Young Faculty Award (YFA) 2027

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency seeks proposals for the Young Faculty Award (YFA) 2027 program to fund innovative fundamental research addressing Department of War national security needs, with executive summaries due November 5, 2026, and full proposals due January 13, 2027. Awards are issued as Cooperative Agreements.

Eligible Principal Investigators must hold current tenure-track or tenured positions (within three years of tenure) at U.S. academic institutions, or equivalent positions at non-profit research institutions within 12 years of doctorate receipt. PIs with prior DARPA funding exceeding $500,000 or total Department of War funding exceeding $1,250,000 are ineligible. Citizens of China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela are prohibited from serving as Key or Senior Personnel. Proposals must be single-PI submissions without co-PIs, though teaming with supporting personnel is permitted. Each proposer may submit one executive summary and one full proposal addressing only one of 18 specified topic areas spanning artificial intelligence, materials science, quantum computing, and biological systems.

The base period runs 24 months (two 12-month intervals) with a maximum of $250,000 per interval ($500,000 total). Optional funding includes up to $500,000 for a Director's Fellowship and up to $225,000 for a concurrent U.S. Citizen Graduate Student option, yielding total potential funding of $1,225,000 per award. The program focuses exclusively on fundamental research; applied research proposals will not be selected. Researchers at Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, University Affiliated Research Centers, National Laboratories, or other government entities are ineligible.

Executive summaries are limited to one page (excluding cover sheets) and submitted through the Broad Agency Announcement Tool. Full proposals, submitted via Grants.gov, are limited to eight pages (excluding cover sheets, transmittal letters, summary slides, table of contents, references, and supporting materials) and must include a statement of work detailing the 36-month program structure with specific objectives, milestones, and deliverables. The NAICS code is 541715, and evaluation emphasizes scientific and technical merit, contribution to DARPA's mission, and cost realism.