Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001632
The Buildings Energy Efficiency Frontiers and Innovation Technologies (BENEFIT) 2017 funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0001632) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Building Technologies Office (BTO) solicitation run through the Emerging Technologies (ET) Program. Its core purpose is to fund applied research and development that can measurably reduce energy use in U.S. buildings by moving promising technologies and systems toward real-world adoption. The ET Program frames its long-term mission around major, economy-wide efficiency gains: supporting cost-effective technologies capable of reducing aggregate building energy use intensity by 30 percent by 2020 and 45 percent by 2030, using 2010 energy-efficient technologies as the baseline. In practical terms, DOE is looking for innovations that can cut primary energy consumption in buildings and still make sense on cost, performance, and market readiness.
BENEFIT 2017 sits within a larger ET portfolio that includes both in-house work at DOE national laboratories and competed awards open to outside innovators. National labs receive dedicated ET support across five technical areas: solid-state lighting; heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR), including water heating and appliances; sensors and controls; windows and building envelope; and modeling and tools. The remaining funds are competed through Funding Opportunity Announcements like BENEFIT, which are meant to bring in companies, universities, nonprofits, and also national labs acting as applicants, so that a broad range of organizations can propose and develop advanced building energy technologies.
Compared with earlier BENEFIT rounds (2014 through 2016), the 2017 FOA keeps the familiar structure of balancing early-stage and later-stage work but adds a clear new pathway aimed at commercialization. Historically, BENEFIT was organized around two sections: “Innovations” for earlier-stage ideas and “Frontiers” for later-stage, roadmap-driven development. In 2017, DOE expands this framework to include a third section called “Scale-up,” intended specifically for pre-commercial prototype development and scale-up activities. The FOA is organized into four topic areas spread across these sections: two targeted “Frontiers” topics focused on Advanced HVACR and Miscellaneous Electric Loads (MELs), plus two “open” topics that invite a wider range of building energy RD proposals, one aligned with early-stage Innovations work and the other aligned with Scale-up and pre-commercial prototype maturation. DOE’s stated intent is to keep the overall BTO research portfolio balanced by investing in both earlier-stage concepts (to seed future breakthroughs) and later-stage/prototype efforts (to speed the transition into the marketplace), while also directing some funds to specific high-impact building end uses like HVACR and MELs.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using cooperative agreements, meaning DOE expects a more hands-on partnership style of project management than a typical grant. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 81.086 (Energy) and is administered by the DOE Golden Field Office. Eligibility is described as “unrestricted,” broadly open to any type of entity (subject to any additional clarifications in the full FOA). DOE anticipated making about 25 awards, with an award ceiling of $3,000,000 per project.
The solicitation timeline and submission process are tightly tied to DOE’s EERE eXCHANGE system. The FOA was posted November 30, 2016, and the full application deadline was March 8, 2017 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time. Applications had to be submitted through EERE eXCHANGE (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov), which requires applicants to register and create an account. The system enforces “hard deadlines,” meaning the submission buttons disable automatically at the cutoff time, so late submissions are not normally possible through the interface. DOE provides a narrow exception process only for applicants who experience technical problems beyond their control, contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk, and complete submission within 24 hours of the posted deadline. Support channels are spelled out in the FOA: exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov for helpdesk assistance, and eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov for system administrators. DOE also scheduled an informational webinar for December 6, 2016 at 3:00 pm Eastern to walk prospective applicants through the opportunity and expectations.
Finally, the FOA emphasizes that official details, including topic specifics, required concept paper/full application components, submission rules, and DOE’s responses to applicant questions, are housed in the full announcement and its associated FAQ log (the “DE-FOA-0001632 BENEFIT 2017 FAQ Log”) available in the FOA documents on EERE eXCHANGE.Apply for DE FOA 0001632
- The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Buildings Energy Efficiency Frontiers & Innovation Technologies (BENEFIT) – 2017" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.086.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 30, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 08, 2017 Submission Deadline for Full Application 03/08/2017 at 500pm ET. (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 $3,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
BENEFIT 2017 (DE-FOA-0001632) FAQs
1) What is the BENEFIT 2017 funding opportunity?
BENEFIT 2017 is the Buildings Energy Efficiency Frontiers and Innovation Technologies (BENEFIT) 2017 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Building Technologies Office (BTO), run through the Emerging Technologies (ET) Program. It supports applied research and development (R&D) to reduce energy use in U.S. buildings by advancing promising technologies and systems toward real-world adoption.
2) What is the main goal of the DOE Emerging Technologies (ET) Program behind this FOA?
The ET Program is focused on major energy-efficiency gains across the economy by supporting cost-effective technologies capable of reducing aggregate building energy use intensity by 30% by 2020 and 45% by 2030, using 2010 energy-efficient technologies as the baseline.
3) What types of projects is DOE looking to fund through BENEFIT 2017?
DOE is seeking innovations that measurably reduce primary energy consumption in buildings and that are credible in terms of cost, performance, and readiness for the market. The FOA is intended to move technologies and systems toward adoption, not just theory or basic research.
4) How does BENEFIT 2017 fit within DOE BTO's broader Emerging Technologies portfolio?
The ET portfolio includes both (a) in-house work at DOE national laboratories and (b) competed awards open to outside innovators. National labs receive dedicated ET support across five technical areas (solid-state lighting; HVACR including water heating and appliances; sensors and controls; windows and building envelope; and modeling and tools). Other funds are competed through FOAs like BENEFIT to bring in companies, universities, nonprofits, and national labs as applicants.
5) What are the major technical areas DOE national laboratories are supported on under ET?
ET national-lab support is described across five technical areas: solid-state lighting; heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR), including water heating and appliances; sensors and controls; windows and building envelope; and modeling and tools.
6) Who can apply for BENEFIT 2017?
Eligibility is described as "unrestricted," and the competed FOA is meant to bring in a broad range of organizations, including companies, universities, nonprofits, and national laboratories acting as applicants (subject to any additional clarifications in the full FOA).
7) What funding instrument does DOE use for this opportunity?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity using cooperative agreements. That means DOE expects a more hands-on, partnership-style approach to managing projects than what many people think of as a typical grant.
8) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 81.086 (Energy).
9) Which DOE office administers this FOA?
BENEFIT 2017 is administered by the DOE Golden Field Office.
10) How many awards did DOE expect to make, and what was the maximum award size?
DOE anticipated making about 25 awards. The award ceiling was $3,000,000 per project.
11) How is the BENEFIT 2017 FOA organized?
The FOA is organized into sections that balance earlier-stage and later-stage work, and in 2017 it adds a commercialization-oriented pathway. Specifically, it includes Innovations (earlier-stage), Frontiers (later-stage, roadmap-driven development), and a new Scale-up section focused on pre-commercial prototype development and scale-up activities.
12) What is new in the 2017 round compared with prior BENEFIT rounds (2014-2016)?
The 2017 FOA keeps the familiar Innovations and Frontiers structure but adds a third section, "Scale-up," intended specifically for pre-commercial prototype development and scale-up activities, providing a clearer pathway toward commercialization.
13) What topic areas are included in BENEFIT 2017?
The FOA is described as having four topic areas spread across the sections: two targeted Frontiers topics (Advanced HVACR and Miscellaneous Electric Loads, or MELs) and two open topics that invite a wider range of building energy R&D proposals (one aligned with Innovations and one aligned with Scale-up).
14) What does DOE mean by "Frontiers" topics in this FOA?
"Frontiers" refers to later-stage, roadmap-driven development. In BENEFIT 2017, the targeted Frontiers topics are Advanced HVACR and Miscellaneous Electric Loads (MELs).
15) What does DOE mean by "Innovations" in this FOA?
"Innovations" refers to earlier-stage ideas and concepts intended to seed future breakthroughs in building energy efficiency.
16) What does DOE mean by "Scale-up" in this FOA?
"Scale-up" is the added 2017 pathway intended for pre-commercial prototype development and scale-up activities, supporting later steps that can help move technologies toward market adoption.
17) Why does the FOA include both early-stage and later-stage work?
DOE states that it intends to keep the overall BTO research portfolio balanced by investing in earlier-stage concepts (to seed future breakthroughs) and later-stage/prototype efforts (to accelerate transition into the marketplace), while also directing funds to specific high-impact end uses like HVACR and MELs.
18) What are Miscellaneous Electric Loads (MELs) in the context of this FOA?
The FOA identifies MELs as a targeted Frontiers topic area. Beyond that, the provided information does not define MELs further, but it is presented as a high-impact building end use category DOE wants to address.
19) When was the FOA posted, and what was the application deadline?
The FOA was posted on November 30, 2016. The full application deadline was March 8, 2017 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time.
20) Where were applications required to be submitted?
Applications had to be submitted through DOE's EERE eXCHANGE system at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov. Applicants needed to register and create an account to submit.
21) What does DOE mean by "hard deadlines" in EERE eXCHANGE?
EERE eXCHANGE enforces hard deadlines by disabling the submission buttons automatically at the cutoff time. As described, late submissions are not normally possible through the interface once the deadline passes.
22) Is there any exception process for late submissions?
A narrow exception process is described for applicants who experience technical problems beyond their control, contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk, and complete submission within 24 hours of the posted deadline.
23) What email addresses are provided for eXCHANGE support?
The FOA lists exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov for helpdesk assistance and eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov for system administrators.
24) Was there an informational webinar for prospective applicants?
Yes. DOE scheduled an informational webinar on December 6, 2016 at 3:00 pm Eastern Time to walk prospective applicants through the opportunity and expectations.
25) Where are the official details and requirements for BENEFIT 2017 maintained?
Official details (including topic specifics, required concept paper/full application components, submission rules, and DOE responses to questions) are housed in the full announcement and its associated FAQ log, titled the "DE-FOA-0001632 BENEFIT 2017 FAQ Log," available in the FOA documents on EERE eXCHANGE.
26) Does this summary include the full list of required application components?
No. The provided information notes that required concept paper and full application components are contained in the full FOA and the associated FAQ log on EERE eXCHANGE.
27) Can national laboratories apply through the competed portion of BENEFIT 2017?
Yes. In addition to receiving dedicated ET support for in-house work, national laboratories are also mentioned as potential applicants under the competed FOA, alongside companies, universities, and nonprofits.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Energy
Next opportunity: OVW FY 2017 Grants to Tribal Governments to Exercise Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction
Previous opportunity: National Quality Improvement Center for Preventive Services and Interventions in Indian Country
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for DE FOA 0001632
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (DE FOA 0001632) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Notice of Intent (NOI) DE-FOA-0001708 for Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0001628 “Productivity Enhanced Algae and Tool-Kits (PEAK)” Apply for DE FOA 0001708 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001708 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Notice of Intent (NOI) DE-FOA-0001707 to Issue Funding Opportunity Announcement No. DE-FOA-0001689 Apply for DE FOA 0001707 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001707 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Development of Nuclear Expertise Across National Nuclear Security Administration Apply for DE FOA 0001720 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001720 Agency: Department of Energy, NNSA Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Notice of Intent to Issue Funding Opportunity Announcement: Extending Industrial Assessment Centers to Underserved Areas Apply for DE FOA 0001709 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001709 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $680,000 |
| Industrial Assessment Centers Technical Field Manager Apply for DE FOA 0001679 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001679 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| Marine and Hydrokinetic Technology Development and Advancement Apply for DE FOA 0001663 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001663 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0001628, “Productivity Enhanced Algae and Tool-Kits (PEAK)” Apply for DE FOA 0001628 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001628 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| Innovative Pathways Apply for DE FOA 0001703 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001703 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| RFI: Draft Marine and Hydrokinetic Program Strategy Apply for DE FOA 0001721 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001721 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Advanced Manufacturing Projects for Emerging Research Exploration Apply for DE FOA 0001465 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001465 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
| Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0001689, Integrated Biorefinery Optimization Apply for DE FOA 0001689 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001689 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $3,500,000 |
| Extending Industrial Assessment Centers to Underserved Areas Apply for DE FOA 0001704 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001704 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $680,000 |
| Notice of Intent (NOI) to Issue a Request for Applications (RFA) entitled “Fiscal Year 17 Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI) Apply for DE FOA 0001711 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001711 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnerships Apply for DE FOA 0001678 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001678 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $6,000,000 |
| Stewardship Science Academic Alliances (SSAA) Program Apply for DE FOA 0001634 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001634 Agency: Department of Energy, NNSA Category: Energy Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| RFI: Grid Engineering for Accelerated Renewable Energy Deployment 2 (GEARED2) Apply for DE FOA 0001744 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001744 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Comunidades y Energias Renovables (CER) Apply for RFA 523 17 000001 Funding Number: RFA 523 17 000001 Agency: Agency for International Development, Mexico USAID-Mexico City Category: Energy Funding Amount: $1,825,000 |
| Solar Decathlon 2019 Future Planning - Request for Information Apply for DE FOA 0001753 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001753 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| FY 2017 Sustainable Materials Management Grant Apply for EPA R5 LCD 2017 Funding Number: EPA R5 LCD 2017 Agency: Environmental Protection Agency Category: Energy Funding Amount: $60,000 |
| University, National Laboratory, Industry and International Input on Potential Additions to the Nuclear Science User Facilities Nuclear Fuels and Materials Library Apply for DE SOL 0010995 Funding Number: DE SOL 0010995 Agency: Department of Energy, Idaho Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "DE FOA 0001632", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.