On March 13, 2026, the Department of Energy issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for projects supporting the development of domestic processing, manufacturing, and recycling capabilities for battery materials. With $500 million in total available funding, the NOFO solicits proposals in three topic areas: (1) domestic critical minerals processing from raw feedstocks, (2) domestic critical minerals recycling, and (3) domestic battery materials and component manufacturing. Letters of intent are due March 27, 2026, and full applications are due April 24, 2026.
Continue Reading DOE Announces Funding Opportunity for Domestic Critical Materials Processing, Recycling, and ManufacturingCritical Minerals
Defense Industrial Base Consortium Issues New Critical Minerals Request for Project Proposals
By Stephanie Barna, Gabe Neville & Eunsun Cho on
Posted in Critical Minerals, Defense Industry
Introduction
On February 27, 2026, the Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) issued a new Request for Project Proposals (RPP) focused on Strategic and Critical Materials. Phase 1 submissions are due March 20, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern).
This solicitation represents the second DIBC RPP targeting critical minerals since the issuance of Executive Order (EO) 14241, “Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production.” The EO directed federal agencies to expand domestic access to critical minerals and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.
Continue Reading Defense Industrial Base Consortium Issues New Critical Minerals Request for Project ProposalsFederal Push for Critical Minerals Stockpiling: 2025 in Review and Outlook for 2026
By Peter Terenzio & Eunsun Cho on
As the federal government focuses on securing reliable supplies of critical minerals, stockpiling has emerged as a key policy tool, alongside direct investments in private enterprises and expanded funding programs for industry. The National Defense Stockpile (“NDS”) currently serves as the federal strategic reserve of materials needed for national defense, including critical minerals, and the growing policy attention has prompted new proposals and initiatives for upgraded federal stockpiling capabilities. This blog post reviews the NDS and its activities last year and offers an outlook for critical minerals stockpiling in the year ahead.
Continue Reading Federal Push for Critical Minerals Stockpiling: 2025 in Review and Outlook for 2026Opportunities for Advanced Energy Partnerships in the 2nd Trump Administration
By Robert Huffman on
Posted in Energy, Public-Private Partnerships
Though the 2nd Trump Administration has dramatically turned away from the energy and industrial policies of the Biden Administration, private-sector proponents of advanced energy projects may still find opportunities to partner with the federal government on certain Research and Development (R&D) or commercialization projects in the energy sector.
Since January 2025, nearly all corners of the federal government have sought to terminate federal grants, loans, and contracts that the Trump Administration has determined are out of step with the government’s revised priorities (such as in the case of various clean energy focused programs or decarbonization initiatives). Nonetheless, federal agencies have also announced new initiatives providing both financial and non-financial benefits for energy projects that the Trump Administration continues to support. In particular, there are significant opportunities available for developers of nuclear energy, critical minerals, and geothermal projects, as detailed further below.
Continue Reading Opportunities for Advanced Energy Partnerships in the 2nd Trump Administration