Many US states offer resources to companies to assist with SBIR/STTR proposal preparation and/or to supplement SBIR/STTR funding:

 

Alaska: The Alaska Small Business Development Center (AKSBDC) helps small businesses grow throughout Alaska via its expanding online resources and business management expertise.     AKSBDC offers low-cost business workshops, both online and in our seven hub locations, online resources, such as our downloadable tools and guide to the business life cycle, and no-cost confidential and one-on-one business coaching.

Arizona: The Arizona Commerce Authority helps educate Arizona Small Businesses and connect them with resources to better compete for funding through the SBIR/STTR program. Additionally, the Arizona Innovation Challenge is offered every fall, and offers up to $150,000 non-dilutive funds to 10 companies.

Arkansas: The Arkansas Small Business Innovation Research Matching Grant Program matches up to 50% of Phase I (up to $50,000) and Phase II (up to $100,000) SBIR grants.

Colorado: The Colorado SBDC TechSource Commercialization program has funding available to help women-owned, minority-owned and/or rural-based science and technology businesses access private resources for assistance with SBIR/STTR proposal development. Grant awards will be up to $1,000/business. Funding is limited and will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Connecticut: Connecticut Innovations offers free technical consultations to help you improve your chances of winning a federal SBIR/STTR grant. Our goal is to provide you with the experienced support you need to navigate through the complex phases of the federal program. Support includes conference fee reimbursements, proposal accounting support, application reviews and strategy sessions.

Delaware: The Delaware Small Business Development Center provides SBIR networking events, assistance accessing post-award resources for grant management, establishing liaisons with researchers and technology transfer personnel, locating space, equipment, and talent, helping partner with a prime contractor, professor, or business mentor. Delaware also offers a SBIR Bridge Grant to close the funding gap between Phase I and Phase II awards.

Florida: The Matching Grants Research Program (MGRP), which is facilitated by the Florida High Tech Corridor, provides up to $150,000 in matching funds for applied research projects between local industry partners and university researchers. This includes projects funded by Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards. The MGRP is open to companies located inside a 23-county region. Interested industry partners should initiate contact through a designated university contact.

Georgia: The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) at Georgia Tech is a technology incubator but requires membership. ATDC’s SBIR Assistance Program provides strategic guidance and helps members understand the nuances of the SBIR and STTR programs to increase the probability of successfully receiving funding. 

Hawaii: The Hawaii Small Business Innovation Research (HSBIR) program provides matching grants to help companies further the development of new products to solve critical issues. Applicants must have received federal SBIR grants or contracts to qualify for the state matching grant program. The HSBIR program provides up matching funds for companies receiving SBIR awards (up to 50% of the award or $500,000). Companies may apply also for reimbursement for grant writing costs for their initial grant application.

Illinois: The FAST (Federal and State Technology) Partnership Program at EnterpriseWorks is part of the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. The FAST program offers free technical assistance, mentoring, and training to technology entrepreneurs seeking to secure SBIR/STTR funding across the State of Illinois in the form of bi-weekly workshops, and weekly office hours for additional support.

Indiana: In Indiana, Elevate Ventures matches $.50 toward every federal dollar awarded, for up to $50,000 in Indiana match per federal award. Any given company, including subsidiaries, has a lifetime maximum of $150,000 in total Indiana match.

Iowa: The Iowa Innovation SBIR/STTR Outreach Program BioConnect provides up to 25,000 in matching funds for Phase I awards, and an additional $25,000 on submission of a Phase II proposal. The program also reimburses up to 100% of professional proposal assistance for SBIR/STTR Phase I and Phase II applications. The Iowa Go-to-Market Accelerator program provides entrepreneurs with training in sales, marketing, corporate development, and finance, as well as pro bono legal, marketing, and HR services from more than a dozen participating firms.  

Kentucky: Phase 0 and Phase 00 funding are for the development of Kentucky-based Federal Phase I and Phase II SBIR/STTR proposals. These development services include a technology assessment, a non-dilutive funding plan, and assistance in developing SBIR/STTR proposals, as well as accounting, compliance and grant management services for awardees. The Kentucky SBIR/STTR Matching Funds Program provides matching funds up to $150,000 for Phase I and up to $500,000 for Phase II.

Louisiana: The Louisiana Economic Development provides Research and Development Tax Credit to encourage existing businesses with operating facilities in Louisiana to establish or continue research and development activities within the state (up to a 30% tax credit on qualified research expenditures incurred in Louisiana — with no cap and no minimum requirement; SBIR/STTR funds are considered as qualified research expenditures).

Maine: The Maine Technology Institute (MTI) offers grants, loans, equity investments, and services to businesses, organizations, and individuals that work within one or more of the seven targeted technology sectors or in building support systems for innovation in Maine.  MTI offers a robust assistance program to companies interested in developing a strong competitive proposal to the NSF or other federal agencies that participate in the SBIR/STTR program. Opportunities include a Technical Assistance Program to guide you through the development process. MTI offers up to $5,000 to Phase I applicants for grant writing or subject matter expert support and up to $15,000 to Phase II applicants to accelerate business maturity and development.

Maryland: Maryland TEDCO (Maryland Technology Development Corporation) offers the SBIR/STTR Proposal Lab, which combines information from SBIR/STTR tutorials, best-in-industry proposal training, mentoring, proposal reviews, and hands-on guidance throughout the process of developing and submitting an NSF proposal.

Massachusetts: MassVentures offers funds through their SBIR Targeted Technologies (START) program. The START program was initiated to assist Massachusetts-based companies in commercializing technologies developed under SBIR and STTR contracts. Each year, the program awards 10 “Stage I” grants of $100,000 each, 5 “Stage II” grants of $200,000 each to the most promising “Stage I” winners from last year, and 2 “Stage III” opportunities of up to $500,000 in seed capital in a commercial spinout for the most successful Stage II companies. Massachusetts companies that have received a Phase II SBIR or STTR award are eligible to apply for a Stage I START grant. The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC) Government Sales Advisory Program provides free assistance with business entity and formation, identifying SBIR funding opportunities, strategies for approaching SBIR funding, reviewing proposals, and other services.

Michigan: The Michigan Small Business Development Center administers the Michigan Emerging Technologies Fund (ETF). The ETF will match SBIR/STTR awards in the amounts of $25,000 for Phase I and up to $125,000 for Phase II (refer to Section E). ETF Grants do not need to be paid back; however, ETF must be used to help bring Michigan SBIR/STTR projects to Michigan. Funded by a grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund and administered through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, BBCetc provides SBIR/STTR proposal development services to technology-based entrepreneurs and early-stage companies throughout Michigan. The program provides training and one-one-one proposal preparation assistance to qualified companies, with the costs of these services covered primarily by the program.

Minnesota: The Minnesota SBIR/STTR Accelerator™ facilitates the commercialization of deep tech ideas, concepts, and projects by leveraging federal research and development funding to small business in collaboration with government, industry, and academia.  In its seventh year, the Accelerator is funded through the Small Business Administration’s Federal and State Technology Partnership Program.  As the Governor’s designated resource, the Accelerator delivers confidential SBIR/STTR business and technical assistance to access federal investments.  Since its establishment in 2014, the Accelerator has assisted more than 50 companies to win more than $40M resulting in jobs, investments, patents, academic research partnerships and much more

Launch Minnesota is a new statewide collaborative effort to accelerate the growth of startups and amplify Minnesota as a national leader in innovation.

Launch Minnesota is the fiscal agent for SBIR/STTR Matching Grants for first time Phase I and Phase II awardees (up to $35,000 for Phase I awards and up to $50,000 for Phase II awards).  Minnesota awardees must be a client of the Accelerator to be eligible of the matching grant.

Missouri: The Missouri TechLaunch Program offers support to life science and technology startups through matching equity or convertible debt investments up to $100,000 for the purpose of technology and business development. Missouri does not provide matching funds for grants or contracts.

Mississippi: The Mississippi Federal and State Technology (MS-FAST) Partnership Program, established in 2001 to assist Mississippi’s small high-tech firms to better compete in the SBIR and STTR programs, operates through the University of Southern Mississippi. The program provides $2,000 for development and submission of a Phase I proposal while becoming better acquainted with the federal SBIR/STTR proposal process.

Montana: The Montana SBIR/STTR Matching Funds Program offers Phase I matching up to $30,000 per year given on a “first come-first serve” basis until funds are exhausted. Match awards are made in two stages. Stage 1: 50% of the total match award will be disbursed upon approval of the Stage 1 application. Stage 2: The remaining 50% of the total match award will be made in two disbursements: 2/3 upon approval of the Stage 2 application, and 1/3 upon approval of the Stage 2 final report.

The Montana Innovation Partnership (MTIP) will award 6 FAST Microgrants to eligible SBIR/STTR applicants of up to $2,000 per year. Prospective SBIR/STTR applicants may apply to MTIP to receive Microgrants to attend conferences, travel to speak with agencies or commercialization partners, to acquire consulting services from an approved service provider for assistance with preparation of Phase I or Phase II proposals, to develop supporting project data, and to undertake other activities directly related to their SBIR/STTR proposal.

Nebraska: Phase 0 grants will reimburse qualified applicants, up to $5,000 per project, for costs incurred in preparing and submitting a federal Phase I proposal to a solicitation from a federal agency. Reimbursable costs include: proposal preparation consulting fees paid to others; typing/word processing services; project related supplies and postage; database search fees for project-related literature search; rental space and/or equipment directly related to the preparation of the federal proposal; and salaries of individuals who were directly involved in preparation of the Phase I proposal. Phase I and II matching grants will match federal SBIR/STTR awards and will not exceed $100,000 or 65% of the federal SBIR/STTR grant, whichever is less.

New Hampshire: FOSTER offers small NH businesses a variety of services including grant identification, training, advice, and proposal support. For select companies, a competitive microgrant program is available to offer direct grant proposal assistance. All services are free.

New Jersey: The New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology (CSIT) SBIR/STTR Direct Financial Assistance Program offers technical and financial support to NJ’s small businesses seeking to or participating in the federal SBIR/STTR program, including workshops and seminars on proposal preparation. The Direct Financial Assistance Program has two components: Direct Funding (For Federal Phase I, Fast-Track, and Direct-to-Phase II Award/Contract Recipients) and Bridge Funding (For Federal Phase II SBIR/STTR Applicants). Amounts are up to $25,000 for Phase I support, and up to $50,000 in Bridge Funding.

New Mexico: The NM SBIR Grant is to accelerate the commercialization of technologies developed with SBIR awards. Awards will fund and assist New Mexico science and technology companies with the goal of market entry, customer acquisition, business expiation, job creation, and increasing the tax base. Companies with an active Phase I SBIR/STTR can receive up to $25,000 in support, whereas companies with an active Phase II SBIR/STTR can receive up to $100,000 in commercialization assistance.

Additionally, the NM Federal and State Technology (NM FAST) partnership program provides SBIR and STTR proposal development assistance to small businesses throughout NM. The New Mexico Small Business Assistance (NMSBA) Program provides New Mexico small businesses facing technical challenges access to the unique expertise and capabilities of Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories. At no cost to the business, small businesses can seek assistance from lab scientists and engineers to solve challenges and overcome barriers to company success.

New York: The Western New York Incubator Network (WIN) SBIR/STTR assistance program links applicants with outside experts to assist in proposal preparation. WIN will cover the full cost of engaging an experienced consultant for a well-qualified proposal, up to $4,000. Phase I and Phase II applications are both eligible.

The Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) encompasses several programs that can assist your company from start-up to maturity. NYSTAR currently organizes two innovation assistance grant mechanisms, the Defense Industry Assistance initiative and the New York Smart Cities Innovation Partnership, that are available to small manufacturers, early-stage companies, and non-profit organizations.

FuzeHub and the Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund provides a $1M annual allocation of direct assistance to the manufacturing, research and development, technology, and entrepreneurial ecosystems in New York State. These include up to $10K to minority-owned small businesses, up to 50K for winners of the commercialization competition, manufacturing grants, and cybersecurity assistance grants.

North Carolina: The One North Carolina Small Business Program Phase I Matching Funds Program provides matching funds to North Carolina businesses that have been awarded a Phase I SBIR/STTR award. The maximum matching amount is up to 50% of the Federal Phase I SBIR/STTR award, not to exceed $75,000. Applicants must have received official Federal Notice of Phase I award by a Federal SBIR/STTR agency during the Solicitation Period to be eligible

Additionally, as of FY21-22, the SBIR/STTR Phase I Incentive Funds Program provides reimbursement to NC businesses for a portion of the costs (up to $12,000) incurred in preparing a Phase I SBIR/STTR proposal.

Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Small Business Research Assistance (SBRA) service is a public-private partnership focused on helping Oklahoma innovators identify and compete for federal research funding. Because SBRA can be tailored to the individual needs of participating companies, the program guides you from the beginning of proposal preparation all the way to commercialization.

Oregon: Oregon’s SBIR/STTR Grant Support Program matches Phase I (up to $50,000) and Phase II (up to $100,000). In exceptional cases in which a very strong argument can be given, Phase II or fast-track can be awarded up to $150,000. Because the SBIR/STTR programs are very competitive, Business Oregon also provides Phase 0 and 00 grants to help businesses prepare better applications to give companies a better chance to receive federal funding. Phase 0/00 grants can be for up to $5,000.

Pennsylvania: This program offers a no-cost opportunity to receive valuable feedback from professional reviewers on planned Phase I proposal concepts. Further financial support is offered to those applicants whose proposal concepts are judged to have strong potential for competing successfully in a federal competition. These candidates will be awarded a MicroGrant from IPart that reimburses one-half of the cost incurred in preparing the proposal itself, up to a maximum of $2,000. The MicroVoucher reimburses one-half of the cost in preparing the Phase I SBIR/STTR itself, up to a maximum of $5,000, whichever is less. Phase II proposal candidates can use the Federal Marketing Assistance Awards to defray proposal prep admin costs or reports to enhance the commercialization section, up to $5,000 or half of the total proposal preparation cost, whichever is less.

Puerto Rico: The Innovation and Technology Center established, with the support of the Industrial Development Company and under a cooperative agreement between the Federal Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, offers assistance with SBIR/STTR applications and offers free consulting services for intellectual property, innovation evaluation, and grant writing.

Rhode Island: The Innovate Rhode Island Small Business Fund (IRISBF) provides grants of up to $3,000 to assist small businesses offset the costs associated with preparing a competitive Phase I SBIR/STTR application. IRISBF also provides matching grants of up to $45,000 to encourage recipients of SBIR/STTR Phase I awards and up to $100,000 to recipients of Phase II awards.

South Carolina: 3phase provides South Carolina companies with assistance preparing an SBIR/STTR application, sponsored by the South Carolina Department of Commerce. They provide templates, direction, project management resources, and mentorship from a team of individuals that have successfully built and exited companies using SBIR grants as the principal funding methodology.

South Dakota: The South Dakota Proof of Concept SBIR Supplement program offers $25,000 to conduct research that demonstrates the technical and economic feasibility of an innovation before it is commercialized. The South Dakota Proof of Concept SBIR Phase 0 program offers $5,000 to support preliminary research and other activities related to development and submission of a Phase I SBIR/STTR proposal to a federal agency, with the goal of increasing competitiveness. Additionally, the South Dakota Proof of Concept SBIR Supplement offers up to $25,000 to support research into the feasibility of an innovation, but does require a 10% match from the Small Business. 

Utah: The Utah Industry and Innovation Center offers a range of services to small businesses that are applying for SBIR/STTR support. This includes consultations, workshops, proposal guidance, editing and writing, and submission assistance. The Utah Technology Innovation Funding (UTIF) pilot provides two funding programs: SBIR/STTR Microgrants and Gap Funding Nonrecourse Loans for Phase I awardees. SBIR/STTR Microgrants provide up to $3,000 per company to offset the cost of staff time to develop, write and submit a SBIR/STTR proposal. Gap Funding Nonrecourse Loans are for SBIR/STTR Phase I winners who are preparing a Phase II submission. Utah small businesses who are awarded SBIR/STTR Phase I funding with a minimum award opportunity of $100,000 may receive an amount not to exceed $50,000 (plus $10,000 of additional funding for Women-Owned Small Businesses, Small Disadvantaged Businesses, and rural businesses) from UTIF as a nonrecourse loan to provide gap funding before a Phase II award is received.

Washington, DC: The Phase 0 Program provides support for District-based Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR), specifically for the development of Federal Phase I and Phase II proposals. Interested and qualified companies will receive directed proposal support and other benefits as a part of the program.

West Virginia: The ScaleUp West Virginia SBIR/STTR Assistance Fund provides 75% of the cost of an outside consultant’s work to identify the appropriate federal agency for your SBIR or STTR application, and to write, proofread, edit and print your application. Up to $5,000 can be requested for Phase I applications and up to $7,500 for Phase II applications. The West Virginia Small Business Development Center launched the West Virginia Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Entrepreneurship and Innovation Investment Fund. The program offers a Phase Zero Grant of up to $2,500 to help offset a portion of the cost of preparing a competitive Phase I proposal. And, for those successful in winning an award, the program offers a Phase I Matching Award of up to $100,000, and a Phase II Matching Award of up to $200,000. Applications are due in January, May, or September of each year.

Wisconsin: The Phase 1 award matches up to $75,000 or 50% of the Phase I SBIR/STTR award. The Phase 2 award matches up to $100,000 per year for up to 2 years of Phase II SBIR/STTR award. The Wisconsin SBIR/STTR Assistance Microgrants cover up to 75% of the costs, limited to $4,500, incurred by a business in hiring an independent, approved third-party to assist in the development of federal Phase 1 SBIR/STTR research and development proposal.  

Wyoming: Wyoming’s Phase 0/00 micro-seed award provides funds that can be used for attendance of SBIR conferences and workshops, communication with and travel to targeted federal agencies, consultant and mentor services for preparation of the Phase I/II proposal, proposal preparation and review, communications with potential customers, analyses to support test data preparation, acquisition of test data for inclusion in the Phase I/II proposal and other activities related to the Phase I/II proposal preparation. Startup: Wyoming offers SBIR Phase I and Phase II Matching Programs. Phase I matches are up to $100,000 for first-time Phase I awardees and up to $70,000 for repeat awardees. Phase II matching is up to $200,000. Applicants must commit to remaining in Wyoming for three years after commercialization of their technology and to seeking additional funding.