DOE Critical Minerals and Battery Manufacturing Grants (DE-FOA-0003585)

The DOE Critical Minerals and Battery Manufacturing Grants program supports large-scale domestic investments in battery materials processing, recycling, and manufacturing capacity. Administered by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Deployment Office, this funding opportunity is intended to strengthen domestic supply chains and expand U.S. production of key battery materials and components.

Program Overview

This funding opportunity is issued under Section 40207 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It is intended to accelerate deployment of domestic facilities involved in critical materials processing, recycling, and battery component manufacturing. The program aligns with broader federal efforts to increase domestic production capacity, reduce supply chain vulnerabilities, and support industrial development tied to electrification and energy storage.

DOE identifies three primary areas of focus: domestic critical materials processing from raw feedstocks, domestic critical materials recycling, and domestic battery materials and component manufacturing. Projects are expected to be commercially relevant, operationally credible, and capable of contributing to measurable domestic supply chain expansion.

Supported Activities

• Processing critical minerals from raw or intermediate feedstocks for battery applications
• Recycling end-of-life batteries and production scrap
• Manufacturing battery materials and components
• Facility construction, expansion, and retrofits
• Integration of domestic supply chain operations

Cost Share or Payment Structure

This program requires a minimum 50 percent non-federal cost share. Applicants should plan for a well-documented capital stack and demonstrate financial readiness consistent with large-scale industrial deployment projects.

Eligible Applicants

• For-profit entities
• Nonprofit organizations
• Universities
• State and local governments
• Consortia

Application Timing

Letter of Intent: March 27, 2026

Application Deadline: April 24, 2026

Official Program Link

DOE Funding Opportunities

Advisory Perspective

Competitive projects typically demonstrate strong alignment across technology readiness, supply chain positioning, capital structure, and execution feasibility. Early evaluation helps determine whether a project is appropriately positioned for federal funding of this scale.

Questions We Commonly Address

• How should cost share be structured?
• What qualifies as sufficient project readiness?
• How do projects demonstrate supply chain impact?
• What are common pitfalls in DOE submissions?