Air Force Fiscal Year 2026 Young Investigator Program (YIP)

The Fiscal Year 2026 Air Force Young Investigator Research Program (YIP), administered by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), provides competitive funding to support the early career development of exceptional scientists and engineers engaged in basic research. This program is designed to encourage innovative, high-impact research in fields relevant to the Air Force and Space Force missions. It targets individuals who earned a Ph.D. or equivalent degree on or after April 1, 2018, and are employed in full-time, non-contractor positions at eligible U.S. institutions. Researchers at federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) or Department of Defense (DoD) laboratories are excluded from eligibility. The YIP awards are granted to U.S. institutions of higher education, industrial labs, or nonprofit organizations, where the PI must be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident. Each award provides up to $150,000 per year for a maximum duration of three years, totaling up to $450,000. Only one portfolio area may be proposed per application. Funding supports fundamental research in any of the areas listed under the AFOSR Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), with a specific opportunity to receive funding in collaboration with the Laboratory for Physical Sciences (LPS) for proposals focusing on gate-based quantum computing. Applicants must first submit a white paper summarizing their research concept by July 25, 2025, and are encouraged to contact the appropriate AFOSR Program Officer for guidance. The deadline for full proposal submissions through Grants.gov is September 19, 2025. The government will evaluate proposals based on technical merit, potential alignment with Department of Defense goals, and the PI’s capacity to carry out the project. Selections will be announced by February 14, 2026, with award issuance expected by March 1, 2026. The opportunity is not rolling but is expected to recur annually, and applicants should anticipate the next cycle to begin in early 2027. The application must follow detailed formatting and submission instructions, including a maximum 20-page project narrative, submission through Grants.gov, and use of specified forms such as SF-424, R&R Budget, and a Data Management Plan. Proposals must avoid confidential or proprietary information, adhere to DoD disclosure policies, and include documentation such as the R&R Senior/Key Person Profile and Security Risk Review forms. Covered Individuals must disclose all current and pending support per federal requirements. Applicants must ensure they are registered with SAM.gov and Grants.gov, including obtaining an ORCID for all key personnel. All proposals are subject to merit-based internal review, security risk assessments, and funding availability. Contact for technical inquiries is Ellen Robinson (afosryip@us.af.mil), and the AFOSR Grants Officer may also be reached at the same email. The NOFO ID is NOFOAFRLAFOSR20250006 and corresponds to CFDA number 12.800 under the Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program.

Consult program officers in advance and follow detailed formatting rules; white paper feedback is highly encouraged.