EERC Foundation

What EERC Foundation does

EERC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota, organized to support and channel private funding for scientific research conducted at the University of North Dakota's Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC). Its functional purpose is to serve as the private-sector funding and contracting vehicle for EERC's research portfolio, targeting public-sector sponsors, industry clients, and the general public as stakeholders in energy and environmental technology development.

The foundation operates across a broad research technology stack spanning coal utilization, advanced materials, critical minerals and rare earth elements (REE), carbon management, oil and gas, alternative fuels and renewables, hydrogen, electrochemical systems, and the energy-water nexus. In 2023, the foundation restructured its commercial interface by forming two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Heartland Hydrogen Hub LLC, which serves as the DOE prime recipient for the Heartland Hydrogen Hub Project under a federal cooperative agreement, and EERC Enterprise Solutions Inc., a for-profit contracting arm intended to expand industry-side commercial engagement. These entities commercialize research under the consolidated EERC Services brand.

The foundation's business model is sponsored research, with revenue derived from government grants and industry contracts rather than product sales or licensing royalties. The foundation itself maintains a small employee footprint (six listed), with most research execution and labor occurring within the affiliated UND EERC research center rather than the foundation entity. Distribution is direct via cooperative agreements, sponsored research contracts, and program partnerships.

Name

EERC Foundation

Legal name

EERC Foundation

Website

https://eercfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EERC Foundation is a Grand Forks, ND-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds and contracts scientific R&D conducted at the University of North Dakota's Energy & Environmental Research Center across coal, hydrogen, critical minerals, and carbon management technologies for government and industry sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy & Environmental Research Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Engineering Services (541330), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Energy research services
• Environmental research center
• Carbon management research
• Hydrogen hub development
• Critical minerals research

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Forks

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Sponsored Research: Government and industry sponsored research agreements supporting scientific R&D at the EERC to transform cutting-edge research into real-world solutions

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The EERC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports scientific research and development at the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC). It conducts and manages sponsored research in coal utilization, advanced materials, critical minerals and rare earth elements, carbon management, oil and gas, alternative fuels and renewables, hydrogen, electrochemical research, and energy-water solutions. The Foundation operates laboratory capabilities, pilot-scale demonstration facilities, and custom fabrication services to transform cutting-edge research into real-world solutions for government, industry, and the public.

Product overview

The EERC Foundation is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that supports scientific research and development at the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC), helping transform cutting-edge research into real-world solutions. The foundation primarily operates under the brand name EERC Services® and supports the development and deployment of innovative technologies. It has two wholly owned subsidiary entities: Heartland Hydrogen Hub, LLC (organized 2023, serves as Prime Recipient under DOE Cooperative Agreement for the Heartland Hydrogen Hub Project) and EERC Enterprise Solutions, Inc. (organized 2023, manages contractual relationships involving for-profit activities).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sponsored Research Services
• Laboratory Capabilities
• Pilot-Scale Demonstration
• Custom Fabrication
• Heartland Hydrogen Hub, LLC
• EERC Enterprise Solutions, Inc.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• U.S. Department of EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023The U.S. Department of Energy entered into a Cooperative Agreement with Heartland Hydrogen Hub, LLC (a wholly owned entity of the EERC Foundation) to carry out the Heartland Hydrogen Hub Project. Heartland Hydrogen Hub, LLC serves as the Prime Recipient under this Cooperative Agreement.

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• RTI International: Independent nonprofit research institute delivering scientific and technical research for government and industry clients. Comparable to EERC Foundation in operating model (nonprofit, sponsored research across energy, environmental, and applied science domains).
• Battelle Memorial Institute: Large nonprofit applied science and technology organization that manages national laboratories and conducts energy/environmental R&D. Comparable to EERC Foundation as a nonprofit research institution translating cutting-edge science into commercial and government applications.
• Idaho National Laboratory (INL): DOE national laboratory leading nuclear energy, critical minerals, and energy systems research. Comparable to EERC Foundation because both serve as federally-aligned applied research hubs covering advanced energy and resource topics relevant to U.S. strategic priorities.
• Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI): Nonprofit, member-funded energy R&D organization serving the electricity sector. Comparable to EERC Foundation as a nonprofit research entity that conducts industry-sponsored, applied energy research across multiple technology domains.
• Gas Technology Institute (GTI Energy): Nonprofit research organization advancing energy technology with a focus on natural gas, hydrogen, and decarbonization. Comparable to EERC Foundation in mission, nonprofit structure, and applied energy R&D spanning conventional fuels and emerging low-carbon technologies.
• Argonne National Laboratory: DOE national laboratory with broad energy and sustainability research programs including hydrogen, electrochemical storage, and advanced materials. Comparable to EERC Foundation because both are federally-sponsored, multi-topic energy and environmental research entities.
• Southwest Research Institute (SwRI): Independent, nonprofit applied research and development organization serving government and industry. Comparable to EERC Foundation as a nonprofit, contract research organization delivering multi-domain energy and environmental R&D.
• National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL): DOE national laboratory focused on fossil energy and carbon management research. Highly comparable to EERC Foundation because both pursue DOE-sponsored R&D across coal, oil & gas, carbon management, and advanced energy systems.
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): DOE national laboratory focused on renewable energy and energy efficiency R&D. Directly comparable to EERC Foundation because both operate as federally-aligned research entities delivering applied energy and environmental research with public-private funding.
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL): DOE national laboratory conducting multi-disciplinary energy, environmental, and chemical research. Comparable to EERC Foundation in DOE-aligned applied research across hydrogen, carbon management, advanced materials, and energy systems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UNDEERC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/undeerc
• Facebookfacebook.com/UNDEERC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eerc-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/und_eerc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EERC Foundation