The American-Made Community Energy Innovation Prize Round 2, hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy, is a competition designed to support energy innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development in communities working toward affordable and reliable energy solutions. The program offers participants the chance to compete for a share of $8.42 million in prizes and in-kind mentorship, totaling approximately $400,000, through three competition tracks: Clean Energy Ecosystem, Manufacturing Ecosystem, and Vehicles Ecosystem.

The competition is open to private entities, academic institutions, and non-federal government entities. Competitors will progress through three phases: Concept, Progress, and Impact where they demonstrate their solutions’ innovation and community impact.

The application deadline for the prize is June 20th, 2025, at 5 PM. Visit the challenge webpage to learn more about this opportunity and begin your application.