 1441). You can also reach out to Dr. Kristen Voorhies (kvoorhies@usgs.gov) with any questions.
Group brainstorming sessions about FY23 projects will be a part of the MW CASC Science Seminar on Monday, June 27 at 12:00pm CT (here is the meeting join link: https://umn.zoom.us/j/99097703539?pwd=T1J0TEU3eStWR1JrSXQwOGIvbG15dz09#success). Please consider joining to discuss your ideas for possible projects with other prospective PIs.
Friendly reminder: All consortium-based projects will run through the University of Minnesota as MW CASC host institution. Please reach out to Elissa Welch (welch516@umn.edu) regarding this process.
Questions about this RFP may be addressed to the UIUC representatives of the Midwest CASC, Jeff Brawn (jbrawn@illinois.edu) and Jeremy Guest (jsguest@illinois.edu).
Best of luck!
October 2021: DOE Multiple FOAs
A message from iSEE Acting Associate Director for Research Jeremy Guest:
Below are multiple funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) from the U.S. Department of Energy along with other helpful links.
RFP/FOA topic: Office of Science Open Call DE-FOA-0002562
Pre-Application: Optional but encouraged. We recommend reaching out to relevant program managers to explore whether topics are of interest to them.
Full Proposal Deadline (estimated*): Any time before Sept. 30, 2022
Funding (total): $200,000 to $5,000,000
Duration: 6 months to 5 years
Funding Opportunity Topic Areas: All Office of Science programs participate and list areas of interest including: Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Basic Energy Sciences, Biological and Environmental Research, Fusion Energy Sciences, High Energy Physics, Nuclear Physics, Isotope R&D and Production and Accelerator R&D and Production
RFP/FOA topic: University-Based Cybersecurity Centers DE-FOA-0002503
Concept Paper Deadline (estimated*): Oct. 13, 2021
Full Proposal Deadline (estimated*): Dec. 8, 2021
Funding (total): $2,500,000
Duration: 2 years
Funding Opportunity Topic Areas: The centers will address research and development challenges related to cybersecurity and critical energy infrastructure, and will take into consideration the distinctive characteristics of each region’s electricity system, network infrastructure, and workforce expertise.
RFP/FOA topic: Technology Innovation to Increase Hydropower Flexibility DE-FOA-0002417
Informational Webinar: Oct.13, 2021
Concept Paper Deadline (estimated*): Nov. 2, 2021
Full Proposal Deadline (estimated*): Jan. 21, 2022
Funding (total): $1,000,000-4,000,000
Duration: 1.5-3 years
Announcement Link: https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/doe-announces-85-million-increase-hydropower-flexibility
Funding Opportunity Topic Areas: The focus is on developing and testing next-generation technologies to improve the flexible capabilities of the U.S. hydropower fleet. This includes technologies that can increase the flexibility of hydropower units by expanding operating range, faster ramping and start-stops, and improved frequency and voltage control. Also of interest are innovations to reduce the negative impacts, such as accelerated machine wear-and-tear, associated with operating the unit more flexibly.
RFP/FOA topic: National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) Enabling Coexistence Options for Wind Energy and Wildlife-Bat Behavior Research and Technology Advancement DRFX-2021-10708
Full Proposal Deadline (estimated*): Dec. 8, 2021
Funding (total): $450,000-700,000
Duration: 1.5-2 years
Funding Opportunity Topic Areas: DOE’s Wind Technologies Office is seeking research proposals that examine how bats behave near wind turbines and how they respond to tools intended to keep bats away from turbines.
RFP/FOA topic: Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize
Full Proposal Deadline (estimated*): Feb. 25, 2022
Funding (total): ~$250,000
Duration: Not readily apparent.
Announcement Link: https://americanmadechallenges.org/inclusiveenergyinnovation/
Funding Opportunity Topic Areas: DOE plans to award cash prizes to groups and organizations, including university-based programs, that support entrepreneurship and innovation in communities historically underserved in climate and energy technology funding.
Additional Opportunities:
- Lab Embedded Entrepreneurship Program: https://www.energy.gov/eere/amo/lab-embedded-entrepreneurship-program
- Research Experience in Carbon Sequestration (RECS) Program: https://recs-ccus.org/
- Office of Science Graduate Student Research Program: https://science.osti.gov/wdts/scgsr
- Innovation in Buildings Graduate Research Fellowship (IBUILD): https://ibuildfellowship.org/
- Collegiate Wind Competition: https://www.energy.gov/eere/collegiatewindcompetition/collegiate-wind-competition
- Request for Information on Assessing the National and International Standing of Biological and Environmental Research: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/08/18/2021-17658/assessing-the-national-and-international-standing-of-ber-basic-research?utm_source=federalregister.gov&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=subscription+mailing+list
*Deadlines are included in this summary to help folks get a sense for the timeline for the call for proposals. If you are interested in submitting to this call for proposals, please review the RFP/FOA for yourself to identify deadlines, submittal requirements, etc.
If researchers are interested in pursuing upcoming opportunities 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.
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