High-performance Optimized Recycled Nuclear Isotopes for Gen IV reactors (HORNIG)

Key facts

Funder

Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy

Application deadline

August 6, 2026

Award range

$500K – $7M

Eligibility

See Section II.A. of the NOFO.

Geography

United States

Focus areas

Opportunity Zone Benefits, Research

Opportunity number

DE-FOA-0003623

Program overview

This is Modification 01 to the NOFO: • Inserted certain deadlines and updated dates, including the deadlines for submitting questions and Full Applications (Basic Information, Section IV.C). NOFO Number: DE-FOA-0003623 – High-performance Optimized Recycled Nuclear Isotopes for Gen IV reactors (HORNIG) 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 (Public Law 110–69), as amended by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–358), as further amended by the Energy Act of 2020 (Public Law 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 into 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 of associated risk. 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 toward 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 “exp

How to apply

1. Confirm your organization meets the eligibility criteria above.
2. Read the full funding opportunity announcement from Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy.
3. Draft your narrative against the funder's stated priorities and review criteria.
4. Submit before August 6, 2026, allowing time for registration and validation.

View the official funding announcement

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