Opportunity Information: Apply for 13 551
Apply for 13 551
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Small Business/ ERC Collaborative Opportunity" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041 Engineering Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 5, 2013 and posted on Apr 5, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 2, 2013 Letter of Intent Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m. proposers local time) May 06, 2013 Full Proposal Deadline(s) July 02, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- See solicitation for additional information
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity titled "Small Business/ ERC Collaborative Opportunity" (NSF Publication 13-551) is a discretionary research and development grant program designed to move NSF-funded engineering innovations out of the lab and into real-world use. At its core, the opportunity is about accelerating technology translation by pairing two parts of NSFs innovation ecosystem: Engineering Research Centers (ERCs), which generate advanced engineering research and systems-level technologies, and small businesses participating in NSFs SBIR and STTR programs, which specialize in commercialization and bringing products to market. In cases where an ERC has an explicit public-good mission tied to critical public engineered systems (infrastructure), the program also supports implementation pathways that deliver tangible public benefits, not just private-sector commercialization.
The solicitation is structured around two collaboration paths. Option 1 focuses on helping an ERC move its research results and technology advances toward the marketplace or toward implementation in critical public engineering systems by working directly with a small business concern. A key feature of this option is workforce and education impact: it explicitly aims to involve undergraduate and graduate students more directly in innovation and translation activities, giving them hands-on exposure to commercialization-relevant work in collaboration with industry. Option 2 flips the starting point: it is designed for active NSF SBIR/STTR Phase II awardees that already have a more mature innovation in development. Under Option 2, the goal is to strengthen the small business awardees research capacity and speed market entry by partnering with an ERC, while also helping the company broaden its pipeline and portfolio of marketable products by tapping into ERC expertise, facilities, and research capabilities.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, NSF anticipated making about 15 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $3,000,000. Individual awards had a stated floor of $200,000, and there was no cost sharing or matching requirement. The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is science and technology and other research and development. The program is associated with CFDA number 47.041 (Engineering Grants). While the eligible applicants field indicates "Others (see text)" and directs readers to the solicitation for specific eligibility details, the program description makes clear that eligibility hinges on the presence of a collaboration between an ERC and a qualifying small business (either a small business concern collaborating with an ERC under Option 1, or an active NSF SBIR/STTR Phase II company collaborating with an ERC under Option 2).
Key dates for the 2013 cycle included a required Letter of Intent due May 6, 2013 (by 5 p.m. local time) and a full proposal deadline of July 2, 2013, with the opportunity later archived on August 2, 2013. The posted and creation dates were both April 5, 2013. Applicants were directed to NSF Publication 13-551 for full requirements and were provided with NSF grants.gov support contact information for technical access issues. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted bridge program: it is meant to speed commercialization and/or infrastructure implementation by leveraging complementary strengths, ERCs for deep engineering research and systems integration, and small businesses for product development, market pull, and commercialization execution.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the NSF "Small Business/ ERC Collaborative Opportunity" (NSF Publication 13-551)?
This is a discretionary research and development grant program from the National Science Foundation (NSF) designed to move NSF-funded engineering innovations out of the lab and into real-world use. It focuses on accelerating technology translation by pairing NSF Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) with qualifying small businesses connected to NSF's SBIR and STTR programs.
What is the main purpose of this grant program?
The program aims to speed commercialization and/or implementation of engineering innovations by leveraging complementary strengths: ERCs contribute advanced engineering research and systems-level technologies, while small businesses contribute product development, market focus, and commercialization execution.
Who is this opportunity meant to serve?
It is designed for collaborations involving NSF Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) and qualifying small businesses. The specific eligibility details are indicated as "Others (see text)" and applicants are directed to the solicitation (NSF Publication 13-551) for the full requirements, but the program description makes clear the collaboration itself is central to eligibility.
What kinds of collaborations does the solicitation support?
The solicitation is structured around two collaboration paths (Option 1 and Option 2), both centered on an ERC partnering with a small business to translate technology toward the market or toward deployment in critical public engineered systems.
What is Option 1?
Option 1 focuses on helping an ERC move its research results and technology advances toward the marketplace or toward implementation in critical public engineering systems (infrastructure) by working directly with a small business concern. A specific emphasis under Option 1 is workforce and education impact through direct involvement of undergraduate and graduate students in innovation and translation activities.
What is Option 2?
Option 2 is designed for active NSF SBIR/STTR Phase II awardees that already have a more mature innovation in development. Under this option, the goal is to strengthen the small business awardee's research capacity and speed market entry by partnering with an ERC, while also helping the company broaden its pipeline and portfolio of marketable products by tapping into ERC expertise, facilities, and research capabilities.
How does the program support public infrastructure or public-good implementation?
Where an ERC has an explicit public-good mission tied to critical public engineered systems (infrastructure), the program supports implementation pathways intended to deliver tangible public benefits, not only private-sector commercialization outcomes.
Is this program focused only on commercialization?
No. While commercialization is a core focus, the opportunity also supports pathways that move technologies toward implementation in critical public engineered systems when aligned with an ERC public-good mission.
What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?
The funding instrument is a grant, categorized under science and technology and other research and development activities.
How many awards did NSF anticipate making?
NSF anticipated making about 15 awards.
What was the estimated total program funding level?
The estimated total program funding level was $3,000,000.
What is the minimum award size?
The stated floor for individual awards was $200,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What CFDA number is associated with this program?
The program is associated with CFDA number 47.041 (Engineering Grants).
What kinds of organizations are eligible to apply?
The eligibility field is listed as "Others (see text)." Based on the program description provided, eligibility hinges on a collaboration between an NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC) and a qualifying small business, either: (1) a small business concern collaborating with an ERC under Option 1, or (2) an active NSF SBIR/STTR Phase II company collaborating with an ERC under Option 2. Applicants are directed to NSF Publication 13-551 for the full eligibility requirements.
Do applicants need to already be part of NSF SBIR or STTR to participate?
For Option 2, the small business must be an active NSF SBIR/STTR Phase II awardee. For Option 1, the collaboration involves an ERC working with a small business concern to move ERC research results toward market or implementation (the provided information does not specify additional SBIR/STTR status requirements for Option 1 beyond being a small business concern collaborating with an ERC).
What makes workforce and education a key feature of Option 1?
Option 1 explicitly aims to involve undergraduate and graduate students more directly in innovation and translation activities, providing hands-on exposure to commercialization-relevant work in collaboration with industry.
What benefits does an ERC bring to the collaboration?
ERCs generate advanced engineering research and systems-level technologies. Under this opportunity, ERCs can provide research expertise, systems integration experience, and (in Option 2) access to facilities and research capabilities that can strengthen a small business's technical capacity and help accelerate progress toward market entry.
What benefits does a small business bring to the collaboration?
Small businesses in NSF's innovation ecosystem are positioned to execute commercialization, including product development and market entry. They bring market pull and practical commercialization pathways that can help translate ERC innovations into real-world products or deployed systems.
What were the key dates for the 2013 cycle?
Key dates included a required Letter of Intent due May 6, 2013 (by 5 p.m. local time) and a full proposal deadline of July 2, 2013. The opportunity was later archived on August 2, 2013.
Was a Letter of Intent required?
Yes. For the 2013 cycle, a Letter of Intent was required and was due May 6, 2013 by 5 p.m. local time.
When was the full proposal due for the 2013 cycle?
The full proposal deadline was July 2, 2013.
When was the opportunity posted and created?
The posted date and creation date were both April 5, 2013.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was archived on August 2, 2013.
Where are applicants directed to find the full requirements?
Applicants were directed to NSF Publication 13-551 for full requirements.
Where could applicants get help with Grants.gov technical access issues?
NSF provided NSF grants.gov support contact information for technical access issues (the specific contact details are referenced as provided in the solicitation/posting).
How should this opportunity be understood at a high level?
It is a targeted bridge program meant to speed commercialization and/or infrastructure implementation by pairing ERCs (deep engineering research and systems integration) with small businesses (product development and market execution), using structured collaboration paths (Option 1 and Option 2).
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