The federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs award federal grants or contracts (over $2 billion annually) designed to foster technological innovation by small businesses with 500 or fewer employees. The SBIR programs provide for a three-phased approach to research and development projects: technological feasibility and concept development; the primary research effort; and the conversion of the technology to a commercial application.
SBIR is highly competitive and encourages small business to explore their technological potential with the incentive to profit from its
commercialization. There are 11 federal agencies which particpate in SBIR. By including qualified small businesses in the nation's R&D arena, high-tech innovation is stimulated and the United States gains
entrepreneurial spirit as it meets its specific research and development needs.
Similar to SBIR, the Small Business Technology Transfer program, or STTR, is an important small business program that expands funding opportunities in the federal innovation research and development arena. Central to
the program is the expansion of the public/private sector partnership to include joint venture opportunities between small business and the nation's premier nonprofit research institutions (i.e. universities and federal labs).
On the right are links to additional important information on the SBIR and STTR programs. These links include information on solicitation dates, agency information and presentations, an overview of the programs, solicitation search engines, how to write an SBIR proposal, and state and federal resources for assistance. Many of the links themselves contain links to additional useful information and should be explored.
In addition to reading an agency's SBIR-STTR solicitation one should also carefully review all information on the agency's SBIR homepage as well as any links to additional information on the agency's broader R&D efforts. It is critical to clearly link in a proposal how an SBIR or STTR project will assist the agency in meeting its mission.
To the right is a link to several samples of winning SBIR Phase 1 proposals awarded by both contract (i.e. DoD) and grant agencies (i.e. NSF). It should be noted that these sample proposals are at least 5 years old and may differ from current solicitation formats and requirements. Remember to read and follow format requirements and guidelines contained in the current solicitation to which one is responding!
