The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced support for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) – Phase II program. The SBIR program was established under the Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982 to address scientific problems and create opportunities in agriculture that could lead to significant public benefits. Additionally, the program stimulates technological innovations in the private sector and strengthens the role of federal research and development in support of small businesses.
The SBIR program is carried out in three separate phases. Phase I determines the scientific or technical feasibility of ideas submitted by applicants on research topic areas solicited. Phase II require a more comprehensive application, outlining the proposed effort in further detail. Phase III’s focus is to stimulate technological innovation and return on investment from research carried out in Phases I and II.
Applications are currently being solicited for Phase II. Eligible applicants include previous SBIR Phase I awardees who have not applied for Phase II support. A Phase I awardee may only apply for a Phase II grant once. If a Phase I awardee was unsuccessful in receiving a Phase II grant with a previous application, then the awardee is not eligible to resubmit the proposal under this program solicitation.
NIFA reviews all proposals accepted in NIFA’s competitive grant programs through an external peer review process in which a panel of experts from within the respective field in question takes part. Specific details on panel meetings, review formats, and evaluation criteria may vary among programs.
The application deadline is March 8, 2018, 5 p.m. Eastern time. See the SBIR Phase II Request for Applications (RFA) for details.
NIFA’s mission is to invest in and advance agricultural research, education, and extension to solve societal challenges. NIFA’s investments in transformative science directly support the long-term prosperity and global preeminence of U.S. agriculture. To learn more about NIFA’s impact on agricultural sciences, visitwww.nifa.usda.gov/Impacts, sign up for email updates, or follow us on Twitter @USDA_NIFA, #NIFAImpacts.