High-performance Optimized Recycled Nuclear Isotopes for Gen IV reactors (HORNIG)
🏛 Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for transformational research and early-stage technology development in advanced nuclear and renewable energy. Eligible applicants typically include universities, national laboratories, private companies, and nonprofits with R&D capacity and expertise in nuclear technology or advanced reactor design. Projects must demonstrate significant technology risk, aggressive development timelines, and clear commercial disruption potential. Work must be applied research or experimental development—not basic science.
Geographic scope is national; any U.S.-based organization can apply. The project must have potential to create new cost/performance learning curves that outperform incumbent nuclear or energy technologies. Applicants must be able to manage technical risk and show clear pathway to market deployment and scale.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
Not the right fit? Find grants for your organization in 5 questions →
Program description
NOFO Number: DE-FOA-0003623 – High-performance Optimized Recycled Nuclear Isotopes for Gen IV reactors (HORNIG)
Agency Overview:
The Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy (ARPA-E), an organization within the Department of Energy (DOE), is chartered by Congress in the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–69), as amended by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010
(Public Law 111–358), as further amended by the Energy Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–260).
ARPA-E issues this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) under its authorizing statute codified at 42 U.S.C. § 16538. The NOFO and any cooperative agreements or grants made under this NOFO are subject to 2 C.F.R. Part 200 as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 910.
ARPA-E funds research on, and the development of, transformative science and technology solutions to address the energy and environmental missions of the Department. The agency focuses on technologies that can be meaningfully advanced with a modest investment over a defined period of time in order to catalyze the translation from scientific discovery into early-stage technology. For the latest news and information about ARPA-E, its programs and the research projects currently supported, see: http://arpa-e.energy.gov/.
ARPA-E funds transformational research. Existing energy technologies generally progress on established “learning curves” where refinements to a technology and the economies of scale that accrue as manufacturing and distribution develop drive improvements to the cost/performance metric in a gradual fashion. This continual improvement of a technology is important to its increased commercial deployment and is appropriately the focus of the private sector or the applied technology offices within DOE. In contrast, ARPA-E supports transformative research that has the potential to create fundamentally new learning curves. ARPA-E technology projects typically start with cost/performance estimates well above the level of an incumbent technology. Given the high risk inherent in these projects, many will fail to progress, but some may succeed in generating a new learning curve with a projected cost/performance metric that is significantly better than that of the incumbent technology. ARPA-E will provide support at the highest funding level only for submissions with significant technology risk, aggressive timetables, and careful management of associated risk.
ARPA-E funds technology with the potential to be disruptive in the marketplace. The mere creation of a new learning curve does not ensure market penetration. Rather, the ultimate value of a technology is determined by the marketplace, and impactful technologies ultimately become disruptive—that is, they are widely adopted and displace existing technologies from the marketplace or create entirely new markets. ARPA-E understands that definitive proof of market disruption takes time, particularly for energy technologies. Therefore, ARPA-E funds the development of technologies that, if technically successful, have clear disruptive potential, e.g., by demonstrating capability for manufacturing at competitive cost and deployment at scale.
ARPA-E funds applied research and development (R&D). The Office of Management and Budget defines “applied research” as an “original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge…directed primarily toward a specific practical aim or objective” and defines “experimental development” as “creative and systematic work, drawing on knowledge gained from research and practical experience, which is directed at producing new products or processes or improving existing products or processes.” Applicants interested in receiving financial assistance for basic research (defined by the Office of Management and Budget as “experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts”) should contact the DOE’s Office of Science. Office of Science national scientific user facilities (http://science.energy.gov/user-facilities/) are open to all researchers, including ARPA-E applicants and awardees. These facilities provide advanced tools of modern science including accelerators, colliders, supercomputers, light sources and neutron sources, as well as facilities for studying the nanoworld, the environment, and the atmosphere. Projects focused on early-stage R&D for the improvement of technology along defined roadmaps may be more appropriate for support through the DOE applied energy offices including: the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI), the Office of Hydrocarbon and Geothermal Energy, the Office of Nuclear Energy, and the Office of Electricity.
ARPA-E encourages submissions stemming from ideas that still require proof-of-concept R&D efforts as well as those for which some proof-of-concept demonstration already exists. Submissions can propose a project with the end deliverable being an extremely creative, but partial solution.
Program Overview:
Transuranic (TRU) elements—such as plutonium (Pu), neptunium (Np), and americium (Am)—are a significant source of fissile materials that are available across existing nuclear inventories and strategic reserves and have the potential to drive advanced reactor deployment. , The technical feasibility of recycling TRU elements into new fuels has been proven at the experimental scale. Advances in fabrication, safeguards, equipment design, and modeling will create the opportunity to transition from experimental success to commercial-scale deployment, enabling higher-throughput and lower-cost fuel production with real-time materials accountancy. The High-performance Optimized Recycled Nuclear Isotopes for Gen IV reactors (HORNIG) program will support research and development projects that deliver commercially deployable TRU fuel technologies, thereby strengthening U.S. energy security, reducing nuclear waste, and enabling long-term energy deployment for public benefit.
The HORNIG program seeks to overcome key technical and economic barriers that have historically prevented using TRU fuels in commercial reactors and to create a clear path to domestic nuclear fuel security by supporting the design, fabrication, and qualification of TRU fuels. The program will fund coordinated, multidisciplinary efforts to deliver transformative advances in fuel performance, manufacturability, cost, and regulatory readiness. Technologies developed under this program must have the potential to enable the following program metrics:
• A domestic TRU fuel supply chain
• A levelized cost of fuel (LCOF) = 1¢/kWh
• TRU fuel qualification and regulatory acceptance within seven years
By enabling production of advanced reactor fuels from domestically sourced fissile materials, the program will reduce dependence on imported uranium and enrichment services, expand U.S. fuel supply options, and support establishment of a closed fuel cycle. These objectives support ARPA-E’s statutory goals of improving energy security and resilience, improving the management of radiological waste, and maintaining U.S. technological leadership in energy technologies. If successful, HORNIG will strengthen U.S. energy security and infrastructure resilience and deliver lasting public benefit through reliable nuclear power.
To view the NOFO in its entirety, please visit https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative/Technical Proposal
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Cost-Share Documentation
- Organizational Capability Statement
- Team Resumes/CVs
- Letters of Support (recommended)
Program contact
- 👤 Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy
- 📧 arpa-e-co@hq.doe.gov
- 📞 2022871878
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 81.135 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$30,867,734
-
$20,000,000
-
$20,000,000
-
$19,999,372
-
$19,883,951
-
$19,453,000
-
$15,221,496
-
$14,500,000
-
$14,300,000
-
$13,680,355
Top States by Funding
- CA 16 awards $139.0M
- MA 11 awards $77.8M
- MD 8 awards $71.4M
- TX 7 awards $64.5M
- NY 9 awards $61.9M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 81.135). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2022 | $320,480,581 | |
| 2023 | $361,997,887 | |
| 2024 est. | $393,273,752 | |
| 2025 est. | $420,000,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for HORNIG funding?
Universities, national laboratories, private companies, nonprofit organizations, and consortia with R&D capacity in nuclear technology can apply. Applicants must be U.S.-based entities with expertise relevant to Gen IV reactor design and recycled nuclear isotope applications.
What is the deadline and how often does this program open?
The fixed deadline is May 28, 2026. ARPA-E periodically opens funding opportunities; check arpa-e.energy.gov for future solicitation windows.
What types of projects does HORNIG fund?
HORNIG supports applied research and experimental development for high-performance nuclear isotope recycling technologies. Projects must have transformational potential and clear commercialization pathways for Gen IV reactor applications.
Is cost-sharing required?
Yes, cost-sharing is required. Applicants must provide matching funds or in-kind contributions. The specific cost-share percentage will be detailed in the full NOFO.
What is the typical award range?
Awards range from $500,000 to $7,000,000 depending on project scope, risk, and complexity. The total program funds $50,000,000 across multiple projects.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Read the full Section II.A. eligibility requirements early. ARPA-E has strict criteria on organizational type, R&D capacity, and institutional experience.
- Emphasize transformational impact, not incremental improvement. Show how your approach creates a new technology learning curve, not just refinement of existing methods.
- Be explicit about technical risk and risk mitigation. ARPA-E wants ambitious projects; explain what can go wrong and how you'll manage it.
- Demonstrate clear commercialization potential and a path to market disruption. Include letters of support from potential industry partners or end-users.
- Budget for adequate project management and contingency. ARPA-E funds high-risk work; show careful oversight and realistic timelines.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when they propose incremental improvements to existing technology rather than transformational breakthroughs. Applications lack clear evidence of team expertise, institutional R&D capacity, or prior relevant experience. Projects miss the disruption threshold—they solve a problem but lack credible pathway to commercial scale and market adoption.
Similar grants
- OPEN SEEDING CRITICAL ADVANCES FOR LEADING ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES WITH UNTAPPED POTENTIAL (SCALEUP) READY — Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy
- OPEN Advanced Nuclear Energy Licensing Cost-Share Grant Program — Idaho Field Office
- ROLLING RFI – DOE R — Idaho Field Office
- CLOSING SOON Critical Minerals and Materials Accelerator Notice of Funding Opportunity — Golden Field Office
- OPEN The Genesis Mission: Transforming Science and Energy with AI — Office of Science