US Department of Energy Launches $500 Million Critical Minerals Funding Call
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The US Department of Energy's Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity covering up to $500 million for domestic critical minerals processing, battery materials manufacturing, and recycling. The announcement, dated March 14, 2026, marks the third funding round under the DOE's Battery Materials Processing and Battery Manufacturing and Recycling programs.
What the funding covers
The NOFO identifies three topic areas eligible for support. The first is domestic critical minerals processing from raw feedstocks, targeting an increase in US processing capacity for minerals used in advanced batteries. The second is domestic critical materials recycling, focused on recovering battery minerals from manufacturing scrap, off-specification material, and end-of-life batteries. The third is domestic battery materials and component manufacturing, which covers production capacity for strategic battery materials and components.
Projects must be at demonstration scale or commercial scale to qualify. The funding opportunity does not extend to early-stage research and development facilities.
Materials in scope
The funding covers lithium, graphite, nickel, copper, and aluminum, as well as other minerals contained within commercially available battery systems. The breadth of materials reflects the full upstream and midstream scope of the US battery supply chain rather than a narrow focus on any single commodity.
Key dates for applicants
A DOE informational webinar is scheduled for 1:00 PM ET on March 26, 2026. Non-binding letters of intent are requested by 5:00 PM ET on March 27, 2026. Full applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM ET on April 24, 2026.
Why this funding round matters
The United States currently relies on overseas facilities for the majority of critical minerals processing, with China holding dominant capacity across multiple materials including graphite, lithium hydroxide, and precursor cathode active materials (PCAM). This funding round targets specific gaps in domestic midstream and processing capacity that have persisted despite upstream mining investment.
The inclusion of recycling as a distinct topic area reflects growing recognition that secondary supply, recovered from manufacturing scrap and end-of-life batteries, is a near-term domestic feedstock source that does not depend on new mine permitting or construction timelines. The anode materials segment, particularly graphite, is addressed through the battery materials and component manufacturing stream at a time when US anti-dumping investigations into Chinese graphite imports have sharpened attention on alternative supply.
Where these topics sit at Fastmarkets Global Lithium, Battery & Critical Materials 2026
The three funding areas in the DOE announcement map directly onto dedicated sessions at Fastmarkets Global Lithium, Battery & Critical Materials, taking place June 22 to 26, 2026, at Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa, Las Vegas.
Processing from raw feedstocks and midstream development are the central focus of the panel "The Missing Link: Accelerating North America's Midstream," which examines why domestic refining and PCAM and cathode production remain difficult to establish outside China, and what technical, financial, and policy conditions would be needed to anchor that capability in North America.
Battery recycling is addressed directly in the panel "Battery Recycling in North America: Feedstock, Financing, and the Race to Scale," which assesses whether recycling can become a secure and scalable pillar of the North American battery materials supply chain given current feedstock availability, economics, and timing constraints.
Anode materials and component manufacturing feature in the panel "Establishing a Resilient North American Anode Industry," which covers supply chain resilience, investment priorities, and the role of policy in reducing import dependency. The graphite and anode market is also examined from a trade policy angle in "Trade, Tariffs and Transformation: How Policy Is Rewriting the Graphite and Anode Market."
On the lithium side, direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology readiness and project financing are covered in "Unlocking the Smackover: The U.S. Lithium Growth Engine and the Path to Commercial, Scalable DLE" and "Financing DLE in a Volatile Market: Matching Capital to Risk and Reality." Both sessions address the conditions under which domestic brine resources could be brought into commercial production at a scale relevant to US supply security.
Rare earth elements and defense-linked critical minerals, which sit adjacent to the DOE funding themes, are covered in a dedicated session: "Rare Earth Elements: Establishing a Sustainable Ex-China Supply Chain."
Register for Fastmarkets Global Lithium, Battery & Critical Materials 2026
The sessions listed above bring together producers, processors, recyclers, technology developers, investors, and policymakers who are directly involved in the midstream and processing buildout the DOE funding is designed to accelerate.
Fastmarkets Global Lithium, Battery & Critical Materials takes place June 22 to 26, 2026, at Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa, Las Vegas, co-located with Battery & Energy Storage 2026.