Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003041
The Fiscal Year 2024 University Reactor Sharing and Outreach (RSO) funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0003041) is a U.S. Department of Energy grant program designed to help universities and colleges that operate nuclear research reactors make those facilities more accessible to outside learners and partners. The basic idea is to use existing campus reactor infrastructure as a shared educational and outreach resource so more students, educators, and community members can gain hands-on exposure to nuclear science, engineering, and technology. In this program, schools that own and operate research reactors are treated as "Host Institutions," and the groups that benefit from access, particularly schools without reactors, are treated as "User Institutions."
The program is focused on four main outcomes. First, it aims to strengthen nuclear science and engineering instruction at colleges and universities that do not have their own research reactors by giving them practical laboratory and experiential learning options they otherwise could not offer. Second, it seeks to increase collaboration opportunities among faculty and students by encouraging shared projects, joint learning activities, and broader academic engagement that connects reactor-owning institutions with other campuses and programs. Third, it places a strong emphasis on improving public awareness and understanding of nuclear science, engineering, and technology through activities such as reactor tours, demonstrations, and other structured outreach. Fourth, it explicitly prioritizes engagement with underrepresented communities, with the goal of expanding awareness of nuclear fields, supporting education and recruitment, and helping build the next generation nuclear energy workforce.
Activities supported under the announcement generally revolve around sharing reactor-based capabilities for education, training, outreach, and in some cases specialized research use. Examples mentioned include running nuclear science laboratory experiences that supplement courses in nuclear engineering, physics, or chemistry; organizing tours for classes and student groups; providing workshops for science teachers that help them bring nuclear science concepts back into their own classrooms; and other outreach or educational efforts that leverage one institution's reactor infrastructure for the benefit of other educational institutions or community audiences. The announcement also notes that university research reactors can function as versatile neutron sources, meaning they may be used in specialized research projects, which can broaden research participation and create additional pathways for collaboration across institutions.
From a funding standpoint, DOE anticipated approximately $1,000,000 total available for awards under this FY 2024 opportunity, with an expected five awards. The maximum award amount listed is $200,000 (award ceiling). The funding instrument is a grant, and the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding in the energy area (CFDA/Assistance Listing number 81.121). Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education as well as private institutions of higher education, with the key practical requirement being that applicants are institutions that have nuclear research reactor capability to act as Hosts and provide access to others.
Administratively, the opportunity was issued by the Department of Energy's Idaho Field Office. The posting indicates a creation date of December 6, 2023, and an original application closing date of February 14, 2024. Overall, the program is best understood as a capacity-sharing and outreach effort: it uses comparatively modest grants to help reactor-owning universities open their facilities to a wider educational ecosystem, expand collaboration, and increase public and workforce engagement in nuclear science and technology.Apply for DE FOA 0003041
- The Idaho Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FiscalYear 2024 University Reactor Sharing" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.121.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-12-06.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-02-14. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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University Reactor Sharing and Outreach (RSO) (DE-FOA-0003041) - FAQs
1) What is the Fiscal Year 2024 University Reactor Sharing and Outreach (RSO) funding opportunity?
It is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant opportunity (DE-FOA-0003041) intended to help colleges and universities that operate nuclear research reactors share those facilities more broadly for education, training, collaboration, and outreach.
2) What problem is this program trying to address?
The program is designed to make existing university reactor infrastructure more accessible to people and institutions that do not have their own reactors, expanding hands-on learning and engagement in nuclear science, engineering, and technology.
3) Who is the program meant to benefit?
It benefits both (a) universities and colleges that operate research reactors (as Hosts) by supporting sharing and outreach activities, and (b) outside learners and partners (as Users), especially schools without reactors, who gain access to reactor-based educational experiences and outreach activities.
4) What do "Host Institutions" and "User Institutions" mean in this program?
"Host Institutions" are schools that own and operate nuclear research reactors and provide access to their facilities. "User Institutions" are the groups that benefit from that access, particularly colleges and universities that do not have their own research reactors.
5) What are the main goals or outcomes of the RSO program?
The opportunity highlights four primary outcomes: (1) strengthening nuclear science and engineering instruction at institutions without reactors through practical laboratory and experiential learning; (2) increasing collaboration among faculty and students across institutions; (3) improving public awareness and understanding of nuclear science, engineering, and technology through structured outreach; and (4) prioritizing engagement with underrepresented communities to broaden participation and support the future nuclear workforce.
6) What types of activities can this funding support?
Supported activities generally revolve around sharing reactor-based capabilities for education, training, and outreach, and in some cases specialized research use. Examples mentioned include reactor-based laboratory experiences, tours for classes and student groups, workshops for science teachers, demonstrations, and other structured educational or outreach efforts that leverage a host reactor facility.
7) Can the funds be used for academic courses and laboratory experiences?
Yes. The announcement specifically mentions nuclear science laboratory experiences that can supplement courses in areas such as nuclear engineering, physics, or chemistry, especially for institutions that cannot offer reactor-based labs on their own campuses.
8) Are reactor tours and demonstrations supported under this program?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes improving public awareness and understanding through activities such as reactor tours, demonstrations, and other structured outreach events.
9) Does the opportunity support teacher-focused programming?
Yes. One example included is workshops for science teachers aimed at helping them bring nuclear science concepts back into their classrooms.
10) Is research included, or is this strictly education and outreach?
The opportunity is primarily framed around education, training, and outreach, but it also notes that university research reactors can function as versatile neutron sources and may be used in specialized research projects, which can broaden research participation and collaboration.
11) How does this program encourage collaboration between institutions?
It encourages shared projects, joint learning activities, and broader engagement that connects reactor-owning institutions with other campuses and programs, including those without reactor facilities.
12) What is the emphasis on underrepresented communities?
The program explicitly prioritizes engagement with underrepresented communities to expand awareness of nuclear fields, support education and recruitment, and help build the next-generation nuclear energy workforce.
13) Which organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education as well as private institutions of higher education, with the key practical requirement that the applicant has nuclear research reactor capability and can serve as a Host Institution providing access to others.
14) Do institutions without reactors apply as "User Institutions"?
The opportunity describes non-reactor institutions primarily as "User Institutions" that benefit from access. The listed eligible applicants are institutions with nuclear research reactor capability, indicating that the applicant is expected to be a Host Institution.
15) What is the total funding DOE anticipated for this opportunity?
DOE anticipated approximately $1,000,000 in total funding available for awards under the FY 2024 opportunity.
16) How many awards were expected?
The posting indicates an expectation of five awards.
17) What is the maximum award size?
The maximum award amount (award ceiling) listed is $200,000.
18) What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument is a grant.
19) How is this opportunity categorized?
It is categorized as discretionary funding in the energy area, with CFDA/Assistance Listing number 81.121.
20) Which DOE office issued this opportunity?
The opportunity was issued by the U.S. Department of Energy Idaho Field Office.
21) When was this opportunity posted?
The posting indicates a creation date of December 6, 2023.
22) What was the original application closing date?
The original application closing date listed is February 14, 2024.
23) What is the overall purpose of the RSO program in plain terms?
It is a capacity-sharing and outreach effort that uses relatively modest grants to help reactor-owning universities open their facilities to more students, educators, partner institutions, and community audiences, expanding education, collaboration, public understanding, and workforce engagement in nuclear science and technology.
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