Research Interests of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), as part of the Air Force Research Laboratory, administers the basic research investment for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. It achieves this by managing a comprehensive portfolio across universities, industry, and internal Air Force laboratories. The AFOSR uses a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) to solicit unclassified, non-proprietary proposals under the Defense Research Sciences Program. This funding initiative targets groundbreaking fundamental scientific research capable of supporting future military and commercial technologies. This BAA remains continuously open until superseded and supports a wide variety of scientific domains categorized under engineering, physical sciences, information and networks, and biological and chemical sciences. The funding mechanisms include grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and other transaction types, depending on the research scope. Typical awards range from $100,000 to $300,000 annually and are usually awarded for three years, extendable up to five. Total available program funding is approximately $200 million, though awards may be made in part or in full based on available funds and proposal merit. Eligibility for funding includes a wide range of organizations, including educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, for-profits, and government entities. Detailed eligibility criteria and requirements for specific security and risk reviews are included in the full BAA. Applicants must be registered with SAM.gov, have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), and submit proposals electronically via Grants.gov. Proposals are evaluated based on scientific merit, relevance to the Air Force mission, and potential impact, with an emphasis on innovation, the proposer’s capabilities, and the cost realism. The application requires a full narrative including technical objectives, background, methodology, and potential outcomes. Supporting documents such as a detailed budget, biographical sketches, and facilities descriptions are required. Applicants are encouraged to communicate with program officers before submission, especially to discuss alignment with program goals, the current state-of-the-art, and appropriate budget and scope. Specific guidance for developing white papers and pre-proposals is also provided. There is no specific opening or closing date; proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis. However, applicants are advised to contact program officers between November and April for optimal alignment with the budget cycle. The BAA lists detailed points of contact for each scientific area, along with submission guidance. Notably, program officers for each focus area (e.g., aerodynamics, materials science, quantum information) offer email and phone contact details to facilitate early engagement with potential applicants.

Engage program officers early; best window is November through April. Tailor proposal to fundamental research with clear scientific innovation. Avoid proposing applied R&D.