ActiveOpenFederal

Small Business Innovation Research Program.

Participating federal agencies make competitive, non-dilutive SBIR awards to eligible U.S. small businesses developing technologies that address agency research needs.

Offered bySBA Office of Investment and Innovationverified 2026-07-10

Overview

What it does.

SBA coordinates the program, but each participating agency publishes its own topics, deadlines, proposal rules, and awards. A Chester technology company must match a live solicitation and comply with federal registration and work-performance requirements.

Best for: Research-driven small businesses with a technology concept that closely matches a current federal agency topic.

Eligibility

Who and what may qualify.

Eligible applicants

  • U.S. for-profit small business concerns meeting SBIR ownership, control, size, and performance-of-work rules

Applicants excluded by the source

  • Individuals applying without an eligible small business
  • Nonprofit entities as the prime applicant
  • Businesses that do not satisfy program ownership and control rules

Eligible uses

  • Agency-defined Phase I feasibility research
  • Phase II research and development
  • Commercialization preparation tied to federal research objectives

Uses excluded by the source

  • General business startup expenses unrelated to an agency solicitation
  • Ordinary commercial expansion without qualifying research and development

Application

How to start.

  1. Review live solicitations on SBIR.gov
  2. Confirm company, ownership, registration, and work-performance eligibility
  3. Register in required federal systems and submit to the sponsoring agency under its solicitation

Timing: Deadlines and open topics are set by each participating agency solicitation.

Planning notes

Limits to account for.

  • A strong topic match is essential
  • The small business must perform the required share of research work
  • Award amounts and terms vary by agency and solicitation

Other funding must be disclosed and cannot pay twice for the same scope; Phase III uses non-SBIR funds for follow-on commercialization or production.

Evidence

Official sources.