Funding for Quantum R&D in the FY 2024 Budget Request

The speed and scale at which quantum computing will solve the world’s most complex mathematical problems is extremely promising. Accordingly, quantum computing is poised to transform agency missions ranging from healthcare to intelligence and secure communications.

Given OMB’s direction to continue investment in quantum information science (QIS) R&D, it is no surprise that research-centric agencies have done just that in FY 2024 budget requests. A sampling of QIS funding across agencies includes:

Department of Energy (DOE)

• The Office of Science at DOE requests a $280M total for QIS in FY 2024, including:
  • Support for the National QIS Research Centers (NQISRCs) with $150M in FY 2024, a $41M increase over FY 2023. Funding will go towards quantum computing testbed efforts, research on sensors and quantum simulators, and regional quantum internet testbeds
  • Support for high energy physics QIS consortia with $51M
  • Support for core research awards in QIS selected in FY 2023 with $10M in FY 2024

National Science Foundation (NSF)

• NSF’s total budget for QIS is $333M to continue spearheading the innovation of quantum computing, communication, sensing and networking. The breakdown of this funding includes:
  • $138M in foundational QIS advances
  • $55M in quantum computing
  • $42M quantum networks and communications
  • $37M in quantum sensing and metrology

DOD: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

• Invests $20M to create and perform predictive and scalable benchmarks to quantify quantum computers
• Provides $15M to verify and validate component and sub-systems requirements to achieve utility scale quantum computing
• Funds the Quantum Apertures program with $12M to develop novel radio receiver and aperture systems using quantum sensors

Commerce: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

• Provides NIST with $5M to advance research for QIS
• Funds NIST with $6.2M towards Fundamental Measurement, Quantum Science, and Measurement Dissemination

Up Next: A Post-Quantum Cryptographic World

On the heels of quantum computing R&D advancements is the need to combat future quantum attacks. Current cryptographic algorithm systems base protection on the fact that classical computers cannot factor large numbers. The rise of quantum computers, however, threatens to break current cryptographic methods. Last July, NIST announced a set of four algorithms that can withstand quantum computer attacks. NIST is now working to finalize post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) standards in the next two years.

Agencies, for their part, must begin to transition systems to a PQC state by specific deadlines in the next few years, according to a November 2022 OMB memo. Likewise, the GAO recently provided additional guidance to agencies on PQC transitions.

Though the FY 2024 budget request sees several investments in advancing quantum computing R&D, contractors will begin to see funding and needs in cyber budgets for PQC transitions as early as FY 2025.