Download the full funding opportunity: ENERGYWERX
Funding Amount: $6,000,000
Background Information
On September 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced up to $6 million in federal funding available for research and development projects to help establish a secure domestic supply chain for gallium—a critical material for the energy, defense, and semiconductor sectors. The Technology for Recovery and Advanced Critical-material Extraction–Gallium (TRACE-Ga) initiative will drive innovative and cost-effective technologies for gallium recovery from U.S. metal processing feedstocks—advancing President Trump’s commitment to strengthen America’s critical minerals supply chain. Developing domestic supply chains for gallium will help strengthen America’s national security by fostering the commercialization of cutting-edge technologies, expanding the nation’s critical materials portfolio, and reducing our reliance on foreign sources.
The TRACE-Ga initiative is managed by ENERGYWERX in partnership with DOE, a collaboration made possible through an innovative Partnership Intermediary Agreement set up by the DOE's Office of Technology Commercialization. This agreement enables ENERGYWERX to broaden DOE’s engagement with innovative organizations and non-traditional partners, facilitating the rapid development, scaling, and deployment of energy solutions.
Under the TRACE-Ga initiative, projects will test and validate prototype technologies with a goal of producing at least 50 kg of pure gallium from at least one 14-day campaign of continuous operation with a real-world metal industry processing stream, such as aluminum or zinc. The objective is to validate a prototype that is capable of producing at least 1 metric ton per annum scale of gallium. Successful projects will restart domestic primary gallium recovery for the first time in almost 40 years.
Eligibility
Applicants to the TRACE-Ga funding opportunity must qualify as a domestic entity. Eligible applicants will be asked to provide:
- Evidence of success for recovering gallium from feedstock similar to the proposed metal industry process stream;
- A letter of support from any company, agency, or other party that has ownership/rights to any proposed feedstock materials, where applicable; and
- A description of the potential for scale-up at the initial metal industry processing stream and market adoption beyond the initial metal industry processing stream source.
Funding
DOE expects to make 1-3 awards with a minimum of 20% cost-sharing from the awardees.
Webinar
An informational webinar will be hosted on September 25, 2025 at 3:00 pm ET to discuss this funding opportunity as well as the application requirements.
Attending the informational webinar is not mandatory and will not positively or negatively impact the overall review of any applicant submissions.
Key Dates
| Pre-Announcement of Opportunity | 9/10/2025 |
| Funding Opportunity Issue Date: | 09/15/2025 |
| Informational Webinar: | 09/30/2025 at 3:00 PM ET |
| Submission Deadline for Full Applications: | 11/20/2025 at 3:00 PM ET |
| Expected Date for Selection Notifications: | Early 2026 |
Additional Information
- Download the full funding opportunity on ENERGYWERX.
- Questions about the initiative can be submitted to info@energywerx.org.
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FECM announced up to $6 million in federal funding available for research and development projects to help establish a secure domestic supply chain for gallium—a critical material for the energy, defense, and semiconductor sectors.
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U.S. Department of Energy Announces Intent to Fund Projects that Advance Domestic Gallium ProductionFECM announced its intent to launch the Technology for Recovery and Advanced Critical-material Extraction–Gallium (TRACE-Ga) initiative to help establish a secure and independent domestic supply chain for gallium.
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Last Updated: September 16, 2025