DOE Opens $293 Million Genesis Mission AI Funding Call
April 3, 2026 · 2 min read
Claire Cummings
The Department of Energy has opened the largest single AI-for-science funding opportunity in its history: a $293 million Request for Application under the Genesis Mission, inviting interdisciplinary teams to deploy artificial intelligence across more than 20 national science and technology challenges.
Phase I applications and Phase II letters of intent are due April 28, 2026. Phase II full applications follow on May 19.
What the Genesis Mission Funds
The RFA (DE-FOA-0003612) targets challenges spanning advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, critical minerals supply security, nuclear energy development, quantum information science, and AI-driven autonomous laboratories. Phase I awards range from $500,000 to $750,000 over nine months. Phase II awards jump to $6 million–$15 million over three years.
Teams may apply directly to either phase in FY 2026, and successful Phase I teams become eligible to compete for larger Phase II awards in subsequent cycles.
"The Genesis Mission has caught the imagination of our scientific and engineering communities to tackle national challenges in the age of AI," said Darío Gil, Under Secretary for Science and Genesis Mission Director.
Who Should Apply
Eligible applicants include DOE National Laboratories, U.S. industry, and academic institutions. The RFA requires interdisciplinary teams — at minimum, Phase I teams need at least two of the following: a DOE national lab or user facility, an industry partner, or a higher education or nonprofit institution. Phase II teams must include at least one national lab and one industry partner.
For-profit entities face cost-share requirements: 20% for basic and applied R&D, and 50% for demonstration and commercial application tasks. Awards are issued as Other Transaction agreements, either fixed-price milestone-based or cost-reimbursement.
Why Grant Seekers Should Pay Attention Now
The Genesis Mission represents a step change in how DOE structures competitive research funding. Rather than agency-siloed grants, it creates cross-cutting challenge areas that draw from the full DOE science portfolio. The $293 million allocation builds on a prior $68 million investment in AI foundation models for science — 11 multi-institution projects across 43 awards.
Researchers tracking AI-science convergence opportunities can find deadline calendars and eligibility breakdowns on grantedai.com. An informational webinar was held March 26; the recording and FAQ document are available at science.osti.gov.
For teams working at the intersection of AI and physical sciences, this is the single largest open door in federal funding right now. In-depth analysis of the Genesis Mission's structure and strategy is available on the Granted blog.