DARPARA2701

Research Announcement (RA)
Young Faculty Award (YFA) 2027
Defense Sciences Office (DSO)

DARPARA2701

October 20, 2026

This Research Announcement (RA) constitutes a public notice of a competitive funding opportunity as described in 2 CFR § 200.203. Any resultant negotiations and/or awards will follow all laws and regulations applicable to the specific award instrument(s) available under this RA.

Overview Information:
•

Federal Agency Name – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Defense Sciences Office (DSO)

•

Funding Opportunity Title – Young Faculty Award (YFA)

•

Announcement Type – Initial Announcement

•

Funding Opportunity Number – DARPARA2701

•

Assistance Listing Number: 12.910 Research and Technology Development

•

Dates/Time – All Times are Eastern Time Zone (ET)
o
o
o
o

Posting Date: October 20, 2026
Executive Summary Due Date: November 5, 2026, 4:00 p.m. Question Submittal Closed: January 5, 2027, 4:00 p.m.
Full Proposal Due Date: January 13, 2027, 4:00 p.m.

•

Anticipated Individual Awards – Multiple awards are anticipated.

•

Anticipated Funding Available for Award:
o 24-month Base Period: Up to $500,000 (each 12-month interval of the base period shall not exceed $250,000).
o 12-month Director’s Fellowship option period: Up to $500,000 (contingent upon selection).
o United States (U.S.) Citizen Graduate Student option: Up to $225,000 (must run concurrently with the base period and not exceed 12 months). o In total, the maximum funding amount possible per award is $1,225,000, inclusive of the base period, Director’s Fellowship option period, and the U.S. Citizen Graduate Student option.

•

Eligibility: DARPA encourages proposals from Principal Investigators who have not previously proposed to a Government solicitation. All proposed personnel to include the Key Personnel (the Principal Investigator), Senior Personnel and all team members must be employed at a U.S. institution. Citizens of China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela are not eligible for inclusion on a YFA proposal as Key or Senior Personnel. The proposed Principal Investigator (PI) must be in a current tenure track faculty position, a tenured faculty within 3 years of their tenure date, or an equivalent at a non-profit research institution within 12 years of the receipt of their doctorate. A proposed PI who has received funding greater than $500,000 from DARPA or $1,250,000 from all Department of War (DoW) sources combined as either a prime or subawardee is not eligible to apply for the