PROSPECT Planning Prize

If you were interested in the Providing Opportunities for Specialized Education in Critical Technologies (PROSPECT) Planning Prize, we have exciting news. The U.S. Department of Energy just launched the PROSPECT Implementation Prize!

The PROSPECT Implementation Prize will award up to $70 million to support academic institutions in activating, implementing, and demonstrating progress within new and/or existing programs to expand the domestic critical minerals and materials supply chain workforce. Eligible U.S.-based schools are challenged to implement a connected education-to-employment pathway that links recruitment and awareness, pathway entry and enrollment, education and training, credential or degree completion, career-connected experience, and employment or continued education.

PROSPECT launched its first prize in September 2026—the PROSPECT Planning Prize. The PROSPECT Implementation Prize is separate and distinct. 

Learn more by following the PROSPECT Implementation Prize on HeroX. A recording of the PROSPECT Implementation Prize informational webinar is now available. Competitors are encouraged to watch the recording, read the rules, and submit questions to . All questions that come to this inbox will be answered publicly on the HeroX FAQ page. 

Submissions are due no later than Nov. 25 by 5 p.m. ET. The prize administrators look forward to seeing your critical minerals workforce development plans implemented across the nation!

Congratulations to 16 winning schools of the Providing Opportunities for Specialized Education in Critical Technologies (PROSPECT) Planning Prize! The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation awarded $1 million to each school for their strategies to rapidly expand the critical minerals and materials workforce. 

Each school was selected for their viable plans for innovative programs aimed at substantially increasing the number of graduates and other credentialed professionals that are prepared for relevant mining and supply chain fields by the end of the 2028 calendar year. Pathways outlined in winning submissions included themes such as a broader workforce pipeline beyond traditional mining degrees; flexible and stackable credentials for students and workers​; and mine-, lab-, and field-based learning.

The following schools were selected as PROSPECT Planning Prize winners (alphabetically by school name): 

1. Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 
2. Columbia University, New York, New York 
3. Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan 
4. Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri
5. Montana Technological University, Butte, Montana
6. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico
7. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, South Dakota
8. The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
9. The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
10. The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 
11. The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 
12. University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska 
13. University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 
14. University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, Nevada 
15. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia
16. West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia

Congratulations to these schools for their plans to further the future of the critical minerals workforce! 

Thank you to all competitors who submitted to the PROSPECT Planning Prize. The submission review period is still underway, and winning teams will be announced as soon as possible. Please be sure you are following this prize page on HeroX to receive a notification when the announcement has been posted.  

Thank you for your patience!   

Don’t forget that submissions are due next Monday, Oct. 5, by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time for the Providing Opportunities for Specialized Education in Critical Technologies (PROSPECT) Planning Prize. Late submissions will not be accepted, so please upload all required submission materials by the 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time deadline. 

If you experience technical difficulties, please reach out to  immediately for support.  

The prize administrators look forward to reviewing your plans to increase the critical minerals and materials workforce!  

Applications are now open through Oct. 5 for the Providing Opportunities for Specialized Education in Critical Technologies (PROSPECT) Planning Prize. Here’s what you need to know to prepare:  

1. Read the rules thoroughly, including sections on eligibility, submission materials, and prize background.  

2. View the recorded PROSPECT Planning Prize informational webinar, in which prize administrators from the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Laboratory of the Rockies cover the rules and provide additional context.  

3. Post questions in the HeroX forum or reach out to . All questions submitted to the prize inbox will be answered publicly in the forum or FAQ sections.  

4. Prepare your submission materials. A complete submission package includes the following items:  

   • Cover page (required) 

   • Eligibility and institutional certification (required) 

   • Workplan narrative (required) 

   • Leadership support (required) 

   • Summary slide (required) 

   • Activity timeline (optional) 

   • Budget plan (optional) 

   • Recruitment, enrollment, matriculation, credentialed—population metrics (optional) 

   • Additional support (optional) 

5. Upload your complete submission by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, Oct. 5. 

This is your school’s opportunity to earn cash awards for plans to double the number of graduates and credentialed workers entering the workforce by the end of the 2028 calendar year. Submit by Oct. 5 for your chance to win $1 million!