Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase I | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase I grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA SBIR 005277) is a discretionary, competitive grant program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It is designed to help small businesses test early-stage research ideas by funding Phase I projects that demonstrate the scientific or technical feasibility of a proposed approach or concept. In practical terms, Phase I is meant to show that an idea can work and has enough technical merit to justify further development, with the longer-term expectation that successful concepts can move toward commercialization and real-world impact.

This opportunity supports research and development within agriculture, science and technology, and other R and D areas, and it explicitly encourages proposals tied to agriculturally related manufacturing as well as alternative and renewable energy technologies. Those areas are welcome across all SBIR topic areas, reflecting USDAs interest in innovations that strengthen U.S. agriculture and related industries while also supporting energy resilience and sustainability. The program is framed around a broader USDA vision of a healthy and productive nation that remains in harmony with natural resources such as land, air, and water, so applicants are generally expected to align technical innovation with outcomes that benefit agricultural systems, rural communities, food systems, or environmental stewardship.

The funding instrument is a grant, and the listing indicates an estimated total funding level of $9,000,000 for the opportunity cycle described. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which typically makes participation more feasible for early-stage small businesses that may not have significant non-federal capital available. The CFDA number associated with the program is 10.212 (Small Business Innovation Research), which is the standard federal assistance listing for USDA SBIR.

Eligibility is summarized in the announcement as "Others" with additional details referenced in the Request for Applications (specifically section 1.4 of the RFA). While the summary text does not spell out all requirements, SBIR programs generally target qualified U.S. small businesses, and applicants should rely on the RFA language for the definitive eligibility rules, ownership requirements, and any restrictions related to the principal investigator or place of performance.

Historically, the USDA SBIR program is positioned as a long-running commercialization pathway for small businesses. The announcement notes that USDA SBIR has funded more than 2000 R and D projects since 1983, giving hundreds of small companies the chance to explore technical potential and create commercially viable innovations. That track record is included to emphasize that the program is not only about basic research; it is also meant to provide a practical incentive and on-ramp for small firms to translate innovative ideas into marketable products, processes, or services that support agriculture and related sectors.

For timing and administrative context, the opportunity was posted on July 2, 2015, with an original and current closing date of October 8, 2015, and an archive date of November 7, 2015. Applicants who needed help accessing the full announcement were directed to the NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during business hours (Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays). The announcement also indicates that additional contact support was available for questions related to preparing application content, suggesting that NIFA provides both technical access support and application-preparation guidance channels for prospective applicants.

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