Young Faculty Award (YFA) 2027
DARPA funds early-career faculty and equivalent non-profit researchers to pursue innovative research with potential to enable transformative Department of War national security capabilities.
⚑ Early-career faculty/equivalent junior researchers only; intended for applicants without prior DARPA funding. · Eligibility is restricted by federal contract notice; verify solicitation language for any additional institutional or role-based limits. · National security-oriented topic fit is central; not a general-purpose research award.
This is a DARPA early-career basic research program centered on defense-relevant technical innovation, materials, AI, and computing. IPPRA’s strength is social-behavioral research on public opinion, risk perception, warning response, education policy, and energy/environment attitudes, so this is not a plausible PI-level fit for the team.
JUDGED AGAINST THE ROSTER'S PUBLICATION DOSSIER · GPT-5.4-MINI · 2026-10-24
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 90 strong | technical depth: central; funds basic research |
| IPPRA | 58 good | portfolio topic: national_security_defense (primary); social/behavioral work is minor; funds basic research |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 30 weak | prototyping/demonstration stage; deep-tech content |
Description
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Award (YFA) program aims to identify and engage rising stars in junior research positions in academia and equivalent positions at non-profit research institutions, particularly those without prior DARPA funding, to expose them to Department of War (DoW) needs and DARPA’s mission to create and prevent technological surprise for national security. The YFA program provides high-impact funding to researchers early in their careers to develop innovative new research that enables transformative DoW capabilities. Ultimately, the YFA program developes the next generation of researchers focused on national security issues.
Eligibility
Applicant restrictions (federal contract). Set-aside: . Notice type: Solicitation. Organization: DEPT OF DEFENSE / DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY (DARPA) / DEF ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGCY.
Apply
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · Department of Defense (BAA-style) conventions SEE A DOD EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — Department of Defense (BAA-style)'s document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.