Department of Commerce Opens First Funding Opportunity from CHIPS and Science Act
Eligible applicants: nonprofits, forprofits, Applications are due: NA
Announcement Type: Funding Opportunity Announcement (this program is currently accepting statements of interest)
Opportunity: CHIPS Incentives Program – Commercial Fabrication Facilities
Overview and Eligible Uses: The CHIPS Incentives Program seeks applications for projects for the construction, expansion, or modernization of commercial facilities for the front- and back-end fabrication of leading-edge, current-generation, and mature-node semiconductors. Types of eligible facilities include:
Leading-Edge Facilities that utilize the most advanced front-end fabrication processes which achieve the highest transistor and power performance.
Current-Generation Facilities that produce semiconductors that are not leading edge, up to 28 nm process technologies, and include logic, analog, radio frequency, and mixed-signal devices.
Mature-Node Facilities that fabricate generations of: (a) logic and analog chips that are not based on FinFET, post-FinFET transistor architectures, or any other sub-28 nm transistor architectures; (b) discrete semiconductor devices such as diodes and transistors; (c) optoelectronics and optical semiconductors; and (d) sensors.
Back-end Production Facilities for the assembly, testing, or packaging of semiconductors that have completed the front-end fabrication process.
Award Type: CHIPS Incentives will be provided, as appropriate, through grants, cooperative agreements, other transaction agreements, loans, and loan guarantees.
Amount: Specific amounts for awards will vary by project. The Department of Commerce generally anticipates that awards will cover 5% to 15% (no more than 35%) of project capital costs. The CHIPS Act generally allocates…
Up to $38.22 billion for CHIPS Direct Funding
Up to $75 billion in direct loan or guaranteed principal for CHIPS Loans and CHIPS Loan Guarantees
Department of Commerce does not expect to award these full amounts under this NOFO.
Eligible Applicants: Funding is available to “covered entities”, which include nonprofit entities, private-sector entities, or a consortium of these with or without public entities. All entities must have demonstrated ability to substantially finance, construct, expand, or modernize a facility relating to fabrication, assembly, testing, advanced packaging, or production of semiconductors.
Key Dates:
Statements of interest will be accepted on a rolling basis, but must be 21 days prior to submitting a pre-application or full application.
Applications for leading edge facilities will accepted on a rolling basis starting March 31st, 2023.
For the other facilities, pre-applications will be accepted on a rolling basis starting May 1, 2023. Full applications will be accepted on a rolling basis starting June 26, 2023.
Key Links:
For a full list of currently available grant programs under the Infrastructure Law and other helpful tools, take a look at our Helpful Resources page.
This tracker will continue to send updates when new funding opportunities are announced.