Innovation Ecosystem Program (IEP)

4. Can I apply to this grant for a project that has already received funding from another MassCEC program?

MassCEC will not provide funding for the same project through multiple programs. All project proposals must be distinct and must not have previously received MassCEC funding. In addition, "Applicants previously awarded a FY26 MassCEC Ocean Innovation Network 'Track 2: Ocean Innovation Network Support' grant remain eligible to apply for IEP. However, due to IEP's competitive nature, MassCEC will carefully review proposed impact, scope of work, and articulation of need for additional funding for these ESOs." See Section IV in the RFP for more details.

5. Additionally, does MassCEC want virtual or in-person cohorts?

Both formats are eligible. Past grantees have used virtual, in-person, or hybrid approaches. Applicants must "demonstrate that a significant portion of their [existing] membership base consists of Massachusetts-based Climatetech startups." See section IV in the RFP for details.

6. Are you expecting 10-12 awardees for just Track 1, or in total for both Track 1 and 2?

10–12 total across Tracks 1 and 2.

7. Can you explain more and give examples of a fellowship program?

See Section IV of the RFP for a full description and eligibility criteria.

8. Will we get a go/no go notification based on the concept paper to do a full RFP?

Yes. Notifications will be sent by February 11, 2026.

9. How much is available for scholarships overall?

The scholarship program is not running this year. It has been replaced by the fellowship program, which has a $900,000 funding pool.

10. Do you have a max number of fellows you anticipate for one ESO?

No. See fellowship requirements in Section IV of the RFP.

11. Can you discuss more about the previous experiences needed to apply for Track 2?

"The Fellowship has been in operation for at least one (1) year (i.e., established on or before November 1, 2024), or the ESO has a proven track record of successfully administering a similar Fellowship in prior years." See Section IV of the RFP.

12. Can the previous programming be "fellowships" that were in the form of expert supports as opposed to "cash" to the startups itself for their operations?

As long as it reasonably aligns with the description of Fellowships in Section I and Section IV in the RFP, a fellowship is "an existing (for at least 1 full year) program that advances the translation of research into Climatetech businesses, products, and jobs in the energy, transportation, and buildings sectors by providing resources, mentorship, and support to Participating Fellows." Fellows include "inventors spinning out of Massachusetts universities or laboratories, or existing Massachusetts inventors working on Climatetech at Technology Readiness Level ('TRL') 2–6 that have raised no more than $2.5M (including, but not limited to, non-dilutive grants, angel investments, venture capital)."

13. Does wave energy (which is still primarily not grid tied in) be considered for the energy sector?

Yes. See the definition of Climatetech in Section I in the RFP as well as prioritized industries in Section III.

14. For small teams / part-time employees, how will that be evaluated? I see the team is heavily weighted in the criteria.

Justify demand for your proposal and clearly articulate each team member's expertise. See Section VII for full selection criteria.

15. Is there any restrictions on what the Track 1 funding can be used for? I saw no capex and no direct entrepreneur payments (since that's Track 2). Is paying external contractors ok, event or travel expenses?

Eligible expenses include staff salaries, program delivery, outreach, rent/utilities, and similar operating costs. All items must be justified as necessary and reasonable. See Section VIII in the RFP.

16. Is the fellowship based on a TRL level(s)?

Yes. Fellows include "inventors spinning out of Massachusetts universities or laboratories, or existing Massachusetts inventors working on Climatetech at Technology Readiness Level ('TRL') 2–6 that have raised no more than $2.5M (including, but not limited to, non-dilutive grants, angel investments, venture capital)." See more in Section IV in the RFP.

17. Are Fellows allowed to apply for other MassCEC grants?

Yes.

18. Does MassCEC have a public document defining TRL levels for cleantech? If so, can you provide a link?

Yes, here: MassCEC Readiness Calculator.xlsm

19. Can a startup that has been affiliated with a Mass program receive the fellowships if they move here (in other words do they need to be Massachusetts based at the time of the application?)

Fellows "must be inventors spinning out of Massachusetts universities or laboratories, or existing Massachusetts-based inventors developing Climatetech." And "Fellows must reside in Massachusetts and operate their research or business activities in Massachusetts for the duration of the Fellowship." See Section IV in the RFP.

20. Does participation in other MassCEC programs impact eligibility/grading?

MassCEC will not provide funding for the same project through multiple programs. All project proposals must be distinct and must not have previously received MassCEC funding. In addition, "Applicants previously awarded a FY26 MassCEC Ocean Innovation Network 'Track 2: Ocean Innovation Network Support' grant remain eligible to apply for IEP. However, due to IEP's competitive nature, MassCEC will carefully review proposed impact, scope of work, and articulation of need for additional funding for these ESOs." See Section IV of the RFP.

21. Do you envision the ESO submitting a proposal with a specific fellow already "selected" and specified in the proposal, or do you envision the ESO requesting funds to support a fellow and then inviting applicants to that fellowship opportunity once the funds are already approved?

The applicant can submit with the intent to either recruit a new cohort of Fellows or support existing Fellows. However, the budget costs will need to be occurring for the upcoming year.

• If the ESO plans on using funds to secure a new cohort, the RFP states that "ESOs must involve MassCEC in the Fellow selection process to ensure alignment with MassCEC's mission and program objectives" and "MassCEC's approval of fellow selections and proof of signed fellowship agreement(s)". See Sections IV and VIII in the RFP.
• If you have already selected the Fellow, describe this in the proposal, anticipating that "Budget items must be justified as to why it is a necessary and reasonable part of the proposal." See Section VIII of the RFP.

22. Are there going to be metrics / reporting on fellow development(s)?

Yes. A metrics template will be provided at contracting to track commercialization milestones, FTEs, fundraising, etc.

23. Just to confirm, we don't necessarily have to have identified the fellows in advance, what would timeline be to identify them?

No. Fellows should be confirmed within the year. MassCEC must approve selections and signed agreements. As the RFP states, "ESOs must involve MassCEC in the Fellow selection process to ensure alignment with MassCEC's mission and program objectives" and "MassCEC's approval of fellow selections and proof of signed fellowship agreement(s)". See Sections IV and VIII in the RFP.

24. Can we include travel and other direct costs (ODCs) e.g. funding for conference attendance in the budget?

Yes. Funding through IEP is generally flexible; however, capital expenditures are not eligible. "Budget items must be justified as to why it is a necessary and reasonable part of the proposal." See Section VIII of the RFP for details on eligible budget items and costs.

25. Will the budget have to be on a cost basis or are we allowed to incorporate our fee margin also?

Provide as much detail as possible to articulate the need for funding and a realistic breakdown of programming costs. "Budget items must be justified as to why it is a necessary and reasonable part of the proposal." See Section VIII of the RFP for details on eligible budget items and costs.

26. Provided we decide to propose an initiative that will augment existing work, will a pilot programming that focuses on our graduates/portfolio company be fine? Or is the expectation from MassCEC that any programmatic conceived under this RFP be made open to a wider potential participant pool?

Proposals should aim for the greatest impact and public benefit. They may support "...existing or develop new startup program(s) that provide targeted support to Climatetech entrepreneurs." See Section I and IV in the RFP for details.

27. How many grants does MassCEC expect to award under IEP 2026?

Up to 10–12 awards.

28. The RFP also includes Attachment 4: Sample Agreement - should we fill that out in the concept or full-proposal stage or is it something to be filled out upon award?

No. Attachment 4 is for reference during the Concept Paper stage. If selected as a finalist, you will redline the contract as part of your Full Application submission. See Section VI of the RFP for details.

29. Is the program intended to support entrepreneurial support organizations that are seeking to establish or expand sustained programming in Massachusetts, particularly where the organization brings proven commercialization and deployment expertise that is not currently operating at scale within the state?

Proposals should aim for the greatest impact and public benefit. They may support "...existing or develop new startup program(s) that provide targeted support to [MA-based] Climatetech entrepreneurs." See Section I and IV in the RFP for details.

30. How does Mass Clean Energy view proposals from organizations that do not yet have a physical presence in Massachusetts but propose to build in-state capacity through dedicated Massachusetts-focused programming?

Eligible applicants must "demonstrate that a significant portion of their [existing] membership base consists of Massachusetts-based Climatetech startups." See section IV in the RFP for details.

31. To what extent is Mass Clean Energy interested in funding organizations that bring tested models, transferable lessons, and demonstrated commercialization pathways from other leading clean energy markets into Massachusetts, rather than replicating existing in-state offerings?

Previous grantees have included online-only accelerators that have an existing Massachusetts based members. Eligible applicants must "demonstrate that a significant portion of their membership base consists of Massachusetts-based Climatetech startups." See section IV in the RFP for details.

32. From Mass Clean Energy's perspective, what are the most significant gaps in the Massachusetts climatetech ecosystem that this funding opportunity is intended to address, particularly related to adoption, deployment, and scaling beyond early-stage innovation?

See Program Goals in Section III of the RFP.

33. When evaluating proposals, what signals most clearly demonstrate that an organization should be supported as a long-term ecosystem partner in Massachusetts, rather than as a short-term program operator?

See Section VII in the RFP for all of the program's selection criteria.

34. Is the program open to supporting ESOs that work with startups looking to establish or expand operations in Massachusetts, even if those startups do not yet have an in-state presence at the time of application, provided the proposed programming is explicitly designed to support market entry, deployment, and scaling within Massachusetts?

Yes. However, eligible applicants must "demonstrate that a significant portion of their [existing] membership base consists of Massachusetts-based Climatetech startups." See section IV in the RFP for details.

35. The RFP states that "ESOs must involve MassCEC in the Fellow selection process to ensure alignment with MassCEC's mission and program objectives." Do you have a sense of what level of involvement MassCEC will require?

At minimum we'll need "MassCEC's approval of fellow selections and proof of signed fellowship agreement(s)" for grantees to receive payment (See Section VIII of the RFP). This will take form before Fellows are notified, MassCEC has right to approve or disapprove of selected Fellows if they do not align with the requirements of IEP.

36. Concept paper application notes that grant awards are typically for 12 months; however, our fellowship is for two years. Given this, would MassCEC have any concerns about the fact that we would not have final/complete data available until after the fellowship's second year?

Grantees are responsible for selecting their Deliverable Dates. You'd be able to select two years from now to be the final deliverable, or work with MassCEC during contracting to find an appropriate date and outcome for the final deliverable. See Section VIII of the RFP.