USDA SBIR program overview

The US Department of Agriculture's SBIR program offers grants that are competitively awarded to qualified small businesses for the purpose of supporting high-quality research proposals containing advanced concepts related to important scientific problems and opportunities in agriculture that could lead to significant public benefit if the research is successful. The SBIR program does not make loans and does not award grants for the purpose of helping a business get established. SBIR Phase I grants are limited to $80,000 and a duration of eight months. SBIR Phase II grants are limited to $325,000 and a duration of 24 months. 2004 awards totaled approximately $18,300,000.

USDA SBIR topics include:

• Forests and Related Resources
  
• Plant Production and Protection
  
• Animal Production and Protection
  
• Air, Water and Soils
  
• Food Science and Nutrition
  
• Rural and Community Development
  
• Aquaculture
  
• Industrial Applications
  
• Marketing and Trade
  
• Wildlife
  
• Animal Waste Management (new in 2005)

Solicitation Dates: Expected release is June 6, 2005 (subject to change)

Website: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/sbir/sbir.html

Recent North Carolina awardees: Advanced Animal Diagnostics, Inc.(RTP), Embrex, Inc. (Durham), Gaia Herbs, Inc (Brevard), Insect Biotechnology, Inc. (Durham), IPM Development Company, Inc. (Raleigh), Newman Machine Co., Inc. (Greensboro)

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