Grant Opportunities

NRC issued its Fiscal Year 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the University Nuclear Leadership Program for Research and Development Grants.  The NOFO closes on April 1, 2024,  U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), Research and Development Grant, Fiscal Year 2024.

The NRC issued its Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Minority Serving Institutions Grants Program (MSIG), Scholarships, and Fellowships, Fiscal Year 2024. This NOFO will provide funding for scholarships and fellowships to MSI’s with the objective to assist in their efforts to achieve academic excellence; build capability, capacity and infrastructure; develop human capital; and to create a diverse skilled Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) pipeline. The NOFO is now available at grants.gov and closed on August 25, 2023.


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For more information about Grant Opportunities, review the following information:

Nuclear Education Program

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was created as an independent agency by Congress in 1974 to enable the nation to safely use radioactive materials for beneficial civilian purposes while ensuring that people and the environment are protected. The NRC regulates commercial nuclear power plants and other uses of nuclear materials, such as in nuclear medicine, through licensing, inspection and enforcement of its requirements.

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Nuclear Education Program - Scholarship and Fellowship

Funding under this program includes support for education in nuclear science and engineering, to develop a workforce capable of supporting the design, construction, operation, and regulation of nuclear facilities and the safe handling of nuclear materials. NRC only awards grants directly to accredited U.S. institutions of higher education and does not award individual scholarships or fellowships. Individual students cannot apply directly to NRC for scholarships or fellowships. As a condition for receiving scholarships or fellowships, recipients must demonstrate satisfactory academic progress in their fields of study, as determined by criteria contained in this announcement and as established by the NRC. The nuclear education supported by this funding is intended to benefit the nuclear sector broadly. Consequently, NRC requires scholarship and fellowship recipients to serve 6 months in nuclear-related employment for each full or partial year of academic support. The employment may be with NRC, other Federal agencies, State agencies, Department of Energy laboratories, nuclear-related industry, or academia in the recipients' sponsored fields of study. A waiver of this requirement may be granted in appropriate circumstances.

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Nuclear Education Program - Faculty Development

Funding under this opportunity includes support for education in nuclear science, engineering, and related trades to develop a workforce capable of the design, construction, operation, and regulation of nuclear facilities and the safe handling of nuclear materials. The Faculty Development Grants Program recognizes the need to attract and retain highly-qualified junior faculty in academic teaching careers. Funding under this announcement is intended to support new faculty in the nuclear-related fields of Nuclear Engineering, Health Physics, and Radiochemistry. The grants specifically target probationary, tenure-track faculty in these academic areas during the first 6 years of their career. Grants could include support for developing proposals for research and small amounts for initiating or continuing research projects in their areas of expertise. Other areas might include course development, equipment stipends, participation in professional society meetings, preparation of papers, travel, and associated expenses. Awards may be increased to the extent that a portion of the award is matched by the institution. The program intends to provide support to enable new faculty to enhance their careers as professors and researchers in the University department where employed.

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Nuclear Education Program - Trade School and Community College Scholarship

Funding under this program includes support for education in nuclear science and engineering, to develop a workforce capable of supporting the design, construction, operation, and regulation of nuclear facilities and the safe handling of nuclear materials. This announcement is just for trade school scholarships. As a condition for receiving trade school scholarships, recipients must demonstrate satisfactory academic progress in their fields of study, as determined by criteria contained in this announcement and as established by the NRC. Trade schools must be postsecondary educational institutions or programs accredited by an accrediting agency or state approval agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education or be registered apprenticeship programs. The nuclear education supported by this funding is intended to benefit the nuclear sector broadly. Consequently, NRC requires trade school scholarship recipients to serve 6 months in nuclear-related employment for each full or partial year of academic support. The employment may be with NRC, other Federal agencies, State agencies, Department of Energy laboratories, nuclear-related industry, or academia in the recipients' sponsored fields of study. A waiver of this requirement may be granted in appropriate circumstances.

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Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) Financial Assistance Program

Funding under this program includes, but is not limited to, research in support of nuclear materials safety, radioactive waste safety, fire safety and testing, digital instrumentation and controls, advanced very high temperature gas-cooled reactors, probabilistic risk assessment, high temperature gas reactor thermal hydraulics, and reactor physics. RES shows a high regard for institutions and organizations that propose to conduct independent experiments and analyses, develop technical basis for supporting realistic safety decisions, and the evaluation of safety issues involving current and new designs and technologies. Additionally the RES financial assistance program funds high quality conferences/scientific meetings, which facilitate the coordination, exchange, and /or dissemination of information in any of the previously listed topics or significant topics of interest, in support of nuclear research.

Awards are based upon the availability of funds and the applicability of proposals to the planned work objectives. All applications should be submitted through Grants.gov by the posted closing date and time under the appropriate RES funding opportunity announcement listed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

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Office of Small Business and Civil Rights

The NRC assures nondiscrimination in NRC conducted and Federal financially assisted programs and activities. The NRC's Office of Small Business and Civil Rights (SBCR), Civil Rights Program provides applicants/recipients with direction, guidance, and technical assistance. SBCR also monitors program activities, conducts compliance reviews, investigates complaints, enforces violations, and submits reports to Federal oversight agencies.

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Minority Serving Institutions Grants Program

The Minority Serving Institutions Grants Program (MSIG) funds minority serving programs and activities for the exchange and transfer of knowledge and skills relevant to nuclear safety, security, environmental protection, or any other STEM-related fields the Commission deems critical to its mission. MSIG provides assistance for minority serving programs and activities to include, but not limited to mentoring, leadership development, developmental learning, research and development, direct institutional subsidies, facilities and equipment acquisition, internships, fellowships, and scholarships. Minority Serving Institutions are also encouraged to apply for funding opportunities with the NRC’s Nuclear Education Program for Scholarship and Fellowships, Faculty Development, Trade School and Community College Scholarships. Consequently, NRC requires scholarship and fellowship students receiving funds under the NRC MSIG scholarship and fellowship grant program serve six (6) months in nuclear or STEM-related employment for each full or partial year of academic support. A full year of academic support would include two full semesters and consecutive summer sessions (August to July). The employment may be with NRC, other Federal agencies, State agencies, Department of Energy laboratories, nuclear and STEM-related industry, or academia in the students’ sponsored fields of study. The service obligation begins after the student has completed their degree program. You may submit an application(s) if your institution/organization has any of the following characteristics:

  • Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)
  • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
  • Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs)
  • Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs)
  • Native American Non-Tribal Institutions (NANTI)
  • Alaskan Native or Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (ANNHIs)
  • Asian American Pacific Islander Institutions (AANAPISIs)

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