Useful Stats: USDA SBIR Phase I Results

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has posted its selections for the FY 2001 Phase I solicitation of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. Using information obtained from Ruth Lange of the USDA SBIR Program Office and the USDA website, SSTI has prepared the accompanying table presenting the state-by-state distribution of proposals, awards and total funding provided for the Phase I cycle. Phase II information will be available in September, once awards are finalized.



The FY 2002 solicitation for the USDA SBIR Phase I cycle is currently open. The deadline to submit proposals for consideration is August 30, 2001. SBIR Phase I grants are limited to $80,000 and a duration of six months. Proposals must address one of nine broad topic areas, which 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; and Marketing and Trade. 



The Rural and Community Development topic may be of particular interest to Digest readers. The solicitation states: 

“The objectives of this research area are to foster, promote, or improve the well-being of rural Americans. This program supports research that will result in commercial products or services that are focused on issues and problems related to the economic development and social enhancement of rural areas, small towns, rural people, rural organizations, and rural institutions. Proposals submitted to this area should not concentrate primarily on the development of new technology, but rather on applying new or existing technology to address important issues and/or solving significant problems of importance to rural America. Proposals that involve development of new technology should explicitly discuss the specific rural problem or opportunity that will be examined and how this technology will successfully address the problem or opportunity. The proposals do not need to be centered on agriculture, per se, but may be focused on any area (e.g., information systems, education, health care) that has the potential of providing significant benefits to rural Americans. Most of the competitive proposals submitted to this topic should include a market feasibility study as one of the research objectives.”



Only for-profit small businesses are eligible to compete for SBIR funding.



The solicitation is available online at http://www.reeusda.gov/sbir/

Questions should be directed to Dr. William Goldner (wgoldner@reeusda.gov) or Ruth Lange (rlange@reeusda.gov). The general office number is 202-401-4002.



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