Young Faculty Award (YFA) 2027

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is seeking early‑career faculty members (or equivalent non‑profit researchers) to undertake high‑impact, high‑risk research in one of 18 predefined topic areas. The award is a cooperative agreement that provides up to $500 k for a 24‑month base period, with optional additional funding of $500 k for a Director’s Fellowship and $225 k for a U.S. citizen graduate‑student component, potentially reaching a total of $1.225 M over a 36‑month performance window. Applicants must be U.S.‑based, meet citizenship restrictions, and have not previously received DARPA funding. The solicitation includes a blind executive‑summary, a full technical & management proposal, and several mandatory attachments covering compliance, budget, and IP. • Eligible PI: tenure‑track or newly tenured faculty (≤ 12 years post‑PhD) at a U.S. institution, no prior DARPA award. • Funding structure: $500 k base (max $250 k per 12‑month segment) + optional $500 k fellowship + optional $225 k graduate‑student award. • Required deliverables: technical milestones, two 2‑day Washington D.C. meetings, one 2‑day San Diego meeting (base), plus a Washington meeting for the fellowship; quarterly reports, final technical and financial reports, and compliance certifications. • Submission process: executive summary via DARPA BAAT by 5 Nov 2026; full proposal via Grants.gov by 13 Jan 2027; all attachments (A‑G) must be included.