Your TL;DR: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Award is a cooperative agreement opportunity for eligible early-career researchers at U.S. academic and nonprofit research institutions. Institutional eligibility alone does not establish that a principal investigator or topic qualifies under DARPARA2701.
DARPA posted the Fiscal Year 2027 Young Faculty Award on October 20, 2026, with full proposals due January 13, 2027. Grants.gov identifies a discretionary cooperative agreement under Assistance Listing 12.910, even though a parallel notice appears on SAM.gov.
The Investigator Must Qualify
The program targets early-career faculty at U.S. academic institutions and equivalent positions at eligible nonprofit research institutions, with priority for investigators without previous DARPA funding. Exact career-stage limits, prior-support rules, and appointment requirements belong to the current announcement.
Sponsored research offices should review appointment, independence, prior federal support, and institutional status against DARPARA2701. A university’s general eligibility cannot cure an ineligible investigator.
DARPA Fit Requires More Than Technical Novelty
DARPA pursues high-risk, high-impact research connected to national-security needs. A strong academic idea still needs a credible connection to the specified topic and intended capability.
Prospective applicants can use an early fit review to separate a promising research direction from a proposal-ready DARPA project.
Confirm the Current DARPA Process
January 13 provides a workable preparation window for a ready team, but only after the full announcement confirms topic rules, proposal components, and any executive-summary process. Applicants should not reuse award figures or dates from an earlier competition.
EBHC prefers 45 to 60 calendar days for complex federal proposal work, subject to scope, readiness, internal deadlines, closures, and availability. The applicant remains responsible for scientific content, approvals, registrations, and final submission.
To learn more, read the official Grants.gov listing for DARPARA2701.