20 - Small Business Grants

Abstract

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs were designed to facilitate the transfer of newly developed technology from the university to industry and ultimately to the public. The programs were inspired by the explosive development of the biotechnology industry exemplified by numerous small companies involving university-based scientists. The SBIR grant program stated goals: stimulation of technological development; to involve small businesses to meet federal research and development needs; to increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from federal research and development; and to foster and encourage participation by minority and disadvantaged persons in technological development. There is no real difference between SBIR and STTR proposals. These proposals are funded by National Institutes of Health (NIH) Institutes and are reviewed by ad hoc NIH Study Sections that are convened by the Center for Scientific Review (CSR). These committees usually consist of scientists who are used to R01 proposals plus scientists from small businesses who have competed successfully for their own SBIR grants. All the criteria of a good R01 proposal apply in this proposal, except those remarks concerning development. A project to develop a commercial product makes for a weak R01 proposal, but is the essential basis for the SBIR and STTR projects. Applied research is not very competitive among R01s but is entirely appropriate to these programs. This is the basis for a problem faced by the SBIR/STTR applicants: reviewers are asked to apply different criteria to these proposals, which are assigned priority scores like R01s.