Continuing Human Enabling Enhancing Restoring and Sustaining

The "Continuing Human Enabling Enhancing Restoring and Sustaining" (CHEERS) funding opportunity, issued by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Human Effectiveness Directorate (AFRL/RH) and the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM), is structured under the Multiple Authority Announcement (MAA) mechanism. This opportunity supports a comprehensive approach to human-centered science and technology, covering research and development from basic science to applied technology and operational deployment. Administered under Assistance Listing 12.800—Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program—this program seeks to optimize, enable, and sustain Airmen across multi-domain operations through strategic investment in bioengineering, cognitive performance, readiness, and human-machine teaming. AFRL’s Airman Systems Directorate is a key unit within the 711th Human Performance Wing, spearheading research in areas essential to the health, performance, and operational readiness of Airmen. The CHEERS MAA provides flexibility for proposers to submit white papers and full proposals based on targeted research areas, product lines, core technical competencies (CTCs), and core research areas (CRAs). These research areas include enhancing aeromedical evacuation, human performance sensing and augmentation, operational medicine, biotechnology, directed energy bioeffects, and advanced human-machine interaction systems. The three primary divisions—Airman Biosciences (RHB), Bioeffects (RHD), and Warfighter Interactions & Readiness (RHW)—guide research focus and delineate technology transition pathways. The scope of the opportunity is intentionally broad, encouraging contributions from a range of disciplines. It supports both foundational and advanced science and technology initiatives, particularly those that help transition promising research into defense applications. For example, RHB focuses on wearable technologies and health optimization; RHD investigates the effects and modeling of directed energy on biological systems; RHW advances cognitive modeling, adaptive interfaces, and co-learning for human-machine teams. All activities must align with clearly identified technical requirements and must reference their targeted product line or research area in any submission. Eligibility for this grant is generally unrestricted. However, there are caveats specific to Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), which must secure determination letters from their sponsoring agency and AFRL to confirm alignment with their mission and non-competition with private industry. Foreign-owned firms must notify the contracting officer before applying and may face participation restrictions. There are no restrictions based on geographic location; all U.S.-based and international entities are invited to apply, subject to these clarifications. The CHEERS MAA uses a flexible submission process via Grants.gov, accommodating both unsolicited white papers and responses to future specific calls for proposals. No specific funding ceiling, floor, or total program funding amount has been published in the current notice. Similarly, the expected number of awards is not listed. The opportunity was posted on August 7, 2025, and the application period is exceptionally long, closing on August 22, 2044. This indicates a long-term strategic funding mechanism rather than a time-bound grant competition. There is no rolling deadline or recurring cycle stated. Interested applicants can obtain further information or submit technical questions by contacting Amber A. Taylor at 703-347-5655. Additionally, communication through the CHEERS MAA organizational email is encouraged, particularly for eligibility clarifications. This opportunity does not require matching funds and is discretionary in nature, utilizing grant, cooperative agreement, or other contractual funding instruments as appropriate to each project.