Fiscal Year 2026 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through its Idaho Operations Office, has released the Fiscal Year Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research Notice of Funding Opportunity (CINR NOFO) under the opportunity number DE-FOA-0003538. This initiative is part of DOE's ongoing support for nuclear energy-related research through two primary mechanisms: the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) and the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF). NEUP focuses on enabling U.S. universities and colleges to contribute to key nuclear energy challenges, while NSUF provides unique access to nuclear research infrastructure for industry, academia, and national laboratories. The CINR NOFO combines these efforts into a unified solicitation to promote integrated, competitive research addressing critical mission objectives within the nuclear energy sector. The overarching goals of this funding opportunity are to advance the safe and economical use of nuclear energy by supporting research aligned with DOE's strategic mission areas. These include enabling continued operation of current U.S. nuclear reactors, supporting deployment of advanced nuclear technologies, developing advanced fuel cycles, and maintaining U.S. leadership in nuclear energy innovation. Applicants are expected to demonstrate how their proposed projects align with at least one of these priorities. The funding supports both standalone research efforts and collaborative projects that may include access to national user facilities under the NSUF program. The CINR NOFO outlines three main funding opportunity areas: (1) University-led Research & Development (R&D) and NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1), (2) Access-Only NSUF projects led by universities, national laboratories, or industry (NSUF-2), and (3) Integrated Research Projects (IRPs), which support large, multi-disciplinary research teams addressing high-priority technical challenges. Additionally, supplemental funding is available for Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), enabling awardees to involve undergraduate students in nuclear R&D projects. The total funding available for FY 2026 is approximately $57 million, with award sizes ranging from $100,000 to $3.1 million, depending on the funding track and inclusion of REU supplements. Project durations are typically three years, but may extend up to seven years for NSUF-related awards involving neutron irradiation and post-irradiation examination. Eligibility is restricted to U.S.-based entities. Prime applicants for most topic areas must be U.S. universities or colleges, while NSUF-2 projects are open to universities, industry, and national labs. Subrecipients may include non-profits, state and local governments, for-profit entities, federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), and Indian Tribes. Foreign entities are ineligible for funding but may participate through consortia in subrecipient roles. All work must be conducted within the United States. Cost sharing is encouraged but not required. If proposed, cost share must be from non-federal sources unless otherwise authorized. The application process includes several stages. A Letter of Intent (LOI) is mandatory for all NSUF-related applications and must be submitted by January 5, 2026. Pre-applications for R&D and NSUF proposals are required and due by February 3, 2026. A separate NSUF Pre-Application Statement of Work and Readiness Statement is due by February 24, 2026. The final Full Application for all areas is due by June 9, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET. Applicants are encouraged to submit materials via the NEUP.gov portal. Only those applicants who complete the appropriate pre-application steps will be eligible to submit a full application. DOE anticipates announcing selections by September 30, 2026, with award start dates targeted for February 1, 2027. Applications will undergo a multi-phase evaluation process. Pre-applications are screened for technical merit and relevance to the NE mission, and NSUF proposals undergo feasibility and readiness reviews. Full applications are judged on criteria including scientific merit, technical quality, team capability, and relevance. For Integrated Research Projects, management plans and collaborative effectiveness are also critical evaluation factors. Additional selection considerations include funding availability, programmatic balance, and demonstrated performance on prior DOE awards. Successful projects must adhere to all DOE administrative, safety, and data-sharing requirements, including dissemination of results through the Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI). Contact for inquiries is the Nuclear Energy University Program office at [email protected]. The official application site is https://proposals.inl.gov. Applicants are advised to review both Part 1 and Part 2 of the CINR NOFO carefully to ensure compliance with all requirements.

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