Office of Science Financial Assistance Program

SC is the Nation’s largest Federal sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences and the lead Federal agency supporting fundamental scientific research for our Nation’s energy future. SC is an established leader of the U.S. scientific discovery and innovation enterprise. Over the decades, SC investments and accomplishments in basic research and enabling research capabilities have provided the foundations for new technologies, businesses, and industries, making significant contributions to our nation’s economy, national security, and quality of life. Additional descriptions of recent science discoveries can
be found at https://science.osti.gov/Science-Features/Science-Highlights.

SC accomplishes its mission and advances national goals by supporting:
- Science for energy, economic and national security―building a foundation of scientific and technical knowledge to spur discoveries and innovations for advancing the Department’s mission. SC supports a wide range of funding modalities from single principal investigators to large team-based activities to engage in fundamental research on energy production, conversion, storage, transmission, and use, and on our understanding of the earth systems.
- The frontiers of science—exploring nature’s mysteries from the study of fundamental subatomic particles, atoms, and molecules that are the building blocks of the materials of our universe and everything in it to the DNA, proteins, and cells that are the building blocks of life. Each of the programs in SC supports research probing the most fundamental disciplinary questions.
- The 21st Century tools of science—providing the nation’s researchers with 28 state-of-the-art national scientific user
facilities, the most advanced tools of modern science, propelling the U.S. to the forefront of science, technology
development, and deployment through innovation.

Except where a program solicitation establishes more restrictive eligibility criteria, individuals and organizations in the following categories may submit proposals: Institutions of higher education; National Laboratories; Nonprofit and for-profit private entities; State and local governments; and consortia of entities described above.

The Office of Science utilizes an automated system, the Portfolio Analysis and Management System (PAMS), to manage the grants applications and award process. An application will automatically transfer from Grants.gov into PAMS for processing. In order to manage the application in PAMS, applicants must register at https://pamspublic.science.energy.gov.

After selections, DOE may negotiate a financial assistance award with the selected applicant. Only a DOE Contracting Officer is authorized to approve financial assistance agreement.

Normally, 6 months from receipt of grant application. Every notice of funding opportunity published at https://www.grants.gov will detail its anticipated notification schedule.