The SBIR/STTR Grant Programs

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are important funding sources - in the form of contracts, grants and/or cooperative agreements - of innovative technical or scientific research and development projects by research-capable small businesses. You can view a listing of Arkansas SBIR/STTR Award Winners here. SBIR and STTR are competitively awarded by the participating agencies. Each is a three-phase program intended to strengthen the role of small businesses in meeting federal research and development needs.

Arkansas entrepreneurs are invited to contact the Arkansas Small Business Development Center to discuss whether the SBIR and STTR programs are viable sources of funds for their R&D interests. Contact:

Mildred Holley
Technology Programs Manager

Arkansas Small Business Development Center
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
2801 S. University Ave.
Little Rock, AR 72204

501.683.7700
501.683.7720 fax
mxholley@ualr.edu

Eleven Federal agencies set aside part of their research and development budgets specifically for the SBIR program. Six of these agencies also fund projects through the STTR program, which requires small businesses to partner with non-profit research institutions.

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

Federal agencies that fund SBIR research and development projects:

• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• U.S. Department of Commerce
• National Institute of Standards and Technology
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• U.S. Department of Defense
• U.S. Department of Education
• U.S. Department of Energy
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• U.S. Department of Transportation
• Environmental Transportation Agency
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• National Science Foundation

Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)

Federal agencies that fund STTR research and development projects:

• U.S. Department of Defense
• U.S. Department of Energy
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• National Science Foundation

SBIR/STTR Portals

Two portal Internet sites offer extensive SBIR/STTR information about conferences, agency solicitation dates, and related resources. Each site below provides databases that enable users to locate research topics using keyword searches.

• SBIRworld.com
• SBIR Gateway

Because the SBIR and STTR programs are small business set-asides, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) engages in outreach to encourage entrepreneurs to compete in these programs. SBA hosts additional information on its website that may be useful to explore. Visit SBA to access SBA's technology-related information.

The Arkansas Small Business Development Center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration through a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business and other institutions of higher education. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. It is the goal of UALR to eliminate discriminatory harassment and to promote equal opportunity regardless of race, gender, color, national origin, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran’s status, or disability.