Do you have an innovative idea that you would like to implement but you’re currently short on budget? Continue reading to find out how you can get funding for your business with NSF SBIR STTR Program.
Introduction to the NSF SBIR/STTR Program
NSF SBIR STTR Program is a congressionally mandated program that provides small businesses and start-ups with funding to create new products, services, and other groundbreaking solutions. The goal of the program is to spur innovation, support entrepreneurs, and create new job opportunities all across the United States. It funds research and development projects for technological innovations with impact, market pull, and scalability potential.
The two first steps in the program are the Project Pitch and the Phase I Proposal. The Project Pitch (1500 words) is where you present your innovative idea and explain the commercial opportunity of your project. It allows the NSF to determine whether your idea is a good fit for the program. If you’re invited to submit the Phase I Proposal, then you proceed to the next step. The proposal for this phase is complex because you need to present a concise but impactful project description and prepare the required attachments, documentation, detailed budget, etc. Here’s an example of Phase I Proposal actual solicitation.Most Common Misconceptions About Preparing Proposals for the NSF SBIR Program
There are some typical misconceptions about how to write proposals for the NSF SBIR/STTR Program, and today, we’d like to shed some light on the two most common ones:
- You don’t need a technical expert to write the proposal - Your proposal is not just about technical innovation; it’s also about the commercial opportunity, scalability, potential impact on the economy, etc. That’s why it’s not a good idea to rely on subject-matter experts to lead the proposal preparation alone.
- You can’t outsource your proposal fully - If you want to win the funding, you can’t avoid getting deeply involved in the proposal. It’s impossible to outsource the full proposal preparation to an external consultant. At the very least, you need to provide inputs that only you have, such as the technical details, budget, plan, team, commercial opportunity, etc., and make sure the proposal aligns with your innovation vision.
Companies that want to have any chance of winning in this NSF program are usually left with two options. They can write everything on their own, which would take much time and may compromise quality, or they can hire a costly consultant that takes the lead but they still need to be very involved in the proposal preparation.
After helping many science and technology companies prepare winning NSF SBIR/STTR proposals, we have created different approaches for each step.
How to Write a Winning NSF Project Pitch
Free Guide
The project pitch is the first and most important step in getting NSF funding. It helps the agency determine whether your project aligns with the program objectives and is worth investing in. If there’s anything that we’ve learned from our long experience in helping companies write winning R&D project pitches for the NSF, it’s that writing the pitch on your own is the best option. To help with that, we have created a free guide for entrepreneurs willing to write the pitch themselves. You can find all the details and simple instructions to follow here.
Custom Done-for-you Guide
Another way to maximize your chances of winning NSF SBIR STTR funding is to try our custom guide option. While our free guide is a lifesaver and can help you write your pitch perfectly, a little additional help wouldn’t hurt. At Bizcusp, we can provide a writing guide customized to your particular case. We will review your innovation, discuss your ideas with you, and then we will customize the guide according to your vision. This option is an excellent trade-off for most small businesses.
We Write NSF Project Pitch For You
If you don’t have enough time on your hands or you’re not good at writing, it’s still very much possible to nail your NSF project pitch. At Bizcusp, we will gladly write your NSF project pitch for you and help you win the funding. For this service, we start by discussing the basics with you, such as the raw inputs of your innovation, market potential, your team, etc. Then, we take care of the rest.
How to Prepare a Winning NSF Phase I Proposal
Custom Proposal Management Guide
If your project pitch was a success, that means you’re now invited to submit an NSF Phase I Proposal for your project. The proposal management process is complex and can often be time-consuming. That’s why we’ve prepared a custom proposal management guide that avoids having to navigate the whole process from scratch, saving you more than 80h in proposal management effort. Composed of a set of resources, including a schedule, proposal management canvas, content and writing tips, etc., we believe this is the best option for most small businesses and entrepreneurs that want to be one step closer to getting up to $256,000 in funding.
We Write NSF Proposal For You
Finally, we also offer our NSF proposal writing services for the busiest entrepreneurs out there. While you can count on us to take the lead and prepare an excellent proposal with this service, you will still need to be involved in the proposal preparation. Your raw inputs, project ideas, and company insights are indispensable in preparing a winning NSF proposal. There is no way around it; your key people need to be involved. Once we have all the necessary inputs from you, we’ll take care of the rest.
Final thoughts
Are you ready to win the NSF program funding? We’d be happy to help you! Our approach will maximize your chances of being awarded and will do it without wasting your time and delivering the maximum value. Contact us now!
Hey! It's me, Javi, the BizCusp Lead Consultant
Just two quick notes:
#1 If AI in proposals is something that interests you, I go deep dive with particular use cases here: DeepRFP/blog, such as, for example, executive summaries, compliance matrices, outlines, color teams, assessments, and more. It is also where you can try 15+ AI bidding tools for free.
#2 I talk proposals twice a week with 2000+ professionals here: jescartin.com. Of course, we discuss tech & AI, but also a bunch of bidding tips, career insights, stories, ideas, and other good stuff. Join us!
