Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003423
Notice of Intent DE-FOA-0003423 signals that the U.S. Department of Energy, through its Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), is preparing to release a full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled "Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas FY24" (referenced as DE-FOA-0003428). This is an early heads-up rather than the final application package, meaning details may still change as the NOFO is finalized. The core focus is straightforward: support practical, replicable clean energy projects in rural or remote communities that produce real, lasting improvements in affordability, reliability, resilience, and local economic conditions.
The intent of this funding is to deliver measurable and sustained benefits for people living in rural or remote areas. OCED is targeting projects that can lower energy costs, improve energy access, strengthen resilience against outages and extreme weather, increase economic opportunity, and reduce environmental harms tied to existing energy systems. A strong emphasis is placed on demonstrating approaches that are built to handle climate stresses, such as storms, heat, wildfire risk, or supply disruptions. Beyond the technology itself, DOE is looking for models that can be repeated elsewhere, so proposals that clearly document how and why the approach can be scaled or copied by other communities are aligned with the purpose of the program.
Another major theme is the idea that technology alone is not enough. The NOI highlights rural and remote energy system approaches that pair climate-resilient technologies with business structures that promote economic resilience and financing mechanisms that are accessible and appropriate for the communities involved. In practice, this points toward projects designed around local realities: smaller customer bases, higher per-mile infrastructure costs, limited access to capital, and the need for solutions that can be operated and maintained locally over time. The notice also calls out best practices in community leadership, engagement, and workforce development, suggesting DOE wants projects that are community-informed, inclusive, and capable of building local skills rather than relying indefinitely on outside expertise.
The funding is expected to cover the kinds of direct project costs that typically make these efforts possible in high-cost, hard-to-serve areas. That includes materials, equipment, labor, and time needed to build clean energy projects in rural or remote communities. It can also support other allowable activities that strengthen the project and its impact, such as collaboration, outreach, and engagement with Tribes and other stakeholders, as well as workforce development programs. This broader allowance matters because rural and remote projects often succeed or fail based on planning, trust-building, local coordination, training, and long-term operational readiness, not just construction.
From the source data, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and will be issued as cooperative agreements. Cooperative agreements generally involve more substantial federal involvement than a standard grant, often including ongoing collaboration, reporting, and coordination with DOE during the project. The activity category is energy, and the listing is associated with CFDA number 81.255. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, which typically means a wide range of applicants may apply, though the eventual NOFO may still define specific eligibility requirements, partnerships, or geographic qualifications tied to "rural or remote" definitions.
In terms of scale, the opportunity indicates an award ceiling of $50,000,000 and an expectation of about 69 awards. Those numbers suggest DOE anticipates funding a sizable portfolio of projects that may vary widely in scope, from smaller community-scale builds to larger multi-component demonstrations, depending on the eventual structure of funding tiers or topic areas in the final NOFO. The closing date shown is 2024-09-30, but since this is a notice of intent and the plan may evolve, applicants should treat that as provisional until the actual NOFO is released with official deadlines and submission instructions.
Overall, the NOI communicates a program designed to move beyond one-off pilot projects and instead build durable clean energy capacity in rural and remote America. The ideal projects are those that combine tangible infrastructure improvements with community engagement, workable financing and ownership models, and local workforce development, all while producing outcomes that can be measured and replicated in other rural or remote settings.Apply for DE FOA 0003423
- The Headquarters in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent DE-FOA-0003423: Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas FY24 Funding Opportunity Announcement DE-FOA-0003428" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.255.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-08-29.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-09-30. (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 $50,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 69 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): DOE OCED "Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas FY24"
1) What is DE-FOA-0003423?
DE-FOA-0003423 is a Notice of Intent (NOI) from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED). It is an early announcement that DOE is preparing to release a full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a program titled "Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas FY24."
2) Is this Notice of Intent the actual application?
No. The NOI is a heads-up and not the final application package. The full application requirements, instructions, and final details are expected in the NOFO, referenced as DE-FOA-0003428. Details may change between the NOI and the final NOFO.
3) What is the title and reference number of the expected full funding opportunity?
The anticipated full NOFO is titled "Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas FY24" and is referenced as DE-FOA-0003428.
4) What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The main purpose is to support practical and replicable clean energy projects in rural or remote communities that lead to lasting improvements in affordability, reliability, resilience, and local economic conditions.
5) What outcomes is DOE aiming to achieve for rural or remote communities?
DOE is targeting projects that deliver measurable and sustained benefits, such as lowering energy costs, improving energy access, strengthening resilience against outages and extreme weather, increasing economic opportunity, and reducing environmental harms tied to existing energy systems.
6) How important is climate resilience in this program?
Climate resilience is a major emphasis. DOE is looking for approaches designed to handle climate stresses such as storms, heat, wildfire risk, and supply disruptions, with the goal of improving reliability and resilience over time.
7) What does DOE mean by "replicable" projects?
The NOI signals that DOE wants projects that can serve as models for other communities. Proposals that clearly document how and why an approach can be scaled or copied elsewhere align with the stated purpose of building repeatable solutions, not one-off pilots.
8) Does DOE want only technology-focused projects?
No. The NOI highlights that technology alone is not enough. DOE is interested in projects that pair climate-resilient technologies with business structures that promote economic resilience and financing mechanisms that are accessible and appropriate for the communities involved.
9) What kinds of community and local capacity elements does DOE emphasize?
The NOI calls out best practices in community leadership, engagement, and workforce development. This points toward projects that are community-informed, inclusive, and designed to build local skills so the solution can be operated and maintained locally over time.
10) What types of costs or activities are expected to be supported?
The funding is expected to cover direct project costs often needed in high-cost, hard-to-serve areas, including materials, equipment, labor, and time needed to build clean energy projects. It can also support other allowable activities that strengthen the project and its impact, such as collaboration, outreach, and engagement with Tribes and other stakeholders, as well as workforce development programs.
11) Can outreach and stakeholder engagement be part of the funded work?
Yes. The NOI explicitly mentions support for collaboration, outreach, and engagement with Tribes and other stakeholders as allowable activities that can help strengthen the project and its outcomes.
12) Is workforce development an expected component?
The notice highlights workforce development as an important theme and indicates it can be supported. This suggests DOE values projects that build local workforce capacity, not just installation of equipment.
13) What type of federal funding is this classified as?
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding.
14) What award instrument is expected?
The opportunity will be issued as cooperative agreements. Cooperative agreements generally involve more substantial federal involvement than a standard grant, often including ongoing collaboration, reporting, and coordination with DOE during the project.
15) What is the activity category for this program?
The activity category is energy.
16) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The listing is associated with CFDA number 81.255.
17) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, which typically suggests a wide range of applicants may apply. However, the final NOFO may still define specific eligibility requirements, partnerships, or geographic qualifications tied to how "rural or remote" areas are defined.
18) How much funding could a single award receive?
The opportunity indicates an award ceiling of $50,000,000.
19) How many awards are expected?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of about 69 awards.
20) What is the closing date for this opportunity?
The closing date shown is 2024-09-30, but because this is a Notice of Intent and details may change, applicants should treat the date as provisional until the full NOFO is released with official deadlines and submission instructions.
21) Why does the NOI stress rural and remote "local realities"?
The NOI notes that rural and remote communities often face smaller customer bases, higher per-mile infrastructure costs, limited access to capital, and the need for solutions that can be operated and maintained locally. The program is oriented toward projects designed around these constraints.
22) What is DOE trying to avoid funding (based on the stated goals)?
While the NOI does not list exclusions, it clearly frames the program as aiming to move beyond one-off pilots. The focus is on durable clean energy capacity with measurable outcomes and approaches that can be replicated in other rural or remote settings.
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| Energy Storage Pilot Demonstrations Apply for DE FOA 0003399 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003399 Agency: Headquarters Category: Energy Funding Amount: $20,000,000 |
| Notice of Intent to Issue Fiscal Year 2025 Solar Module and Solar Hardware (SMASH) Incubator Notice of Funding Opportunity Apply for DE FOA 0003459 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003459 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Notice of Intent (NOI) to Issue Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Advanced Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies to Drive National Decarbonization DE-FOA-0003439 Apply for DE FOA 0003438 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003438 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Distributed Energy Resource Interconnection Roadmap Draft Apply for DE FOA 0003463 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003463 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DE-FOA-0003371 FY24 Scale-Up of Integrated Biorefineries Apply for DE FOA 0003371 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003371 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| Undocumented Orphaned Well Characterization and Remediation Apply for DE FOA 0003343 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003343 Agency: National Energy Technology Laboratory Category: Energy Funding Amount: $3,400,000 |
| Notice of Intent (NOI) related to "HARMONY: Human-Centric Analytics for Resilient & Modernized Power sYstems” Apply for DE FOA 0003445 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003445 Agency: National Energy Technology Laboratory Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Request for Information (RFI) Technology and Market Potential of Photovoltaic-Thermal (PVT) Systems in the United States Apply for DE FOA 0003465 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003465 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| SuperTruck Charge Apply for DE FOA 0003344 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003344 Agency: National Energy Technology Laboratory Category: Energy Funding Amount: $36,000,000 |
| Request for Information on Request for Information on Carbon Transport Research, Development and Demonstration Consortium Apply for DE FOA 0003330 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003330 Agency: National Energy Technology Laboratory Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Advancing Technology Development for Securing a Domestic Supply of Critical Minerals and Materials (CMM) Apply for DE FOA 0002956 Funding Number: DE FOA 0002956 Agency: National Energy Technology Laboratory Category: Energy Funding Amount: $3,750,000 |
| Oxygen-conducting SOFC and SOEC Research and Development for Hydrogen Production Apply for DE FOA 0003366 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003366 Agency: National Energy Technology Laboratory Category: Energy Funding Amount: $4,000,000 |
| TRIBAL CLEAN ENERGY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - 2025 Apply for DE FOA 0003401 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003401 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
| U.S.-Danish Floating Offshore Wind Energy Mooring and Anchoring Research and Development Apply for DE FOA 0003362 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003362 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Nuclear Reactor Safety Training and Workforce Development Program Apply for DE FOA 0003410 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003410 Agency: Idaho Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $40,000,000 |
| Notice of Intent to Issue Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) No. DE-FOA-0003373: "Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Provision 41007(b)(2), Wind Turbine Technology Recycling” Apply for DE FOA 0003443 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003443 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas – Fiscal Year 2025 Release Apply for DE FOA 0003428 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003428 Agency: Headquarters Category: Energy Funding Amount: $50,000,000 |
| Circularity for Secure and Sustainable Products and Materials: A Draft Strategic Framework RFI Apply for DE FOA 0003455 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003455 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Generation III+ Small Modular Reactor Pathway to Deployment Apply for DE FOA 0003485 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003485 Agency: Headquarters Category: Energy Funding Amount: $800,000,000 |
| REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) - Egypt Energy Sector Activity Apply for 72026325RFI00003 Funding Number: 72026325RFI00003 Agency: Egypt USAID-Cairo Category: Energy Funding Amount: $25,000,000 |
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