Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA CSREES SBIR 002363
Apply for USDA CSREES SBIR 002363
- The CSREES in the agriculture business and commerce community development environment food and nutrition natural resources science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase I" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.212 Small Business Innovation Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 10, 2009 and posted on Jun 10, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 3, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $18,514,188.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $90,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
- Each organization submitting a proposal must qualify as a small business concern for research or research and development purposes.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase I grant opportunity, offered by USDA CSREES (Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service), is a discretionary grant program designed to help U.S.-owned, for-profit small businesses carry out innovative, applied research and development that tackles major challenges in American agriculture. The core idea is to fund early-stage R and D that could generate meaningful public benefits if the work succeeds, such as improved productivity, sustainability, environmental outcomes, food quality, rural economic vitality, or new technologies that can be translated into real-world agricultural use.
This particular announcement is specifically for Phase I proposals, which focus on demonstrating scientific or technical feasibility. In practical terms, Phase I is meant to answer the question, "Can this idea work?" before larger sums are invested in development and field deployment. Phase I projects are typically structured as short, proof-of-concept efforts lasting about 8 months. The program overall is organized into three phases: Phase I (feasibility/proof of concept), Phase II (the main R and D effort, often including prototype development and moving from lab to field over roughly 24 months), and Phase III (commercialization). Importantly, Phase III does not receive SBIR funding, so companies are expected to pursue private investment, sales revenue, or other non-SBIR funding sources to bring the product or service to market after the R and D phases.
Research proposals are accepted across a broad set of agriculture-related topic areas, giving applicants many paths to align their innovation with USDA priorities. The eligible topics listed in the announcement include: Forests and Related Resources; Plant Production and Protection (Biology); Animal Production and Protection; Air, Water, and Soils; Food Science and Nutrition; Rural Development; Aquaculture; Biofuels and Biobased Products; Marketing and Trade; Animal Manure Management; Small and Mid-Size Farms; and Plant Production and Protection (Engineering). These topic areas collectively cover both biological and engineering approaches, as well as environmental management, food systems, and rural economic concerns, allowing proposals that range from new pest or disease solutions to novel equipment, sustainable soil and water technologies, value-added processing, or market and supply-chain innovations.
Funding details indicate an estimated total program funding level of $18,514,188 for the opportunity cycle. Individual Phase I awards fall within a defined range: the award floor is $70,000 and the award ceiling is $90,000. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which means applicants are not required to contribute additional non-federal funds as a condition of receiving the grant (though they may still choose to leverage other resources strategically). The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity categories span agriculture, business and commerce, community development, environment, food and nutrition, natural resources, and science and technology and other R and D, reflecting the program's applied, problem-solving focus.
Eligibility is limited to small businesses, and each applicant organization must qualify as a small business concern for research or research and development purposes. The program is therefore targeted toward companies that can both conduct R and D and position successful results for later commercialization, even though commercialization support is not provided under Phase III. The catalog listing tied to this opportunity is CFDA 10.212 (Small Business Innovation Research), which is the federal assistance identifier used for USDA SBIR.
Key dates included in the announcement show it was posted on June 10, 2009, with a Phase I application deadline of September 3, 2009. The archive date is listed as October 4, 2009, indicating when the listing would be formally archived in the system after the close of the cycle. For applicants needing technical help accessing the announcement, the notice provides a CSREES Help Desk contact number (202-401-5048) with business hours on weekdays during Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays, and it notes that additional support is available for questions related to preparing application content.
In short, this USDA CSREES SBIR Phase I opportunity is a competitive grant aimed at helping eligible U.S. small businesses validate high-impact, agriculture-focused innovations through an 8-month feasibility study, with awards typically ranging from $70,000 to $90,000 and with no matching funds required, across twelve specified topic areas that span core agricultural production, environmental stewardship, food systems, and rural development.
USDA CSREES SBIR Phase I (CFDA 10.212) - Frequently Asked Questions
1) What is this grant opportunity?
This is the USDA CSREES (Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase I grant opportunity. It is a discretionary grant program intended to help U.S.-owned, for-profit small businesses conduct innovative, applied research and development (R&D) focused on major challenges in American agriculture.
2) What is the main purpose of SBIR Phase I in this announcement?
Phase I is designed to demonstrate scientific or technical feasibility. In practical terms, Phase I aims to answer, "Can this idea work?" through a proof-of-concept effort before larger investments are made in later-stage development or field deployment.
3) How long are Phase I projects expected to last?
Phase I projects are typically structured to last about 8 months.
4) What are the phases of the USDA SBIR program described here?
The program is organized into three phases:
- Phase I: Feasibility/proof of concept (typically about 8 months).
- Phase II: The main R&D effort, often including prototype development and moving from lab to field (roughly 24 months).
- Phase III: Commercialization.
5) Does Phase III receive SBIR funding?
No. The announcement states that Phase III does not receive SBIR funding. Companies are expected to pursue private investment, sales revenue, or other non-SBIR sources to bring a product or service to market after the R&D phases.
6) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to small businesses. Each applicant organization must qualify as a small business concern for research or research and development purposes. The opportunity is targeted to U.S.-owned, for-profit small businesses.
7) What kinds of projects does this program aim to support?
The program supports innovative, applied R&D that, if successful, could generate meaningful public benefits in areas such as improved productivity, sustainability, environmental outcomes, food quality, rural economic vitality, or new technologies that can be translated into real-world agricultural use.
8) What topic areas are eligible under this announcement?
The announcement lists the following eligible topic areas:
- Forests and Related Resources
- Plant Production and Protection (Biology)
- Animal Production and Protection
- Air, Water, and Soils
- Food Science and Nutrition
- Rural Development
- Aquaculture
- Biofuels and Biobased Products
- Marketing and Trade
- Animal Manure Management
- Small and Mid-Size Farms
- Plant Production and Protection (Engineering)
9) How broad is the scope of acceptable proposals?
The scope is broad across agriculture-related topics and includes both biological and engineering approaches, environmental management, food systems, and rural economic concerns. The announcement indicates that proposals may range from pest or disease solutions to novel equipment, sustainable soil and water technologies, value-added processing, or market and supply-chain innovations, as long as they align with the listed topic areas.
10) What is the total estimated funding for this opportunity cycle?
The estimated total program funding level for the opportunity cycle is $18,514,188.
11) How much funding can a single Phase I award receive?
Individual Phase I awards fall within a defined range. The award floor is $70,000 and the award ceiling is $90,000.
12) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement. Applicants are not required to contribute additional non-federal funds as a condition of receiving the grant.
13) What is the funding instrument for this program?
The funding instrument is a grant.
14) What activity categories does this opportunity cover?
The announcement indicates activity categories spanning agriculture, business and commerce, community development, environment, food and nutrition, natural resources, and science and technology and other R&D.
15) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The catalog listing tied to this opportunity is CFDA 10.212, labeled as Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR).
16) When was this opportunity posted?
The announcement was posted on June 10, 2009.
17) What is the Phase I application deadline?
The Phase I application deadline listed is September 3, 2009.
18) What does the archive date mean, and what is the archive date shown?
The archive date indicates when the listing would be formally archived in the system after the close of the cycle. The archive date shown is October 4, 2009.
19) Where can applicants get technical help with accessing the announcement?
Technical help is available through the CSREES Help Desk at 202-401-5048. The notice states business hours are weekdays during Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.
20) Is there support available for questions beyond technical access issues?
Yes. The notice indicates that additional support is available for questions related to preparing application content.
21) What is the core idea behind funding Phase I feasibility work?
The core idea is to fund early-stage R&D that can establish whether an innovation is scientifically or technically viable, because successful feasibility results can justify larger investments later and may ultimately lead to public benefits in U.S. agriculture.
22) What kinds of outcomes or impacts does USDA SBIR aim to encourage?
The announcement highlights potential public benefits such as improved productivity, sustainability, environmental outcomes, food quality, rural economic vitality, and new technologies that can be translated into real-world agricultural use.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA CSREES SBIR 002363) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase I Apply for USDA NIFA SBIR 003240 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SBIR 003240 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Business and Commerce Community Development Environment Food and Nutrition Natural Resources Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $100,000 |
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