How To Win SBIR Funding

January 26, 2010 - Herndon, VA
(8:30 AM - 5:30 PM)

SBIR grants (Small Business Innovation Research) and it’s sister STTR grant program (Small Business Technology Transfer) provide $100K - $900K in early stage R&D funding. 11 participating federal agencies use this program to fund early stage technology development that will help them meet their missions. This workshop is lead by one of the leading SBIR instructors/consultants in the country, Mr. John Davis of The SBIR Resource Center. CIT leads the Commonwealths efforts in SBIR/STTR outreach and brings this event to Virginia firms at a substantially reduced price in order to help build Virginia’s economy. 

• Understanding SBIR from the Applicant’s Perspective
• Background and Requirements
• Schedules and Agencies
• Project Objectives (acceptable vs non acceptable)
• STTR: Why? / Why Not?
• Agency Differences (these matter -- a lot)
• Why Should You Decline To Pursue SBIR?
• The Bid/No Bid Statistics
• SBIR/STTR Projects Should Offer Discussion
• General Principals and Advice

• SBIR/STTR Proposals Are Different
• Before You Write (doing the homework)
• Crafting SBIR/STTR Proposals: Evaluation Criteria; Reviewers (decision making in review panels); Common Proposal Elements; Varying Proposal Elements; Summary/Abstract; Specific Aims/Objectives; Project Plans (research design & methods); Qualifications To Perform; Commercialization Plans; Finishing & Publishing Applications.
• Why Many Proposals Fail
• Improving Your Chances
• Placing Topics Into Solicitations
• An Ordered Process / Checklist
• When You Don’t Win / When You Do
• Phase II (what PI applicants need to know)
• Principals of Winning
• Available Support Resources