SBIR/STTR Direct Financial Assistance Program
The CSIT SBIR/STTR Direct Financial Assistance Program aims to enhance the innovative economy in NJ through financial support to NJ small businesses seeking to or participating in the federal SBIR/STTR program.
The program has three objectives, which are geared towards accelerating the growth of the innovation economy in the State:
The CSIT board has approved $1,000,000 for the SBIR/STTR Direct Financial Assistance Program.
PROGRAM DETAILS
The Direct Financial Assistance Grant for Businesses Engaged in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Federal Programs has a total budget of $1,000,000 and will offer two grant components:
$25,000 Direct Funding for 20 SBIR/STTR Phase I, Fast Track or Direct to Phase II award/contract winners (“Direct Funding”).
$50,000 Bridge Funding for 10 SBIR/STTR Phase II applicants (“Bridge Funding”).
Applicants to the Round 4, CSIT Direct Financial Assistance SBIR/STTR Program may only apply for one component (either a Direct Funding or Bridge Funding). CSIT reserves the right to reallocate funds between the two components of the Direct Financial Assistance programs.
Direct Funding for SBIR/STTR Phase I, Fast Track or Direct to Phase II Federal Applicants:
Phase I of the Federal SBIR/STTR program is intended to establish technical merit, feasibility, and commercial potential of the proposed research and development efforts. Federal Phase I awards normally do not exceed $150,000 in total costs for six months. To help New Jersey Phase I, Fast Track or Direct to Phase II award/contract winners increase intensity of research, strengthen commercialization plans, cover operational expenses, and become more competitive for Phase II funding, CSIT will provide a grant of $25,000 to New Jersey small businesses that receive a Phase I, Fast Track or Direct to Phase II award/contract. The grant funding is intended to reduce the financial burden on these growing small businesses and improve their chances of applying and winning Phase II awards. The grant will be flexible to help cover general operational expenses.
Bridge Funding for Phase II Federal Applicants:
The gap between application and award notice for Phase II of the Federal SBIR/STTR program can be up to six months and it is during this period that small businesses often struggle to secure funding and maintain operations. CSIT will offer funding of $50,000 to New Jersey small businesses that have successfully completed Phase I of Federal SBIR/STTR program and have applied for Phase II funding. The funding is intended to enable these businesses to maintain operations while waiting on Phase II awards.
Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, with awards going to the highest scoring applicants. All materials must be submitted after October 3, 2022 at 9 am and before the grant application deadline on November 14, 2022 at 5:00pm.
Each approved grant will be valid for a period of 12 months starting from date of the execution of the grant agreement.
ELIGIBILTY
All applicants must meet eligibility criteria at time of application and must maintain eligibility during the period of application review in order to be considered for an award.
Eligibility requirements must also be maintained during the grant term for awarded applicants and will be specified in the grant agreement.
Direct Funding Grant
- Provide a current New Jersey Tax Clearance Certificate listing New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology. All certificates listing another state agency will be rejected.
- Have a minimum of one full-time employee (working a minimum of 35-hours per week). A founder can be counted as an employee; an employee may be paid or unpaid.
- Fifty percent or more of the cumulative hours worked by all employees, founders, and contractors must be conducted in New Jersey (as calculated on an full-time employee basis of 35 hours per week).
- The primary place of performance on the Federal SBIR/STTR grant or contract award is a New Jersey address.
- Be a recipient of a Federal SBIR/STTR Phase I, Fast Track or Direct to Phase II grant or contract award within the last two years prior to the issuance of this Notice of Funding Availability.
- The applicant cannot have been awarded more than five Federal SBIR/STTR grants or contracts (Phase I, Fast-track, Direct to Phase II combined) throughout the lifetime of the company.
- Certify compliance with the New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law, N.J.S.A. 52:13D-12, et. seq.
- Applicants must be in good standing with both DOL and DEP.As part of the review process, CSIT conducts sister agency checks with the New Jersey Department of Labor (DOL) and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on all completed applications.
Bridge Funding Grant
- Provide a current New Jersey Tax Clearance Certificate listing New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology. All certificates listing another state agency will be rejected.
- Have a minimum of one full-time employee (working a minimum of 35-hours per week). A founder can be counted as an employee; an employee may be paid or unpaid.
- Fifty percent or more of the cumulative hours worked by all employees, founders, and contractors must be conducted in New Jersey (as calculated on a full-time employee basis of 35 hours per week).
- The primary place of performance on the Federal Phase II SBIR/STTR project submission is a New Jersey address.
- Be a previous Federal SBIR/STTR Phase I grant or contract award recipient within the last two years prior to the issuance of this Notice of Funding Availability that has successfully completed a Phase I Federal SBIR/STTR program, submitted a Phase II SBIR/STTR application, and not yet received a Federal response on their Phase II application.
- The applicant cannot have been awarded more than five Federal SBIR/STTR grants or contracts (Phase I, Fast-track or Direct to Phase II combined) and four Federal Phase II SBIR/STTR grants or contracts throughout the lifetime of the company.
- Certify compliance with the New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law, N.J.S.A. 52:13D-12, et. seq.
- Applicants must be in good standing with both DOL and DEP.As part of the review process, CSIT conducts sister agency checks with the New Jersey Department of Labor (DOL) and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on all completed applications.
Applicants should send a notification to csitsbir@njeda.com if there are any changes to their eligibility status after submission of an application and prior to any award notification.
PROGRAM GUIDE
QUESTIONS
For more information or to ask a specific question, please send an email to customercare@njeda.gov and a team member will reach out to you.