FY24 Young Investigator Program | N00014 23 S F004

Opportunity Information: Apply for N00014 23 S F004

The FY24 Young Investigator Program (YIP) is a competitive research grant opportunity run by the Department of Defense through the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Its main purpose is to bring highly promising early-career researchers into the Navy and Marine Corps science and technology ecosystem by supporting innovative, high-impact research at U.S. universities and similar non-profit academic settings. The program is designed to help launch and accelerate the research trajectories of new faculty while also building long-term connections between ONR program officers and emerging academic leaders.

This opportunity specifically targets academic scientists and engineers who are early in their faculty careers. Applicants must be in their first or second full-time tenure-track appointment (or a tenure-track-equivalent position) and must have earned a PhD or equivalent degree on or after January 1, 2016. While the emphasis is on faculty at U.S. institutions of higher education, individuals in comparable U.S. non-profit positions are also encouraged to apply, reflecting the program's broader interest in supporting top-tier early-career talent conducting research aligned with naval priorities.

From a research standpoint, YIP is not limited to a single narrow topic area. ONR will consider proposals that address research areas aligned with ONR program officer interests as described within the ONR Science and Technology Department listings on the Navy Research website (https://www.nre.navy.mil/). In practice, this means applicants are expected to propose work that clearly connects to ongoing ONR science and technology thrusts, and it is beneficial to identify the most relevant division and program officer early since each division represents a specific portfolio area within the broader ONR S and T structure. The opportunity materials point applicants to the website section that includes division contact information, underscoring that program alignment and communication are important elements of competitiveness.

The funding mechanism is a discretionary grant under the federal assistance framework, categorized under science and technology and other research and development, with CFDA number 12.300. The opportunity number is N00014-23-S-F004. ONR anticipated making around 25 awards, with an award ceiling of $750,000 per award, indicating support at a scale meant to enable meaningful progress on an ambitious early-career research plan rather than a small seed project.

Key dates provided in the source indicate the opportunity was created on March 29, 2023, with an original closing date of July 7, 2023. While those dates relate to the FY24 cycle described, the overall YIP structure and intent are consistent with a recurring early-career program: identify standout new faculty, fund creative research aligned to Navy science and technology needs, and strengthen the applicant's longer-term research and teaching career while expanding ONR's future investigator base.

In summary, ONR YIP FY24 is an early-career faculty research grant opportunity for tenure-track (or equivalent) investigators who earned their doctorate in 2016 or later and are in their first or second faculty appointment. It offers up to $750,000, expects roughly 25 awards, and prioritizes proposals that directly match ONR science and technology priorities as managed by ONR program officers and their divisions.

• The Department of Defense, Office of Naval Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY24 Young Investigator Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 29, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 07, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $750,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for N00014 23 S F004

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