DOE Announces Funding Opportunity for Remote and Tribal Microgrid Projects
The Community Microgrid Assistance Partnership (C-MAP), led by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Electricity (OE), announced a new funding opportunity that will provide up to $2.5 million in direct project support and approximately $1 million in technical assistance for projects focused on building or enhancing microgrids serving remote or isolated communities and tribes.
According to the announcement, the funding opportunity is intended to help energy providers and local governments improve microgrid systems that provide electricity in remote areas with high energy costs and limited grid reliability. Microgrids generate, store, and manage electricity within a defined boundary and can operate independently or alongside the larger electric grid.
“America’s remote industries play an essential role in our national prosperity, and unlocking their full potential requires energy systems built for modern demands even in the most challenging conditions,” said Dan Ton, the OE Microgrid Research and Development Program Manager and OE lead for C-MAP. “C-MAP is deploying innovative microgrid research and resources to deliver dependable power where it’s needed most, opening the door to new investment, stronger local economies, and expanded opportunities for the skilled workforce that drives these regions forward.”
This marks C-MAP’s second funding solicitation. The latest round emphasizes microgrid projects that support industrial development, including applications involving large energy users such as critical mineral operations and enterprise-scale computing centers.
The program states that funded projects are expected to demonstrate measurable microgrid innovation and support the development of replicable configurations and approaches that could be adopted by other communities and industries.
Selected projects will receive between $200,000 and $575,000 in direct funding, in addition to up to 24 months of technical and administrative support from national laboratories and community partners. Awardees are expected to develop replicable microgrid models and advance OE-supported research toward commercialization.
The solicitation includes five topic areas:
- Regional Microgrid Coordination: Supporting regional collaboration to improve reliability, resilience, security, and affordability for community-based microgrids
- Microgrid Integration with Large Load Energy Consumers: Providing resources to allow local utilities to work more closely with consumers with high energy needs
- Microgrid Development: Assisting detailed design efforts for major upgrades of new or existing microgrid energy systems
- Microgrid Transformation: Providing direct support for the implementation of innovative microgrid improvements
- Microgrid Assessment for Industrial or Other Large Load Energy Consumers: Assisting large energy consumers considering implementation of an advanced microgrid energy system
Proposals are due July 2, 2026.
Eligible lead applicants include nonprofit entities supporting community-based microgrid energy systems in remote areas of the United States, including energy cooperatives; state and local governmental entities; federally recognized American Indian or Alaska Native Tribes or villages; and Alaska Native village or regional corporations established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. U.S. businesses with the required SAM registration and DUNS number are also eligible under Topic Area 5.
According to the announcement, proposed microgrid applications must serve areas in the United States with populations of no more than 10,000 people and electricity costs exceeding 150% of the national median.