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Find similar grantsTarget Sector Trade Show Grant is sponsored by Enterprise Florida. Reimbursable grants assist Florida-based small- and medium-sized manufacturers, including those in apparel and clothing sectors, to expand overseas export sales through trade shows.
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Home / Export From Florida / Trade Grants / Target Sector Trade Show Florida Target Sector Trade Show Grants Florida offers grants to help companies grow their export sales through overseas international trade shows. SelectFlorida offers reimbursable Target Sector Trade Show Grants to help Florida small to medium-sized companies generate or increase their export sales overseas.
Expanding into international markets can be vital to the success of a company’s growth strategy and studies demonstrate that companies with a significant international portfolio grow faster, are more profitable, and less susceptible to domestic downturns.
To help your company increase export sales and enter new global markets, SelectFlorida provides event-specific grants on a reimbursable basis to eligible manufacturers and select professional services providers in target sectors.
The grants can be used for trade shows on the SelectFlorida calendar of events , where SelectFlorida is organizing a Florida Pavilion, Florida Section, or has staff actively recruiting for and attending the event. Find out where SelectFlorida is connecting exporters to some of the largest international trade shows in the world! Please contact your local trade representative for more information and to receive the grant application.
Reimbursement / Cost-Share Amount(s) Submission and Evaluation Process All grant applicants must meet the minimum grant qualifications found here . 1. Applicant MUST be one of the following:* b.
Second year participant (a company that was “new to show” the previous year of show). c. Company has not participated in the previous three (3) years of the show or previous three bi-annual shows, as applicable.
*For events that rotate to different markets, please contact your regional trade manager. 2. Grants can only be used for trade shows that are currently on the SelectFlorida calendar of events , where SelectFlorida is organizing a Florida Pavilion, Florida Section, or has staff actively recruiting for and attending the event.
3. International trade exhibitions must be held outside the United States, including commonwealths and territories, and will be approved by SelectFlorida. ONLY eligible trade show exhibition expenses will be covered, as determined by SelectFlorida.
Examples of eligible expenses include, but are not limited to: Trade show registration; raw booth space; rented furniture and accessories (chairs, tables, information counter, shelving, etc.); panel graphics; flooring; electric wiring; lighting; rented audio visual equipment, and Wi-Fi services.
Examples of ineligible expenses include, but are not limited to: Expenses related to travel; accommodations; shipping/freight; personnel; lead generation; direct mail campaigns, booth security, etc. Reimbursement / Cost-Share Amount(s) Reimbursement / Cost-Share Amount(s) The reimbursement amount will adjust to 75% of select trade show booth costs, up to $7,500.
Businesses operating in rural counties may be eligible to receive a supplemental refund, up to $1,500. 00. All awards are subject to the availability of grant funding.
The following documents will be required during the online application process: 1. Proof of company registration with Florida Division of Corporations from www. sunbiz.
org . 2. Proof of event registration that includes cost of basic turnkey booth package.
3. Proof of partial or full payment. 4.
Completed and signed IRS form W-9. W-9 must be dated within the last 24 months. Grantees will be required to submit the following in order to receive reimbursement: 1.
An invoice billing SelectFlorida for the grant award amount. Grant payments will only be issued via ACH. 2.
Completed Export Sales Report. All grant reimbursement documents must be received by no later than August 30 of each year.
A company may receive a maximum of three trade grants each year between July 1 to June 30 (SelectFlorida’s fiscal year), subject to the limitations below: Export Marketing Plan – One per lifetime Submission and Evaluation Process Submission and Evaluation Process Submission Process: Applicants must request from SelectFlorida an online Grant Application (“application”) and submit all required documentation at least 15-days prior to the start of the international trade event.
Grants must be approved prior to the first day of the trade show or they will not be considered. No exceptions. Evaluation Process : SelectFlorida staff will review all applications and make a determination regarding the applicant’s eligibility and grant award amounts within ten (10) days of receipt of application.
If the Grantee does not submit the invoice, receipts and Export Sales Report within thirty (30) calendar days after the end of the trade show, SelectFlorida reserves the right to cancel the grant award without reimbursement. If SelectFlorida learns that any of the information provided on the application is false, SelectFlorida has the right to cancel the reimbursement if not already paid, or require repayment of funds already disbursed.
201 Alhambra Circle, Suite 610 Coral Gables, Florida 33134 Grow Your Business in Florida For International Companies
Scoring criteria used to review proposals for this grant.
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Florida-based small to medium-sized companies expanding export sales through overseas international trade shows where SelectFlorida organizes a pavilion; participants must be new to the specific show, second-year participants, or have not participated in the prior three years. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows 75% of eligible booth costs, up to $7,500 (rural county supplement up to $1,500 additional). Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
This listing does not include a published deadline, but it is an annual program. Check the official notice for the current cycle's exact dates.
Target Sector Trade Show Grant is funded by SelectFlorida (formerly Enterprise Florida). Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
This opportunity targets applicants in Florida. If your organization operates elsewhere, check the official notice for location requirements.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
The solicitation lists 6 required documents: Florida Division of Corporations registration proof (sunbiz.org), Event registration proof with booth cost details, Proof of partial/full payment of booth costs, Completed IRS Form W-9 (dated within 24 months), Invoice to SelectFlorida for reimbursement (post-event, ACH payment only), and Completed Export Sales Report (post-event, within 30 days). Check the official notice for formatting and page-limit rules.
The Online Global Website Localization Grant is a program from Enterprise Florida, in partnership with IBT Online and SelectFlorida, that helps Florida exporters expand their overseas presence through website localization services. The grant covers partial costs of localization, with SelectFlorida funding up to $8,000 and the grantee responsible for $4,000 or the balance for customized services. Available options include predefined and customized websites, website redesign, and e-commerce development, all optimized for target international markets. Eligible applicants must be Florida-based manufacturers, service providers in approved target sectors, or manufacturer representatives for Florida companies, with at least $250,000 in annual sales and 3 to 500 full-time employees. Home-based businesses and virtual offices do not qualify. Applicants are evaluated for export readiness and suitability, and businesses are limited to three trade grants per year. The company must be registered and operating in Florida with a licensed commercial location.
SelectFlorida Florida Export Diversification and Expansion Trade Grants is a grant from SelectFlorida (formerly Enterprise Florida) that funds Florida-based businesses seeking to begin exporting or diversify into new overseas markets. The program supports participation in trade shows, one-on-one business matchmaking, and the development of customized Export Marketing Plans. Eligible applicants must be located in Florida, registered with the Florida Division of Corporations, in business for at least two years, operating a licensed commercial facility with a physical office or manufacturing space, and employing at least three full-time employees. Home-based businesses and virtual offices do not qualify. Grant amounts and deadlines vary by program cycle; applicants should contact SelectFlorida directly for current availability.
NOFO Number: DE-FOA-0003630 - Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources (UNLOCK) To obtain a copy of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) please go to DOE eXCHANGE at https://exchange.energy.gov/. To apply to this NOFO, Applicants must register with and submit application materials through DOE eXCHANGE (https://exchange.energy.gov/Registration.aspx). For detailed guidance on using DOE eXCHANGE, please refer to the DOE eXCHANGE User Guide (https://exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx). ARPA-E will not review or consider application materials submitted through other means. For problems with DOE eXCHANGE, email ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov (with NOFO name and number in the subject line). Questions about this NOFO? Check the Frequently Asked Questions available at http://arpa-e.energy.gov/faq. For questions that have not already been answered, email ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov. 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 (P.L. 110-69), as amended by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-358), as further amended by the Energy Act of 2020 (P.L. 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 to 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 and mitigation of the associated risks. 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 towards 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 (http://science.energy.gov/). 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) (https://www.energy.gov/cmei/office-critical-minerals-and-energy-innovation), the Hydrogen and Geothermal Energy Office (https://www.energy.gov/hgeo/hydrocarbons-and-geothermal-energy-office), the Office of Nuclear Energy (http://www.energy.gov/ne/office-nuclear-energy), and the Office of Electricity (https://www.energy.gov/oe/office-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: 1. Background and Motivation Subsurface resources, including oil, gas, geothermal, and mineral systems, underpin modern energy security, industrial productivity, and economic competitiveness. However, substantial technical hurdles related to the extraction of these resources limit their full potential, especially within geologically complex formations characterized by low matrix permeability and inefficient resource mobility. Oil and Gas The combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has revolutionized U.S. energy supply and made unconventional oil and gas fundamental to U.S. energy security. These methods now account for the production of over 64% of domestic oil and 78% of domestic natural gas from shale and tight formations. Despite the substantial production, the recovery efficiency (or recovery factor) remains strikingly low. Although the United States boasts 1,778 trillion cubic feet of recoverable shale and tight gas and 191 billion barrels (bbl) of recoverable unconventional oil,6 over 80% of the resource remains trapped underground, and well output may decline up to 50% within the first year of operation. These limitations force continuous drilling of new wells to maintain production volumes, and this strategy is complicated by operational limitations. Infill drilling frequently leads to well interference, diminishing output from both new and existing wells due to overlapping stimulated rock volumes and pressure communication between boreholes. The depletion of prime "Tier 1" drilling locations exacerbates this problem, forcing operators to target lower-quality reservoirs or employ tighter infill spacing. Even though technological advancements such as longer laterals, increased proppant usage, and greater water volumes have been implemented to counteract these challenges, the inherently low permeability of unconventional rock, coupled with limited control over subterranean fracture formation and interaction, means that a substantial portion of the oil and gas remains unrecoverable. Overall, transformative approaches are needed to address low recovery rates, steep production decline, and concerns regarding water sourcing, wastewater management, and related risks. Other Subsurface Resources The fundamental challenge of extracting valuable resources from low-permeability, hard-to-access rock formations extends beyond oil and gas. Efficient extraction of other subsurface resources, such as geothermal energy, minerals and metals, and coalbed methane, also depends on creating and maintaining connective, conductive pathways for fluid or heat transport. Addressing these shared challenges presents a significant opportunity for cross-cutting advancements that will enhance recovery efficiency across diverse subsurface systems. 2. Technical Challenges Oil and Gas Low permeability and resource access. Shale and tight formations exhibit extremely low permeabilities, ranging from nanodarcys to microdarcys (approximately 10¿18 to 10¿21 m2), which prevents economic hydrocarbon flow without significant permeability enhancement or stimulation. Hydraulic fracturing remains the dominant method for achieving this enhancement and requires the injection of millions of gallons of water along with millions of pounds of proppants per well to create conductive fractures. Its effectiveness is hindered by non-uniform fractures and poor connectivity with natural fractures, reducing effective stimulated reservoir volume, sweep efficiency, and overall recovery. Fracture conductivity and propagation. Proppants are crucial for maintaining the conductivity of hydraulically induced fractures, creating pathways for hydrocarbon flow once injection stops. However, traditional proppants (primarily sand) often fail to reach fracture extremities due to factors such as leak-off and settling, causing early closure and diminished flow contribution. Proppant effectiveness is further impaired by crushing, embedding, and chemical and thermal degradation, which diminish fracture conductivity and, consequently, hydrocarbon flow. Although engineered proppants (e.g., resin-coated, ceramic) offer enhanced strength and durability, widespread adoption is limited by their higher cost compared with sand. In addition, fracture orientation is strongly governed by the in-situ stress field, which is poorly characterized and difficult to control, leading to unpredictable fracture propagation and uneven stimulation. This challenge is further compounded during refracturing operations. Enhanced recovery. Despite success in conventional fields, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods have shown marginal success in unconventional formations due to their ultra-low permeability. Injected fluids (e.g., CO2, surfactants, solvents) are largely confined to the fracture network, with minimal access to the hydrocarbons in the unstimulated matrix. Non-uniform fracture connectivity further causes fluid channeling and inefficient displacement, while complex fluid-rock-hydrocarbon interactions add uncertainties. Together, these hurdles constrain the economic viability of EOR in shale and tight formations. Refracturing. Refracturing existing wells offers an economic alternative to drilling new wells but faces major challenges. Success depends on accurately characterizing existing fractures and diverting fluids into unstimulated rock, rather than depleted zones, which requires advanced diversion and flow control technologies. Inter-well interference, common in both refracturing and infill drilling, can reduce neighboring wells’ productivity. Without precise candidate selection, accurate reservoir characterization, and improved downhole control, refracturing yields will continue to be economically uncertain. Water management. Each shale and tight well requires 1.5 to 16 million gallons of water for hydraulic fracturing and generates 1–12 bbl of produced water (a combination of formation water and fracturing water) per barrel of oil equivalent (BOE) over its lifecycle. Although some of the produced water is reused for fracturing, the majority is still disposed of via injection wells, posing potential environmental risks. Additionally, the high salinity and complex chemistry of the produced water make surface treatment costly. Sensing and far-field characterization. Current diagnostic tools such as microseismic and distributed fiber optic sensing offer limited resolution of fracture dimensions, connectivity, and conductivity. This limitation leads to difficulty in mapping fracture networks, characterizing unstimulated zones to estimate undrained volumes, and monitoring fluid migration in the far field. Furthermore, effectively monitoring proppant distribution and assessing fracture conductivity within the stimulated region remains an unsolved challenge. The long-term monitoring capabilities are also constrained by the durability of sensors in harsh downhole environments. Other Subsurface Resources The challenge of mobilizing and recovering resources from low-permeability, geologically complex formations extends beyond shale and tight oil and gas reservoirs, constraining other subsurface resources. Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), particularly in hot dry rock and low-permeability basement formations, face difficulties in sustaining conductive fractures and in maintaining uniform flow across them. This difficulty leads to thermal short circuiting and suboptimal thermal recovery. Sand-based proppants may degrade under high temperatures and stress, causing conductivity loss. High temperatures limit sensor longevity. Monitoring fracture propagation, fluid pathways, and¿far-field¿behavior also remains challenging. Circulation losses (~230 to 4,200 gallons per megawatt-hour) raise water demand and seismic risks, while scaling clogs flow paths. In-situ leaching operations for extracting minerals and metals face challenges in low permeability formations due to poor leaching agent (i.e., lixiviant) to rock contact, resulting in low recovery. Containment of injected fluids during in-situ leaching is critical for groundwater protection, but current wellbore monitoring methods (e.g., logging) are inadequate to track complex subsurface flow, geochemical interactions, and far-field fluid excursions. Further difficulties arise from post-leaching groundwater restoration and wastewater management. For example, uranium recovery can generate 50–250 gallons of wastewater per pound of uranium recovered, underscoring the need for effective water management strategies. Coalbed methane production requires extensive dewatering that yields significant wastewater, presenting costly treatment and disposal challenges. The low, anisotropic permeability of coal seams often necessitates stimulation and enhanced recovery to maintain production. Overcoming hurdles in characterizing permeability, dewatering, and tracking subsurface gas fronts is crucial for optimizing production. A critical opportunity exists to develop crosscutting, next-generation technologies that enhance stimulation and recovery efficiency, expand flow pathways, and improve water management across diverse subsurface systems. To view the NOFO in its entirety, please visit https://exchange.energy.gov/. Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0003630. Assistance Listing: 81.135. Funding Instrument: CA,O. Category: OZ,ST. Award Amount: $3M – $5M per award.
NOFO Number: DE-FOA-0003631 - Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources SBIR/STTR (UNLOCK SBIR/STTR) To obtain a copy of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) please go to DOE eXCHANGE at https://exchange.energy.gov/. To apply to this NOFO, Applicants must register with and submit application materials through DOE eXCHANGE (https://exchange.energy.gov/Registration.aspx). For detailed guidance on using DOE eXCHANGE, please refer to the DOE eXCHANGE User Guide (https://exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx). ARPA-E will not review or consider application materials submitted through other means. For problems with DOE eXCHANGE, email ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov (with NOFO name and number in the subject line). Questions about this NOFO? Check the Frequently Asked Questions available at http://arpa-e.energy.gov/faq. For questions that have not already been answered, email ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov. 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 (P.L. 110-69), as amended by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-358), as further amended by the Energy Act of 2020 (P.L. 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 to 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 and mitigation of the associated risks. 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 towards 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 (http://science.energy.gov/). 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) (https://www.energy.gov/cmei/office-critical-minerals-and-energy-innovation), the Hydrogen and Geothermal Energy Office (https://www.energy.gov/hgeo/hydrocarbons-and-geothermal-energy-office), the Office of Nuclear Energy (http://www.energy.gov/ne/office-nuclear-energy), and the Office of Electricity (https://www.energy.gov/oe/office-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: 1. Background and Motivation Subsurface resources, including oil, gas, geothermal, and mineral systems, underpin modern energy security, industrial productivity, and economic competitiveness. However, substantial technical hurdles related to the extraction of these resources limit their full potential, especially within geologically complex formations characterized by low matrix permeability and inefficient resource mobility. Oil and Gas The combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has revolutionized U.S. energy supply and made unconventional oil and gas fundamental to U.S. energy security. These methods now account for the production of over 64% of domestic oil and 78% of domestic natural gas from shale and tight formations. Despite the substantial production, the recovery efficiency (or recovery factor) remains strikingly low. Although the United States boasts 1,778 trillion cubic feet of recoverable shale and tight gas and 191 billion barrels (bbl) of recoverable unconventional oil,6 over 80% of the resource remains trapped underground, and well output may decline up to 50% within the first year of operation. These limitations force continuous drilling of new wells to maintain production volumes, and this strategy is complicated by operational limitations. Infill drilling frequently leads to well interference, diminishing output from both new and existing wells due to overlapping stimulated rock volumes and pressure communication between boreholes. The depletion of prime "Tier 1" drilling locations exacerbates this problem, forcing operators to target lower-quality reservoirs or employ tighter infill spacing. Even though technological advancements such as longer laterals, increased proppant usage, and greater water volumes have been implemented to counteract these challenges, the inherently low permeability of unconventional rock, coupled with limited control over subterranean fracture formation and interaction, means that a substantial portion of the oil and gas remains unrecoverable. Overall, transformative approaches are needed to address low recovery rates, steep production decline, and concerns regarding water sourcing, wastewater management, and related risks. Other Subsurface Resources The fundamental challenge of extracting valuable resources from low-permeability, hard-to-access rock formations extends beyond oil and gas. Efficient extraction of other subsurface resources, such as geothermal energy, minerals and metals, and coalbed methane, also depends on creating and maintaining connective, conductive pathways for fluid or heat transport. Addressing these shared challenges presents a significant opportunity for cross-cutting advancements that will enhance recovery efficiency across diverse subsurface systems. 2. Technical Challenges Oil and Gas Low permeability and resource access. Shale and tight formations exhibit extremely low permeabilities, ranging from nanodarcys to microdarcys (approximately 10¿18 to 10¿21 m2), which prevents economic hydrocarbon flow without significant permeability enhancement or stimulation. Hydraulic fracturing remains the dominant method for achieving this enhancement and requires the injection of millions of gallons of water along with millions of pounds of proppants per well to create conductive fractures. Its effectiveness is hindered by non-uniform fractures and poor connectivity with natural fractures, reducing effective stimulated reservoir volume, sweep efficiency, and overall recovery. Fracture conductivity and propagation. Proppants are crucial for maintaining the conductivity of hydraulically induced fractures, creating pathways for hydrocarbon flow once injection stops. However, traditional proppants (primarily sand) often fail to reach fracture extremities due to factors such as leak-off and settling, causing early closure and diminished flow contribution. Proppant effectiveness is further impaired by crushing, embedding, and chemical and thermal degradation, which diminish fracture conductivity and, consequently, hydrocarbon flow. Although engineered proppants (e.g., resin-coated, ceramic) offer enhanced strength and durability, widespread adoption is limited by their higher cost compared with sand. In addition, fracture orientation is strongly governed by the in-situ stress field, which is poorly characterized and difficult to control, leading to unpredictable fracture propagation and uneven stimulation. This challenge is further compounded during refracturing operations. Enhanced recovery. Despite success in conventional fields, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods have shown marginal success in unconventional formations due to their ultra-low permeability. Injected fluids (e.g., CO2, surfactants, solvents) are largely confined to the fracture network, with minimal access to the hydrocarbons in the unstimulated matrix. Non-uniform fracture connectivity further causes fluid channeling and inefficient displacement, while complex fluid-rock-hydrocarbon interactions add uncertainties. Together, these hurdles constrain the economic viability of EOR in shale and tight formations. Refracturing. Refracturing existing wells offers an economic alternative to drilling new wells but faces major challenges. Success depends on accurately characterizing existing fractures and diverting fluids into unstimulated rock, rather than depleted zones, which requires advanced diversion and flow control technologies. Inter-well interference, common in both refracturing and infill drilling, can reduce neighboring wells’ productivity. Without precise candidate selection, accurate reservoir characterization, and improved downhole control, refracturing yields will continue to be economically uncertain. Water management. Each shale and tight well requires 1.5 to 16 million gallons of water for hydraulic fracturing and generates 1–12 bbl of produced water (a combination of formation water and fracturing water) per barrel of oil equivalent (BOE) over its lifecycle. Although some of the produced water is reused for fracturing, the majority is still disposed of via injection wells, posing potential environmental risks. Additionally, the high salinity and complex chemistry of the produced water make surface treatment costly. Sensing and far-field characterization. Current diagnostic tools such as microseismic and distributed fiber optic sensing offer limited resolution of fracture dimensions, connectivity, and conductivity. This limitation leads to difficulty in mapping fracture networks, characterizing unstimulated zones to estimate undrained volumes, and monitoring fluid migration in the far field. Furthermore, effectively monitoring proppant distribution and assessing fracture conductivity within the stimulated region remains an unsolved challenge. The long-term monitoring capabilities are also constrained by the durability of sensors in harsh downhole environments. Other Subsurface Resources The challenge of mobilizing and recovering resources from low-permeability, geologically complex formations extends beyond shale and tight oil and gas reservoirs, constraining other subsurface resources. Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), particularly in hot dry rock and low-permeability basement formations, face difficulties in sustaining conductive fractures and in maintaining uniform flow across them. This difficulty leads to thermal short circuiting and suboptimal thermal recovery. Sand-based proppants may degrade under high temperatures and stress, causing conductivity loss. High temperatures limit sensor longevity. Monitoring fracture propagation, fluid pathways, and¿far-field¿behavior also remains challenging. Circulation losses (~230 to 4,200 gallons per megawatt-hour) raise water demand and seismic risks, while scaling clogs flow paths. In-situ leaching operations for extracting minerals and metals face challenges in low permeability formations due to poor leaching agent (i.e., lixiviant) to rock contact, resulting in low recovery. Containment of injected fluids during in-situ leaching is critical for groundwater protection, but current wellbore monitoring methods (e.g., logging) are inadequate to track complex subsurface flow, geochemical interactions, and far-field fluid excursions. Further difficulties arise from post-leaching groundwater restoration and wastewater management. For example, uranium recovery can generate 50–250 gallons of wastewater per pound of uranium recovered, underscoring the need for effective water management strategies. Coalbed methane production requires extensive dewatering that yields significant wastewater, presenting costly treatment and disposal challenges. The low, anisotropic permeability of coal seams often necessitates stimulation and enhanced recovery to maintain production. Overcoming hurdles in characterizing permeability, dewatering, and tracking subsurface gas fronts is crucial for optimizing production. A critical opportunity exists to develop crosscutting, next-generation technologies that enhance stimulation and recovery efficiency, expand flow pathways, and improve water management across diverse subsurface systems. To view the NOFO in its entirety, please visit https://exchange.energy.gov/. Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0003631. Assistance Listing: 81.135. Funding Instrument: CA,G. Category: OZ,ST. Award Amount: $323K – $4.6M per award.
TD Charitable Foundation opened its 21st Housing for Everyone round: $10 million in $500,000 grants, about 20 awards, due 4 p.m. November 24, 2026. Last year's round paid 40 grants of $250,000 for eviction prevention. This year's theme is housing stability through renters' income growth: workforce development, credentialing, and financial coaching paired with housing services. Here's what changed, who is eligible from Maine to Florida, and how to build a competitive application in three weeks.
Read articleOn October 8, 2026 NSF named the founding partners of the X-Labs Consortium — Astera, Ginkgo Bioworks, the Sloan Foundation, the Secunda Family Foundation, Occam Foundry, and the Florida Quantum Center — representing over $300 million in commitments. For a program that funds teams with no institutional home, the facilities layer changes what a credible Phase 0 proposal looks like.
Read articleHUD announced the FY25 Rural Capacity Building NOFO on May 18, 2026 with a July 6 deadline. Section 4 has three statutory intermediaries — Enterprise, LISC, and Habitat. RCB is a different door, and most rural housing nonprofits are misreading which one they qualify for.
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