The U.S. Department of Energy that appears to have no less than 6 “GRANT PROGRAMS“ (look at the right sidebar of the page in the link) and, technically, maybe even a 7th (which I’ll mention at the end).
I’ll go through each of the 6 grant programs in the following:
Department of Energy Grants
- Weatherization Assistance Program — This grant program involves funding to states, territories and tribal governments who then fund local agencies and non-profits. The funds are ultimately used to help low-income families permanently reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient.
- State Energy Program — Formula and competitive grants issued to US States. States use formula grants to develop goals and address energy priorities in their respective state. States appear to compete for the, well, “competitive grants” that have to do with a state’s adoption of energy efficiency/renewable energy products.
- EECBG: Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant – This grant program is particularly large, $3.2 Billion, and part of the 2009 Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Approximately 80% formula grants and 20% competitive grants. 60% of the money is shown as allocated to cities and counties. Use of funds is outlined at the foot of the page linked to.
- Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Funding Portal — Strangely, this link produced only, “Page not Found” and “Access Denied” when I checked it for you at 2AM, November 6, 2011 pacific time. Unfortunately this means I have nothing to expound upon about it here.
- Office of Science — Grants & Contracts – This page is more for all the energy tech inventors in the U.S. Hit the link provided and then check out the sidebar for grants.gov. From there check out grant search and get to basic search. In basic search you can enter keywords like “energy,” “solar energy,” “wind energy,” “department of energy” and you’ll find several grant opportunities that haven’t reached their “close date,” that are effectively “sponsored” by Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Military, and that relate to “energy.” And frankly, even if the grant opportunity has already hit its “close date,” if you think you have some technology idea that fits the bill for the soliciting “agency,” submit it to them anyway. If they like it, they may disregard the “close date.”
- Recovery Act — That page is a little tough to decipher. I’d recommend contacting the email address that is provided, RecoveryClearinghouse@hq.doe.gov and see if they or you have a means to fit-the-bill in some way.
Frankly what we could describe here as a 7th grant program is the following:
7. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Smal Business Technology Transfer (STTR) You see this mentioned underneath the 6 “GRANT PROGRAMS” in the right sidebar. When you click “here” you go to this page. This SBIR/STTR program is about providing funding for small businesses engaged in activities involving scientific and technological innovation.
I’d recommend that you check out the SBIR/STTR brochure, here’s the link. It shows how Phase 1 awardees (Application-to-award ratio – 10:1) get $150,000 and are allowed to apply for Phase 2 (Application to award – 2:1), which awards up to $1,000,000 for a prototype and two years of research. Phase 3, if it exists, offers probably even more. However, I can’t talk about it, so you better find out what its all about for yourself. 
