DOE Opens $1.9 Billion SPARK Program for Grid Modernization

The Department of Energy's Office of Electricity released a $1.9 billion funding opportunity on March 12 that could reshape America's electric grid — and open significant contracting and research opportunities for utilities, universities, tribal governments, and technology firms.

The SPARK (Speed to Power Through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades) program is the third and largest round under the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Three Tracks, Three Funding Levels

The program splits across three topic areas. Grid Resilience offers $427 million for 5-10 projects at $10-100 million each, targeting electric grid operators and transmission owners. Smart Grid distributes $614 million across 25-40 projects at $10-50 million each, with eligibility open to universities, nonprofits, for-profit companies, and tribal entities. Grid Innovation — the flagship track — puts $862 million into 3-8 large-scale projects at $100-250 million each, with states, tribal governments, and public utility commissions as lead applicants.

All tracks require a 50% cost share, reduced to 25% for small utilities.

Deadlines Are Tight

Concept papers are due April 2, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET, with full applications following on May 20. Selections are expected by August. Applications must be submitted through eXCHANGE, SAM.gov, and grants.gov.

Researchers and firms working on advanced conductors, grid-scale storage, or transmission monitoring should note that the Smart Grid track explicitly welcomes university and nonprofit applicants — a rarity at this dollar level. Tools like Granted can help teams identify matching opportunities and prepare competitive proposals under tight timelines.