This opportunity aims to facilitate the translation of NSF's technology investments in Engineering Research Centers (ERC) and in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) projects into the market place. Furthermore, in instances where an ERC is funded with a mission to support the public good through the implementation of critical public engineering systems (the infrastructure), this includes facilitating implementations that realize the intended public benefit. The specific goals of this opportunity are to: Speed the translation of ERC-generated research and technology advances to the marketplace or its implementation into critical public engineered systems and engage undergraduate and graduate students more directly in the innovation process through collaboration between an ERC and a small business concern, (OPTION 1) and Strengthen the research capacity of active NSF SBIR/STTR Phase II awardees to speed the entry of their innovations into the marketplace and broaden its portfolio of marketable products through collaboration with an ERC (OPTION 2).

In order to contribute to a national innovation ecosystem, NSF is establishing the NSF Innovation Corps Sites Program (NSF I-Corps Sites). Sites are funded at academic institutions, having already existing innovation or entrepreneurial units, to enable them to: Nurture students and/or faculty who are engaged in projects having the potential to be transitioned into the marketplace. I-Corps Sites will provide infrastructure, advice, resources, networking opportunities, training and modest funding to enable groups to transition their work into the marketplace or into becoming I-Corps Team applicants (see NSF Innovation Corps Program, NSF 11-560). Develop formal, active, local innovation ecosystems that contribute to a larger, national network of mentors, researchers, entrepreneurs and investors. The purpose of an I-Corps Site is to nurture and support multiple, local teams to transition their ideas, devices, processes or other intellectual activities into the marketplace.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) reissued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) invites eligible United States small business concerns (SBCs) to submit Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant applications. United States SBCs that have the research capabilities and technological expertise to contribute to the R&D mission(s) of the NIH, CDC, FDA or ACF awarding components identified in this FOA are encourag

Applicants will develop portable assistance programs to support the start up and sustainability of small business concerns in communities that are economically challenged as a result of a business or government facility downsizing or closing, resulting in the loss of jobs or small business instability.

The RBOG program promotes sustainable economic development in rural communities with exceptional needs through provision of training and technical assistance for business development, entrepreneurs, and economic development officials and to assist with economic development planning. Rural Development is participating in the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP), which is a new Administration-wide initiative that will accelerate the resurgence of manufacturing and help cultivate an environment for businesses to create well-paying manufacturing jobs in regions across the country. The IMCP is designed to reward communities that demonstrate best practices in attracting and expanding manufacturing by using long-term planning that integrates targeted investments in workforce training, infrastructure, research, and other key assets. The IMCP is being initiated in FY 2013 as EDA, USDA, SBA and EPA each provide funding for regional implementation strategy grants.

This STTR Phase I solicitation aims at encouraging the commercialization of previously NSF-funded fundamental research (NSF funding lineage).  It is highly desirable that the core innovation described in the submitted proposals can in some manner be linked to fundamental research funded by the NSF.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program stimulates technological innovation in the private sector by strengthening the role of small business concerns in meeting Federal research and development needs, increasing the commercial application of federally supported research results, and fostering and encouraging participation by socially and economically disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses. The SBIR program solicits proposals from the small business sector consistent with NSF's mission. The program is governed by Public Law 112-81 (SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011). A main purpose of the legislation is to stimulate technological innovation and increase private sector commercialization. The NSF SBIR program is therefore in a unique position to meet both the goals of NSF and the purpose of the SBIR legislation by transforming scientific discovery into both social and economic benefit, and by emphasizing private sector commercialization. Accordingly, NSF has formulated broad solicitation topics for SBIR that conform to the high-technology investment sector's interests. The topics are: Biological and Chemical Technologies (BC) Education Applications (EA) Electronics, Information and Communication Technologies (EI) Nanotechnology, Advanced Materials, and Manufacturing (NM)

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant applications from small business concerns (SBCs) that propose to develop or improve technologies for obtaining, characterizing and testing animal and human stem cells and their derivatives as models for stem cell-based regenerative medicine using animal models. The program is intended to support projects devoted to the creation of informative animal models for regenerative medicine, which will facilitate testing the safety and therapeutic potential of animal and human stem cells and their derivatives for pre-clinical evaluation. The initiative focuses on the following areas: 1) comparative analysis of animal and human stem cells to provide information for selection of the most predictive and informative model systems; 2) development of new technologies for stem cells and their derivatives, including production, characterization and transplantation; and 3) improvement of animal disease models for stem cell-based therapeutic applications. The ultimate objective of these efforts should be to provide commercial products and technologies that can help develop future clinical therapies.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant applications from small business concerns (SBCs) that propose to develop or improve technologies for obtaining, characterizing and testing animal and human stem cells and their derivatives as models for stem cell-based regenerative medicine using animal models. The program is intended to support projects devoted to the creation of informative animal models for regenerative medicine, which will facilitate testing the safety and therapeutic potential of animal and human stem cells and their derivatives for pre-clinical evaluation. The initiative focuses on the following areas: 1) comparative analysis of animal and human stem cells to provide information for selection of the most predictive and informative model systems; 2) development of new technologies for stem cells and their derivatives, including production, characterization and transplantation; and 3) improvement of animal disease models for stem cell-based therapeutic applications. The ultimate objective of these efforts should be to provide commercial products and technologies that can help develop future clinical therapies.

The Instrument Development for Biological Research (IDBR) Program supports the development, production, and distribution of novel instrumentation that addresses demonstrated needs in biological research in areas supported by NSF Biology programs (see http://www.nsf.gov/bio). These systems would benefit a broad user community through mass distribution of the technology. Interdisciplinary collaborations are strongly encouraged, as are partnerships with U.S. industries that can facilitate knowledge transfer, commercialization and broad utilization in the research community. The program accepts two types of proposals:Type A - Innovation: Proposals for the development of novel instrumentation that provides new research capabilities or, where appropriate, that significantly improves current technologies by at least an order of magnitude in fundamental aspects such as accuracy, precision, resolution, throughput, flexibility, breadth of application, costs of construction or operation, or user-friendliness.Type B - Bridging: Proposals for transforming ‘one of a kind' prototypes or high-end instruments into devices that are broadly available and utilizable without loss of capacity. If appropriate, PIs should seek SBIR/STTR Program, or similar support mechanism for implementation of broad distribution following an IDBR award.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicits Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Fast Track grant applications that propose to test and/or validate novel, state-of-the-art candidate biomarker platforms for predicting the onset and progression of inflammatory diseases of interest to the NIAMS and for determining the pharmacodynamics, safety and/or efficacy of therapeutic agents targeting those diseases.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant applications from small business concerns (SBCs) to address problems associated with the methods of collection, bioassay, isolation, purification, de-replication, yield, and supply that hamper the full utilization of natural products.

To continue to strengthen the innovation ecosystem, NSF is revising NSF 12-511 to promote two choices under the Partnerships for Innovation (PFI): Accelerating Innovation Research (AIR) subprogram.  The first choice, Technology Translation, encourages the translation of technologically-promising research discoveries made by prior and/or current NSF-funded investigators toward a path of commercialization; while the second choice, Research Alliance, promotes synergistic collaborations between an existing NSF-funded research alliance (including consortia such as Engineering Research Centers, Industry University Cooperative Research Centers, Science and Technology Centers, Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers, Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers, Centers for Chemical Innovation, and Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation grantees) and other public and private entities to motivate the translation and transfer of research discoveries into innovative technologies and commercial reality.  Both of these choices are designed to accelerate innovation that results in the creation of new wealth and the building of strong local, regional, and national economies.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant applications from small business concerns (SBCs) to address problems associated with the methods of collection, bioassay, isolation, purification, de-replication, yield, and supply that hamper the full utilization of natural products. 

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant applications from small business concerns (SBCs) to address problems associated with the methods of collection, bioassay, isolation, purification, de-replication, yield, and supply that hamper the full utilization of natural products. 

This opportunity aims to facilitate the translation of NSF's technology investments in Engineering Research Centers (ERC) and in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) projects into the market place. Furthermore, in instances where an ERC is funded with a mission to support the public good through the implementation of critical public engineering systems (the infrastructure), this includes facilitating implementations that realize the intended public benefit.The specific goals of this opportunity are to:Speed the translation of ERC-generated research and technology advances to the marketplace or its implementation into critical public engineered systems and engage undergraduate and graduate students more directly in the innovation process through collaboration between an ERC and a small business concern, (OPTION 1) andStrengthen the research capacity of active NSF SBIR/STTR Phase II awardees to speed the entry of their innovations into the marketplace and broaden its portfolio of marketable products through collaboration with an ERC (OPTION 2).

REAP provides grants to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to conduct feasibility study for a renewable energy system as well as to purchase and install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. The program is designed to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs and consumption and help meet the Nation's critical energy needs.

This opportunity aims to facilitate the translation of NSF's technology investments in Engineering Research Centers (ERC) and in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) projects into the market place. Furthermore, in instances where an ERC is funded with a mission to support the public good through the implementation of critical public engineering systems (the infrastructure), this includes facilitating implementations that realize the intended public benefit. The specific goals of this opportunity are to: Speed the translation of ERC-generated research and technology advances to the marketplace or its implementation into critical public engineered systems and engage undergraduate and graduate students more directly in the innovation process through collaboration between an ERC and a small business concern, (OPTION 1) and Strengthen the research capacity of active NSF SBIR/STTR Phase II awardees to speed the entry of their innovations into the marketplace and broaden its portfolio of marketable products through collaboration with an ERC (OPTION 2).