Federal grant programs / Department of Agriculture

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program / Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program (10.212)

Also known as SBIR/STTR Program - Phase I and II

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$164 million
• Grant awards596
• Typical award$175,000
• Awarded in FY 2025$21.2 million
• Size rank660 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceProject grants

Key findings

• Annual funding fell from $26.9 million in fiscal 2021 to $21.2 million in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 660th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 15% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 51 states and territories.

What the program funds

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) administers the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, both of which focus on projects that enhance American agriculture, rural health care, rural communities and the environment. USDA SBIR/STTR PROGRAMS 1.) Stimulate technological innovations in the private sector; 2.) Strengthen the role of small businesses in meeting Federal research and development needs; 3.) Increase the commercialization of innovations derived from SBIR/STTR-supported private sector research and development efforts; and 4.) Foster and encourage participation by emerging and undercapitalized small businesses.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

• Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase II
  Open · Closes November 17, 2026 (10 days left) · up to $650,000

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

Phase I is open to any eligible small independent US business. Phase II is open only to previous Phase I awardees. The SBIR/STTR Phase I and Phase II NOFOs outline the specific eligibility requirements that are in place to ensure that the funds go only to small, independent US businesses. The regulations include restrictions about 1.) the type of firm; 2.) its ownership structure; and 3.) the firm’s size in terms of the number of employees. See the program NOFO for more details about the SBIR/STTR eligibility requirements.

What the money can and cannot pay for

The selected areas for research are: 1.) Forests and Related Resources; 2.) Plant Production and Protection (Biology) 3.) Animal Production and Protection; 4.) Management of Natural Resources; 5.) Food Science and Nutrition; 6.) Rural and Community Development; 7.) Aquaculture; 8.) Biofuels and Biobased Products; 9.) Small and Mid-size Farms; and 10.) Plant Production and Protection (Engineering). Phase I projects are supported to determine the scientific or technical feasibility of ideas submitted by small business applicants on the selected research areas. Phase II awards are made to firms with approaches that appear sufficiently promising as a result of Phase I studies. Only those small businesses previously receiving Phase I awards are eligible to submit Phase II proposals. Funds may be used only for the purpose for which they are granted in accordance with the approved application and budget, regulations, terms and conditions of the award, applicable Federal cost principles, USDA assistance regulations, and NIFA General Awards Administration Provisions, 7 CFR Part 3430, subparts A through E. A reasonable fee, not to exceed seven percent of total Federal funds awarded is permitted under this program, but applicants are encouraged to minimize fee requests due to the small amount of funds available. All fees are subject to negotiation with USDA. If available, the current rate negotiated with the cognizant Federal negotiating agency should be used.

Continue reading on SAM.gov

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines

Award range and average, in the agency's words

If minimum or maximum amounts of funding per competitive and/or capacity project grant, or cooperative agreement are established, these amounts will be announced in the annual Competitive Request for Application (RFA).

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2025: Fiscal Year 2025: Phase I Award examples: 1. A Portable Situational Awareness Toolset for Wildfires Suppression and Team Management 2. Squalene Produced from US Soybeans 3. A Nickel-Binding Feed Additive for Improved Feed Efficiency & Productivity in Cattle 4. Cost-effective Monitoring Platform for Optimal Nutrient Application 5. Innovative Food Processing Utilizing Whole Apples to Produce a Novel Drink, Reducing Food Waste and Enhancing Nutritional Value 6. AMA: An AI-Driven Special Education Support Platform for Education in Rural Communities. 7. Induced polyploidization in larviparous oysters: Developing a commercially viable Hawaiian oyster 8. Consolidated Bioprocessing of Corn Stover to Ethanol Augmented by Spontaneous Particle Expansion Cotreatment 9. Improving Small Farm Profitability Using Directed Energy Weed Management 10. Cotton Picker Spindle Design and Manufacturing Processes There were no FY25 Phase II awards issued.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Small businesses received 95% of the money, businesses 5.0% and state and local governments less than 0.1%.

By state

35 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.