Air Force Fiscal Year 2026 Young Investigator Program (YIP)

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) administers the Fiscal Year 2026 Air Force Young Investigator Research Program (YIP), designed to support early-career scientists and engineers who have earned a Ph.D. or equivalent degree on or after April 1, 2018. The program’s mission is to encourage creative basic research in science and engineering, accelerate the career development of exceptional young researchers, and expand their opportunities to understand and contribute to the Air Force and Space Force missions and associated technical challenges. Awards are provided to U.S. institutions of higher education, industrial laboratories, for-profit entities, and nonprofit research organizations where the principal investigator (PI) holds a permanent, full-time, non-contractor position and is a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident. Researchers at Federally Funded Research and Development Centers or Department of Defense laboratories are not eligible. AFOSR anticipates awarding at least 37 traditional YIP grants and 2 additional awards in partnership with the Laboratory for Physical Sciences (LPS) in the Quantum Information Sciences portfolio, with the possibility of further awards depending on available funds. Awards are typically made for three years, with a maximum of $150,000 per year and a total of $450,000. No single year’s funding may exceed $150,000. Research areas must align with topics in the current AFOSR Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), and applicants should consult with the appropriate AFOSR Program Officer to ensure relevance. Applications require submission of a white paper summarizing research ideas via the AFOSR white paper portal by July 25, 2025. White papers are evaluated for potential and relevance, and feedback is provided by August 22, 2025. Only those who submit a white paper under this NOFO are eligible to submit a full proposal. Full proposals must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by September 19, 2025. Pre-proposal questions must be submitted by July 4, 2025, with responses provided by July 11, 2025. Proposal requirements include a data management plan, project narrative, budget and justification, CVs, and other specified federal forms. Proposals will be evaluated primarily on technical merit and relevance to Department of Defense missions, with additional consideration given to potential for new research capabilities, applicant qualifications, and the ability to achieve Air Force and Space Force objectives. The review process may include both peer and programmatic evaluations, and cost reasonableness will be assessed before award. Security risk reviews are required for all Senior/Key Personnel, along with disclosures of conflicts of interest and current and pending support. Anticipated award notifications will be issued by February 14, 2026, with project start dates expected no later than March 1, 2026, subject to funding availability. All research funded must be unclassified, and results are expected to be publicly disseminated. Questions regarding specific research topics should be directed to the appropriate AFOSR Program Officer, while general inquiries can be sent to afosryip@us.af.mil.