Small Business Innovation Research Program - Phase I | USDA NIFA SBIR 006365

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA SBIR 006365

The Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase I opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), is a discretionary grant program designed to help small businesses test and validate early-stage innovations. Phase I awards are specifically meant to demonstrate the scientific or technical feasibility of a proposed concept or approach, essentially supporting proof-of-conofcept work that shows the idea can function as intended and has a credible pathway toward further development.

The program emphasizes research and development that aligns with USDA priorities for strengthening agriculture and related systems while supporting a broader vision of a healthy and productive nation that remains in balance with land, air, and water resources. While the SBIR topics are flexible, the solicitation explicitly encourages proposals connected to agriculturally related manufacturing as well as alternative and renewable energy technologies. That encouragement applies across all SBIR topic areas, signaling that USDA is interested in innovations that can improve agricultural production and processing, reduce waste, increase efficiency, and expand sustainable energy solutions relevant to rural and agricultural contexts.

This is a long-running federal innovation program with a strong track record. USDA notes that it has funded more than 2,000 research and development projects since 1983. The program is structured to give small businesses the chance to explore and de-risk new technologies and, importantly, to create incentives for commercialization. In practice, that means the agency is not only interested in research results but also in whether an innovation can realistically move into the marketplace and deliver measurable benefits to agriculture, producers, consumers, and associated industries.

Key administrative details from the listing include that the opportunity is a grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) under the discretionary category, with activity areas spanning Agriculture and Science and Technology/other R&D. The CFDA number associated with the program is 10.212. The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA SBIR 006365, and the original application closing date shown is October 5, 2017. Eligibility is summarized in the notice as "Others," with the solicitation directing applicants to Part III, A. of the RFA for the specific eligibility requirements, which is where the formal criteria for qualifying applicants (including what counts as an eligible small business under SBIR rules) would be defined.

Overall, this Phase I SBIR opportunity is aimed at helping eligible small businesses produce early technical validation for innovative agricultural or agriculture-adjacent technologies, with a clear expectation that successful projects will be positioned to advance toward commercialization and potentially later-stage development beyond Phase I.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture, 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.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-07-05.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-10-05. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA SBIR 006365

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