FOUNDATIONS OF TRUSTED SYSTEMS
Last verified by NonDilute: 2026-06-08. Official notice and agency instructions control.
If you're doing foundational research on provably trustworthy computing architectures, the Air Force is committing up to $100M over four years to find answers.
Report stale or inaccurate summary
What this is
This is a broad, multi-year Air Force research initiative focused on building the theoretical and practical foundations of systems that can be verified as trustworthy and secure. The funding window extends to 2028 and individual awards can reach up to $99.9M, indicating this supports major research programs rather than small projects. Eligibility is restricted (see additional criteria in SAM.gov listing), so organizations must confirm their status before investing application effort. This suits established research institutions, defense contractors with R&D arms, and universities with relevant expertise.
Who can apply
Eligibility is limited to specific organization types (not open to all); applicants must review the 'Additional Information on Eligibility' section on SAM.gov. This is almost certainly restricted to universities, established defense research centers, and larger companies with relevant security/systems expertise; solo founders and early-stage startups are unlikely to qualify.
Eligible applicant types
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Full description — from the agency
https://sam.gov/opp/6a5d1f379ee34a0395eeb98e220c730c/view
Topics: trusted systems · air force research · cybersecurity foundations · system verification · defense computing · long-term research
Public-source funding discovery only. This summary is generated from public agency data and may be incomplete or stale. NonDilute is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any government agency. Official notices and agency instructions control. NonDilute does not determine eligibility, provide grant-writing advice, or guarantee funding.