Fiscal Year 2026 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research

The FY 2026 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), administered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho Operations Office, supports the Department’s Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) in advancing nuclear energy science and technology. The program facilitates research, development, and access to specialized nuclear infrastructure through competitive funding and access to the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF). This initiative is part of NE’s broader strategy to promote innovation in nuclear technologies, support the deployment of advanced reactors, sustain the existing nuclear fleet, and develop advanced nuclear fuel cycles. It also emphasizes workforce development and academic collaboration through the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP). The CINR NOFO is divided into three distinct funding opportunity areas: U.S. university/college-led R&D projects and NSUF access with R&D (NSUF-1), NSUF access-only projects led by U.S. universities, national laboratories, or industry (NSUF-2), and Integrated Research Projects (IRPs) led by U.S. universities or colleges. A supplemental funding opportunity is also available to support Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) on select projects. Total available funding in FY 2026 is approximately $57 million, distributed as $43 million for R&D and NSUF-1 projects, $6 million for NSUF-2 projects, $6 million for IRPs, and $2 million for REU supplements. Award sizes range from up to $1,000,000–$3,100,000 depending on the track and inclusion of REU supplements, with durations of up to 3 years for standard projects and up to 7 years for those requiring neutron irradiation and post-irradiation examination. Applicants must be domestic entities, including U.S. universities and colleges, nonprofit organizations, for-profits, tribal entities, and state or local government agencies. Eligibility for NSUF-only projects also includes national laboratories and U.S. industry. Foreign participation is generally prohibited unless a waiver is granted, and work must be conducted in the United States unless specifically approved. DOE FFRDCs may participate as subrecipients but are limited to contributing no more than 20% of total project costs. Applications involving FFRDCs must include required authorizations and agreements. Cost sharing is encouraged but not mandatory, and if proposed, must be from allowable non-federal sources. The application process includes several gated steps: a mandatory NSUF Letter of Intent (due January 5, 2026), Pre-Applications for R&D and NSUF-1 (due January 28, 2026), and submission of NSUF Pre-Application and Full Application Statements of Work (due February 17, 2026 and May 14, 2026, respectively). The final application deadline for all tracks is June 9, 2026. Applicants must register with SAM.gov and NEUP.gov and follow detailed format and submission requirements. Application content includes technical volumes, budgets, conflict of interest disclosures, résumés, and collaboration documentation. NEUP.gov enforces deadlines and provides submission support. Applications will be evaluated using criteria that assess technical merit, relevance to NE priorities, and project execution plans. Review may involve non-federal personnel. Applicants will be notified by September 30, 2026 of their selection status, and awards are expected to begin February 1, 2027. All selected projects must comply with DOE data-sharing, performance, and intellectual property requirements, including participation in the DOE's public data repositories (e.g., OSTI, NRDS) and adherence to non-negotiable NSUF user agreements. The CINR NOFO is part of an annual cycle and includes recurring opportunities, particularly under the NEUP and NSUF umbrellas. All prospective applicants are advised to consult both Part 1 and Part 2 of the NOFO for comprehensive eligibility and application requirements, and to reach out to the NEUP Integration Office at [email protected] or 208-526-4854 with questions. The application portal is located at https://proposals.inl.gov.

Strict formatting, deadline enforcement, and naming conventions enforced; link tracking IDs between LOI and Pre-App.