Biological Technologies
🏛 DARPA - Biological Technologies Office
Can you apply?
This grant is for advanced research projects in biological technologies supported by DARPA's Biological Technologies Office. Eligible applicants typically include universities, colleges, nonprofit research institutions, for-profit companies, small businesses, and federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs). Applicants must demonstrate research capacity and a clear pathway to developing biological innovations that address national security and defense priorities. The program supports cutting-edge research in synthetic biology, bio-engineering, bioinformatics, and related biological sciences. Geographic scope is nationwide, with no restrictions on location. Successful proposals typically address problems of strategic importance to the Department of Defense and propose novel, high-impact solutions that leverage emerging biological technologies.
Program description
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office (BTO) is soliciting proposals that leverage biological properties and processes to revolutionize our ability to protect the nation’s warfighters. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance) and SF-424 R&R (Research & Related) forms
- Project narrative/technical proposal (typically 15–25 pages) describing innovation, approach, milestones, and deliverables
- Detailed budget and budget justification
- Résumés or biographical sketches of key personnel
- Institutional commitment letters and letters of support from collaborators
- Facilities and equipment descriptions (if applicable)
- Data management plan (including handling of controlled unclassified information if relevant)
- Organizational information and past performance documentation
- Cost sharing documentation (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 DARPA - Biological Technologies Office
- 📧 BTOBAA2026@darpa.mil
- 📞 571-218-4963
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 12.910 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$44,089,743
-
$36,151,284
-
$33,938,157
-
$29,592,309
-
$28,734,050
-
$26,975,142
-
$26,089,306
-
$25,544,440
-
$25,503,840
-
$23,343,160
Top States by Funding
- CA 22 awards $252.2M
- MA 15 awards $149.7M
- MI 4 awards $75.0M
- NY 7 awards $58.9M
- NC 2 awards $52.5M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 12.910). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $465,182,503 | |
| 2025 | $322,093,385 | |
| 2026 est. | $352,000,000 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for DARPA Biological Technologies grants?
Universities, nonprofit research institutions, for-profit companies, small businesses (including SBIRs/STTRs), and FFRDCs are all eligible. Foreign-owned or foreign-headquartered entities may face restrictions; check with DARPA program managers early.
When are the application deadlines?
The Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) typically has rolling deadlines or fixed deadlines announced in advance. This grant has a fixed deadline of September 30, 2026, with applications opening October 1, 2025. Check grants.gov regularly as DARPA may issue amendments.
What types of research activities does this program support?
DARPA BTO funds high-risk, high-reward research in synthetic biology, bioengineering, pathogen characterization, bio-informatics, and other emerging biological technologies with defense applications. Emphasis is on transition-ready solutions.
How competitive is this grant, and what makes proposals stand out?
DARPA is extremely competitive; success rates are typically 5-15%. Strong proposals combine scientific rigor, innovation, clear technical milestones, experienced teams, and a credible path to demonstrable results within the performance period.
What is the typical funding range?
Individual DARPA awards vary widely, from $500K to several million dollars depending on the technical scope and performance period. Multi-year projects are common. Costs for facilities, equipment, and personnel should be justified based on technical need.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Start with the full Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) and any draft solicitations on grants.gov; DARPA updates these frequently and offers opportunities to submit white papers or abstracts before full proposals.
- Engage directly with DARPA program managers early—they provide guidance on alignment with agency priorities and can shape your proposal to fit current focus areas (address program contacts listed in the BAA).
- Emphasize technical innovation and feasibility through detailed milestones and go/no-go decision points; DARPA expects clear deliverables and risk mitigation strategies.
- Assemble a team with proven track records in relevant biological disciplines and prior DARPA or advanced research funding experience; demonstrating team capability is critical for DARPA's high-risk portfolios.
- Budget realistically for necessary infrastructure, computational resources, and subcontracting; DARPA approves equipment and facilities costs if they are essential and well-justified for the research objective.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail because they lack sufficient technical depth or fail to convincingly address a genuine strategic problem relevant to defense or national security. Another common rejection reason is underestimating the innovation bar—incremental advances or standard academic research rarely succeed at DARPA. Teams without prior advanced research funding experience or a clear timeline to prototype/demonstration also struggle.
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