Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF)
Quick Facts
- Agency
- Department of Defense (DOD)
- Funding
- $50,000 - $3,000,000
- Deadline
- Rolling (Rolling / Open)
- Status
- Active
- Eligibility
- Small businesses with DOD-relevant technologies
About This Grant
Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF) is sponsored by Department of Defense (DOD). Accelerates prototyping and deployment of innovative medical technologies like implantable drug delivery for military health needs, with potential dual-use for civilian applications. This program should be reviewed carefully against your organization's mission, staffing capacity, timeline, and compliance readiness before you commit resources to a full application. Strong submissions usually translate sponsor priorities into concrete objectives, clear implementation milestones, and measurable public benefit.
For planning purposes, treat rolling deadlines or periodic funding windows as your working submission target unless the sponsor publishes an updated notice. A competitive project plan should include a documented need statement, implementation approach, evaluation framework, risk controls, and a realistic budget narrative. Even when a grant allows broad program design, reviewers still expect credible evidence that the proposed work can be executed within the grant period and with appropriate accountability.
Current published award information indicates $50,000 - $3,000,000 Organizations should verify the final funding range, matching requirements, and allowability rules directly in the official opportunity materials before preparing a budget. Finance and program teams should align early so direct costs, indirect costs, staffing assumptions, procurement timelines, and reporting obligations all remain consistent throughout drafting and post-award administration.
Eligibility guidance for this opportunity is: Small businesses with DOD-relevant technologies If your organization has partnerships, subrecipients, or collaborators, define responsibilities and compliance ownership before submission. Reviewers often look for implementation credibility, so letters of commitment, prior performance evidence, and a clear governance model can materially strengthen the application narrative and reduce concerns about delivery risk.
A practical approach is to begin with a focused readiness review, then build a workback schedule from the sponsor deadline. Confirm required attachments, registration dependencies, and internal approval checkpoints early. This reduces last-minute issues and improves submission quality. For the most accurate requirements, always rely on the official notice and primary source links associated with Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF).
Official Opportunity Details
Extracted from the official opportunity page/RFP to help you evaluate fit faster.
Rapid Innovation Fund – DEFENSE INNOVATION MARKETPLACE DEFENSE INNOVATION MARKETPLACE Tech.
Interchange Meetings Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction Energy and Power Technologies Engineered Resilient Systems Materials & Manufacturing Processes Warfighting Lab Incentive Fund Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Long-Range R&D Program Plan Air Force Capability Development Industry Information Day Future Air Force Projects Tech.
Interchange Meetings Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction Energy and Power Technologies Engineered Resilient Systems Materials & Manufacturing Processes Warfighting Lab Incentive Fund Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Long-Range R&D Program Plan Air Force Capability Development Industry Information Day Future Air Force Projects The Rapid Innovation Fund provides a collaborative vehicle for small businesses to provide the department with innovative technologies that can be rapidly inserted into acquisition programs that meet specific defense needs.
RIF is administered by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (USD(A&S)) Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP).
FY2019 Rapid Innovation Fund Rapid Innovation Fund Broad Agency Announcement Solicitation Number: HQ0034-19-BAA-RIF-0001 RIF Awards/Project Descriptions Rapid Innovation Fund Awards, FY11 through FY16 Download: Excel spreadsheet Rapid Innovation Fund Awards, FY17 through FY19 2021 POST Conference: RIF Overview An Assessment of RIF Effectiveness FY2011-2016 FY 2011 NDAA Language (section 1073) 2021 POST Conference: RIF Overview (Download PDF) farooq.
a. mitha. civ@mail.
mil david. busigo. civ@mail.
mil Department of the Air Force, RIF PM benjamin. phillips. 5@us.
af. mil Department of the Air Force, Legacy RIF PM Department of the Army, RIF Lead matthew. p.
willis. civ@mail. mil Department of the Army, RIF Support nicholas.
s. wallace8. ctr@mail.
mil Department of the Navy, RIF Lead scott. w. bartlett4.
civ@us. navy. mil Department of the Navy, RIF Support calvin.
reddick. ctr@us. navy.
mil Start of White Paper submissions to RIF Portal Notification of FY19 White Paper Status Invitations for FY19 Full Proposals Accessibility/Section 508
Eligibility Requirements
- Small businesses with DOD-relevant technologies
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply for Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF)?
Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: Small businesses with DOD-relevant technologies Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
What is the typical funding level for Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF)?
Current published award information indicates $50,000 - $3,000,000 Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
When is the deadline for Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF)?
The current target date is rolling deadlines or periodic funding windows. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, attachments, and final submission checks.
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