Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment

The Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment (AJFE) is a research initiative administered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the U.S. Department of Transportation. Established to advance aviation sustainability, the program operates as a cooperative agreement framework supporting multidisciplinary academic and industry partnerships to address the environmental and energy challenges facing the aviation sector. The FAA initially launched this Center of Excellence (COE) in 2013 to support the ASCENT coalition—The Aviation Sustainability Center—co-led by Washington State University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This network of sixteen leading U.S. research universities focuses on developing alternative jet fuels, assessing environmental impacts of aviation operations, and providing data-driven solutions that inform policy and industry best practices. The overarching purpose of this opportunity is to fund research activities that enhance the scientific and technical basis for sustainable aviation fuel development and deployment while reducing the aviation industry’s carbon footprint. Projects funded through the COE-AJFE are expected to contribute to environmental stewardship, climate resilience, and technology advancement in air transportation systems. The funding mechanism, a cooperative agreement, emphasizes active FAA engagement in the research process, including coordination, oversight, and integration of results into federal aviation policy frameworks. Funding activities under this opportunity span multiple disciplines, including energy systems, atmospheric science, emissions reduction, noise mitigation, life-cycle assessment, and fuel certification processes. Research may address technological innovations for alternative fuel production, sustainability evaluation, and alignment with regulatory and safety standards. Because this is a cooperative research program, cost sharing is required, reflecting the collaborative investment of both federal and academic partners. Each funded project must demonstrate both scientific merit and potential operational applicability within the aviation sector. Eligibility for this opportunity is restricted to the sixteen university members of ASCENT, the FAA’s existing cooperative research center for alternative jet fuels and the environment. These include universities that form part of the FAA’s established COE framework. Private institutions of higher education within ASCENT may apply directly, consistent with the cooperative structure. No other public or private entities outside the ASCENT consortium are eligible to apply for this extension. Applications are submitted directly to the FAA Center of Excellence program management office. The current closing date for applications is September 30, 2026, following an extension of the prior deadline from September 30, 2024. The program anticipates up to 200 awards across participating institutions, reflecting the distributed research framework of the COE. The estimated maximum award per project is $20,000,000, with cost-sharing required. Awards are subject to the FAA’s cooperative oversight and reporting requirements, and projects are evaluated based on scientific excellence, relevance to FAA research priorities, and capacity to deliver implementable results. Inquiries regarding access or application procedures should be directed to Eleanor Mendelson, Management Program Analyst, at 202-267-8016.