Energy Department Launches $16 Million Prize To Grow the Mining and Critical Minerals Workforce

WASHINGTON-The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) today launched the PROSPECT Planning Prize to support universities in developing the skilled workforce required to produce, process, recover, and recycle critical minerals on American soil. Each winner will receive up to $1 million from a total prize pool of $16 million.

"Mining and critical minerals professionals are essential to America's success in manufacturing, AI, energy, and national security-but this country isn't producing enough of them," said Assistant Secretary of Energy Audrey Robertson. "Through this prize competition, DOE will empower universities to pursue more ambitious strategies for attracting and educating the workers we need for a robust critical mineral supply chain."

This prize competition is part of DOE's $100 million Providing Opportunities for Specialized Education in Critical Technologies (PROSPECT) initiative, which delivers on President Trump's bold agenda to restore American energy dominance, rebuild domestic supply chains, and reduce reliance on foreign adversaries for critical minerals. The initiative's near-term goal is to double the number of graduates with mining, minerals, and associated supply chain credentials across the United States.

U.S.-based academic institutions with prize-eligible degree programs are encouraged to submit plans. Proposed programs should aim to substantially increase the number of graduates and other credentialed professionals prepared for relevant mining and supply chain careers in the next two years. Programs may target a range of beneficiaries, including early-career professionals, incumbent workers, educators, and students in university, community college, or high school.

Applications are now open. The deadline for submission is Oct. 5, 2026. Learn more about this competition, including key dates and submission details, on the PROSPECT Prize page.

The PROSPECT Planning Prize is funded by CMEI and managed by the National Laboratory of the Rockies under the American-Made prize program.

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