Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) Office-wide Broad Agency Announcement (HR001124S0028) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Seeks revolutionary research in microsystems engineering, including novel design and fabrication for national security applications. Application snapshot: target deadline March 2, 2026; published funding information Funding amounts vary by project scope and award track.; eligibility guidance U. S. universities and other organizations. Use the official notice and source links for final requirements, attachment checklists, allowable costs, and submission instructions before applying.

Photonic Integrated Circuit Architectures for Scalable System Objectives (PICASSO) is sponsored by DARPA. DARPA program aiming to develop circuit-level photonic integrated circuits that maintain signal fidelity and enable large-scale photonic computing without frequent optical–electrical conversion. Application snapshot: target deadline March 6, 2026; published funding information Funding amounts vary by project scope and award track.; eligibility guidance U.S.-based organizations (universities, industry, research institutions) able to perform DARPA-funded research Use the official notice and source links for final requirements, attachment checklists, allowable costs, and submission instructions before applying.

Photonic Integrated Circuit Architectures for Scalable System Objectives (PICASSO) is sponsored by DARPA. DARPA program to develop scalable photonic integrated circuits for breakthroughs in bandwidth, latency, and energy efficiency in computing, sensing, and signal processing with military applications. Official opportunity description and requirements excerpt: PICASSO: Photonic Integrated Circuit Architectures for Scalable System Objectives | DARPA An official website of the United States Government Official websites use .mil .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of War organization. Secure .mil websites use HTTPS ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. PICASSO: Photonic Integrated Circuit Architectures For Scalable System Objectives PICASSO: Photonic Integrated Circuit Architectures for Scalable System Objectives What are Photonic Integrated Circuit Architectures? The aim of the Photonic Integrated Circuit Architectures for Scalable System Objectives (PICASSO) program is to revolutionize photonic integrated circuit architectures. PICASSO seeks to expand the field’s focus from individual components to include a more holistic, circuit- and system-level orientation. This will lay the foundations for very large-scale photonic integration (VLPI), catalyzing future photonic capabilities by enabling functional expansion with predictable, system-level performance. Scaling photonic circuits is challenged by the fundamental physics of signaling with light. As optical signals traverse long processing chains, they inevitably degrade and accumulate noise that simple amplification cannot fix. Signal fidelity is also highly sensitive to spurious wave interactions such as scattering and back-reflections, which become unmanageable in large systems. While today’s systems mitigate these issues by converting light to electricity, this workaround negates the latency, efficiency, and bandwidth advantages inherent to photonics. PICASSO confronts these challenges by embracing a new paradigm: creating tomorrow’s photonic circuits using today’s components. Drawing inspiration from modern electronics, in which clever circuit design overcomes the limitations of individual transistors, the program will foster innovative circuit-level strategies to achieve unprecedented system performance and stability. Microsystems Technology Office Be part of a cutting-edge research and development agency that’s pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, in an energetic environment with excellent benefits. Find your future with DARPA Careers Our program managers are visionary leaders whose experience spans industry, government, and academia. They conceive, plan, and oversee the high-risk R&D efforts for which we are best known. Research Opportunities View Programs DARPA has pushed, and will continue to push, the boundaries of technological possibility. See the dreams we turned to reality Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency To create and prevent technological surprise for our national security Investors & Entrepreneurs Podcast (Voices from DARPA) Communications & Public Affairs Think beyond the impossible Accessibility/Section 508 Freedom of Information Act Privacy and Civil Liberties Application snapshot: target deadline March 6, 2026; published funding information $35,000,000 total program; eligibility guidance Businesses, universities, nonprofits, and consortia capable of prototype development under Other Transaction agreements Use the official notice and source links for final requirements, attachment checklists, allowable costs, and submission instructions before applying.

The Department of Defense announced the Fiscal Year 2026 Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI), a major competitive funding program with $170 million total across 22 topic areas. MURI supports basic research in science and engineering at U.S. institutions of higher education with emphasis on multidisciplinary research efforts where more than one traditional discipline interacts to provide rapid advances in scientific areas of interest to the DoD. The program is jointly sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the Army Research Office (ARO), and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). Topic areas span autonomous systems, AI and machine learning, quantum science, advanced materials, and other frontier research domains relevant to national defense. Individual MURI grants typically provide $1.25 million to $1.5 million per year for three years, with an option for two additional years. The funding opportunity number is W911NF25S0004. Optional white papers were due May 2, 2025, and full proposals are due September 5, 2025. MURI has operated for over 40 years and is one of the DoD's premier mechanisms for university-based fundamental research. The program emphasizes close management by Service Program Officers and requires true multidisciplinary collaboration.

The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Strengthening Agricultural Systems program, offers the Artificial Intelligence for K-12 Food and Agricultural Sciences program area to develop and strengthen the pipeline of AI-literate next-generation agriculturalists. NIFA anticipates awarding 6 grants ranging from $1 million to $2 million, one in each NIFA priority area: Plant Health and Production, Animal Health and Production, Food Safety and Nutrition, Bioenergy and Natural Resources, Agriculture Systems and Technology, and Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities. Proposals must be integrated projects combining research, education, and extension components. Projects should adapt or develop AI-based tools for classroom integration and build K-12 youth engagement with AI in agricultural and food system contexts. Applications are due April 23, 2026.

The NSF STEM K-12 program (NSF 25-545) supports innovative, multidisciplinary research exploring how AI and other emerging technologies can be leveraged to study and enhance STEM teaching and learning. The program seeks projects that produce new tools and frameworks, harness exemplary formal and informal learning environments, and unlock new avenues of scientific inquiry and discovery in STEM education. With approximately $30 million in total funding and around 40 anticipated awards, the program has a particular focus on research and development advances that will be translated to STEM classroom practices. Projects range from $25,000 to $750,000 over one to three years. The program encourages research on age-appropriate AI education, AI literacy, integration of AI technologies into STEM curricula, teacher professional development for AI-enhanced instruction, and development of AI-powered educational tools and platforms. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis with a target date of September 10, 2026.