The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program at USDA makes grants that are competitively awarded to qualified small businesses to support high quality, advanced concepts research related to scientific problems and opportunities in agriculture that could lead to significant public benefit if successful. The SBIR Program does not make loans and does not award grants for the purpose of helping a business get established.

Objectives of the SBIR program are to stimulate technological innovations in the private sector, strengthen the role of small businesses in meeting Federal research and development needs, increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from USDA-supported research and development efforts, and foster and encourage participation by women-owned and socially and economically disadvantaged small business firms in technological innovations.

The types of research projects awarded under this program include, but are not limited to: forests and related resources; plant production and protection; animal production and protection; food science and nutrition; rural and community development; aquaculture; and animal waste management

For additional information please visit the SBIR Web site www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/sbir/sbir.html.