Critical Minerals and Materials Accelerator Notice of Funding Opportunity

The Critical Minerals and Materials Accelerator Notice of Funding Opportunity is issued by the U.S. Department of Energy through the Golden Field Office to support the advancement of technologies that strengthen domestic supply chains for critical minerals and materials. These materials are essential to national security, energy systems, and industrial competitiveness, and the program is designed to address vulnerabilities in sourcing, processing, and scaling production. The initiative aligns with federal priorities to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains by accelerating innovation from laboratory validation to industry-ready deployment. The program focuses on supporting mid-stage technologies that have progressed beyond initial research but require further validation, benchmarking, and demonstration in real-world or industry-relevant environments. Through cooperative agreements, the Department of Energy aims to fund collaborative partnerships between industry, research institutions, and other stakeholders. These partnerships are expected to leverage national laboratory infrastructure and related federal research initiatives to validate performance, conduct technoeconomic analysis, and assess lifecycle impacts. The ultimate goal is to position technologies for commercialization within a three to seven year timeframe. Funding is structured across three primary topic areas, each targeting a different segment of the critical materials value chain. Topic Area 1 addresses production and material efficiency for critical materials, including recovery from industrial and postconsumer waste streams. Topic Area 2 focuses on refining and alloying materials such as gallium, germanium, and silicon carbide for semiconductor applications. Topic Area 3 centers on lithium extraction, including direct extraction technologies and associated treatment and disposal processes. Each topic area includes subtopics that further define the scope of eligible projects and technical priorities. Applicants are permitted to apply under specific topic areas through the Department of Energy’s eXCHANGE system, and each topic area may have distinct submission requirements and deadlines. The program includes a Teaming Partner List to facilitate collaboration among organizations seeking to form project teams. This mechanism supports the development of multidisciplinary proposals capable of addressing complex technical challenges. Applicants must follow system-based submission protocols, and the platform enforces strict deadlines for both letters of intent and full applications. Eligibility for this opportunity is broadly defined as unrestricted, meaning that a wide range of entity types may apply, including private companies, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and government entities, subject to additional clarifications in the full funding announcement. Cost sharing is required, indicating that applicants must contribute a portion of project costs, though the specific match requirements are detailed in the full NOFO document. Awards are expected to support projects that demonstrate strong potential for scalability and commercial viability. The application process includes submission through the eXCHANGE platform, with strict enforcement of deadlines. Technical issues must be addressed through the system helpdesk prior to deadlines, and late submissions are only accepted under limited conditions involving documented technical difficulties. The funding opportunity was posted on April 7, 2026, with a final application deadline of July 20, 2026. Awards are anticipated to be distributed across approximately 44 projects, with total program funding of 69 million dollars. The performance period and award notification timelines are expected to be detailed further in the full announcement documentation.