Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Office Of Naval Research (ONR) Young Investigator Program (YIP)

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) Young Investigator Program (YIP) for Fiscal Year 2026 is a prestigious and competitive funding opportunity aimed at identifying and supporting early-career academic scientists and engineers. This initiative, administered by the Department of the Navy, is designed to foster creative research that aligns with naval science and technology priorities. The YIP supports researchers in their first or second full-time tenure-track or equivalent faculty appointment, who received their doctoral degree on or after January 1, 2018. The program targets individuals demonstrating exceptional promise for conducting innovative research with long-term potential to contribute to national security and technological advancement. The ONR anticipates awarding up to 25 grants under this solicitation, distributing approximately $18.75 million in total funding. Each award will typically amount to $750,000 distributed over a three-year performance period. Funding may be used for a range of allowable expenses such as summer salary for investigators, graduate student support, research supplies, and applicable indirect costs. Each investigator may request up to $250,000 per year. Notably, no more than five awards will be made per ONR Science and Technology Department. Applicants are strongly encouraged to engage with ONR Program Officers in advance to ensure alignment with department research priorities. Eligible applicants must be affiliated with U.S. institutions of higher education that confer degrees in science, engineering, or mathematics, or U.S.-based nonprofit organizations primarily focused on scientific and educational services. The principal investigator must be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident, and tenured faculty and prior ONR YIP recipients are ineligible. Additionally, proposals must demonstrate strong university support through letters of commitment and include detailed qualifications of the principal investigator, research strategy, and future relevance to naval science and technology. Applications are submitted electronically via Grants.gov, and must adhere strictly to format and content requirements outlined in the notice. The proposal includes a technical narrative, data management plan, budget, biographical sketches, and a letter of institutional support. Proposals must be submitted by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on August 1, 2025. Questions concerning technical topics must be submitted by July 25, 2025, and questions regarding grants submissions must be submitted by the same date. White papers are not being solicited for this cycle. All submissions will undergo a competitive review process that assesses technical merit, naval relevance, qualifications of the investigator, institutional support, and budget realism. The ONR will notify selected applicants of award decisions by November 1, 2025, with funding anticipated to begin on January 1, 2026. Applications will be reviewed for completeness, eligibility, and alignment with ONR's science and technology objectives, including consideration of risks related to foreign influence. Applicants are encouraged to consult ONR’s website and resources for additional guidance, including sample model grants and specific information about S&T departments. The designated contact for programmatic and eligibility-related inquiries is Dr. Reginald G. Williams (ONRYIP@navy.mil), while grants submission questions should be directed to Veronica Lacey (veronica.y.lacey.civ@us.navy.mil). Comprehensive administrative and post-award policies, including data security, biosafety, and reporting requirements, are detailed in the full notice.

Applicants should contact ONR Program Officers to align proposals. Strict formatting and content requirements must be followed.