The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is launching a second iteration of the Community Energy Innovation Prize.
Donor Name: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Awards and Prizes
Deadline: 06/21/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The American-Made Community Energy Innovation Prize Round 2 is a multimillion-dollar prize competition designed to support energy innovation, entrepreneurship, capacity building, and economic development in communities working toward affordable, reliable, and secure energy resources.
Through three phases, teams have the chance to win part of $8.42 million in prizes to help them advance in the competition and accelerate local solutions in clean energy, energy efficiency, manufacturing, materials, and transportation. Successful competitors will demonstrate a strong track record of building trust and strengthening relationships and partnerships within their communities.
Prize Structure
The Community Energy Innovation Prize is made up of three tracks: the Clean Energy Ecosystem Track, the Manufacturing Ecosystem Track, and the Vehicles Ecosystem Track, each of which has distinct goals and submission requirements over three phases: CONCEPT, PROGRESS, and IMPACT. In addition to prize awards, winning competitors in all three tracks will receive in-kind mentorship through Power Connectors and other support services, valued at approximately $400,000 across all competitors.
- Clean Energy Ecosystem
- Prize Pool
- $3.22 million cash prize pool
- Concept Phase Prizes
- Up to 12 cash prizes of $75,000 each and in-kind mentorship services
- Progress Phase Prizes
- Up to 12 cash prizes of $75,000 each and in-kind mentorship services
- Impact Phase Prize
- Up to 12 cash prizes of $10,000 each
- Grand Prize
- Total cash prize pool of up to $1,300,000 to be distributed among GRAND PRIZE winners
- Prize Pool
- Manufacturing Ecosystem
- Prize Pool
- $2.6 million cash prize pool
- Concept Phase Prizes
- Up to 10 cash prizes of $100,000 each and in-kind mentorship services
- Progress Phase Prizes
- Up to 10 cash prizes of $100,000 each and in-kind mentorship services
- Impact Phase Prizes
- Up to 10 cash prizes of $10,000 each
- Grand Prize
- Total cash prize pool of up to $500,000 to be distributed among GRAND PRIZE winners
- Prize Pool
- Vehicles Ecosystem
- Prize Pool
- $2.6 million cash prize pool
- Concept Phase Prizes
- Up to 10 cash prizes of $100,000 each and in-kind mentorship services
- Progress Phase Prizes
- Up to 10 cash prizes of $100,000 each and in-kind mentorship services
- Impact Phase Prizes
- Up to 10 cash prizes of $10,000 each
- Grand Prize
- Total cash prize pool of up to $500,000 to be distributed among GRAND PRIZE winners.
- Prize Pool
Who Can Participate?
The prize competition is only open to private entities (for-profits and nonprofits); non-federal government entities such as states, counties, tribes, and municipalities; academic institutions; and individuals.
- Competitors in the Clean Energy Ecosystem Track may focus on any range of clean energy technologies or initiatives.
- Competitors in the Manufacturing Ecosystem Track must have an explicit connection to sustainable manufacturing.
- Competitors in the Vehicles Ecosystem Track must focus their efforts on sustainable transportation technologies or initiatives.
For more information, visit DOE.
