Workshop to help companies apply for federal R&D grants

A workshop to help companies learn to compete for federal research and development grants is scheduled in Reno next month.

About $2.5 billion a year is available through the federal government's Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs.

Through the programs, 11 federal agencies with large R&D budgets indicate topics and priorities that they are interested in funding. Companies that believe that they can meet those interests submit proposals for competitively awarded grants, said Fritz Grupe, the SBIR program manager for the Nevada Small Business Development Center at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Congress just reauthorized the programs for six years.

Nevada has ranked seventh in the average size of SBIR and STTR grants awarded to companies headquartered in the state during the past three decades, said Sen. Harry Reid.

Reid said Nevada has received more than $76 million in SBIR and STTR grants 224 awards with averaging $341,549 per award in the past 30 years.

Among northern Nevada companies that won the grants are Load IQ, Washoe Sleep Disorder Clinic, Advance Material and Devices, Digital Solid State Propulsion LLC, Intelligent Building Utility Conservation Systems, Nevada Nanotech Systems Inc. and Altairnano Inc. in Reno, Multi Phase Technologies in Sparks, OptiComp of Zephyr Cove and GS Engineering Inc. of Incline Village.

Grupe said SBIR and STTR grants provide funding and support in three phases, providing support for research, development, and commercialization.

The first phase now offers up to $150,000 for six months of research, and the second phase provides up to $1 million for development of prototypes. Some of the agencies offer a third phase of funding that helps companies develop their marketing and production efforts.

The Nevada Small Business Development Center will provide a free workshop for interested companies from 1-3 p.m. Feb. 22 at the University of Nevada, Reno Redfield Campus, 18600 Wedge Parkway - Nell J Redfield Building A, Room 215.

For registration, go to http://nsbdc.org/education-training/business-training-calendar/.