Photonics grants in the United States
Explore Photonics grants for companies in the United States. This list brings together funding for lasers, optics, integrated photonics, imaging and optical communications from US innovation agencies, research funders and foundations, international programs open to applicants in the United States, and competitions any company can enter, with the deadline, award size and eligibility on every listing. Grants aimed at Photonics in the United States come first.
Showing 25-48 of 261 grants
R&D Tax Credit — Income Tax Credit (Section 41) — TY2025 / Filed
🇺🇸IRS · United States
Supports established United States companies with income tax credits tied to qualified innovation spending.
R&D Tax Credit — QSB Payroll Offset (Section 41) — TY2025 / Filed
🇺🇸IRS · United States
Supports United States small businesses through payroll tax offsets when they fund qualifying innovation activity.
Seed Capital Investment Program (SCIP)
🇺🇸AEDC · United States
Invests in Arkansas technology companies with flexible financing structures through debt, equity, or royalty arrangements.
The Caltech Seed Fund
🇺🇸Caltech OTTCP · United States
Invests in early-stage Caltech and JPL spinout companies, helping them move toward commercialization readiness.
DOE SBIR Phase II
🇺🇸DOE · United States
Funds U.S. small businesses advancing energy and science technologies from proven feasibility into prototype development through DOE's Phase II SBIR award.
SpaceWERX STRATFI (Strategic Funding Increase)
🇺🇸SpaceWERX · United States
Funds U.S. small businesses scaling strategic space technologies through SBIR/STTR matching contracts with government and private co-investment.
AFOSR HBCU/MI Program
🇺🇸AFOSR · United States
Supports minority-serving and historically black institutions through foundational Air Force research grants.
AFOSR STTR Phase I
🇺🇸AFOSR · United States
Offers small business and institution teams early research support for foundational Air Force concepts.
AFOSR STTR Phase II
🇺🇸AFOSR · United States
Supports small business teams extending validated concepts toward robust defense development.
AFRL/AFOSR Center of Excellence
🇺🇸AFOSR · United States
Supports early-stage Air Force fundamental research at universities, nonprofits, and industry partners.
ECosystem for Leading Innovation in Plasma Science and Engineering (ECLIPSE)
🇺🇸NSF · United States
Funds plasma science aimed at real technological problems — manufacturing, microelectronics, agriculture, sensors, nanomaterials.
Engineering (ENG): Electrical, Communications, and Computing Systems (ECCS)
🇺🇸NSF · United States
Funds foundational engineering research on devices, circuits and control — $110 million across roughly 300 awards, with no deadline.
International Market Access Grant for Exporters
🇺🇸Ohio Dept of Development · United States
Funds Ohio for-profit businesses carrying out eligible export promotion activities through reimbursement grants.
Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for NSWC Crane
🇺🇸ONR · United States
Funds early-stage research and technology demonstrators across NSWC Crane's electronic warfare, sensors and power-systems missions.
MPS Materials Research Programs (MPS Materials)
🇺🇸NSF · United States
Funds eight NSF materials programmes through one door — ceramics, polymers, metals, biomaterials and more, across 300 awards.
MPS Physics Research Programs (MPS Physics)
🇺🇸NSF · United States
Funds every NSF physics programme through one door — quantum information, particle physics, plasma, gravity and more, from $180 million.
NIST SBIR Phase I
🇺🇸NIST · United States
Funds U.S. small businesses testing science and technology R&D ideas for NIST mission areas.
NIST SBIR Phase II
🇺🇸NIST · United States
Funds NIST SBIR Phase I awardees continuing science and technology R&D projects into Phase II.
NRL Broad Agency Announcement
🇺🇸Navy · United States
Supports naval research collaborations with universities, firms, and consortia for practical outcomes.
One NC SBIR/STTR Phase I Incentive Funds
🇺🇸NC BSTI · United States
Funds North Carolina small businesses preparing and submitting Phase I SBIR or STTR proposals to federal agencies.
One NC SBIR/STTR Phase I Matching Funds
🇺🇸NC BSTI · United States
Funds North Carolina small businesses that have received a federal SBIR or STTR Phase I award with matching grants to bridge the gap to Phase II.
Pre-Seed Investment
🇺🇸Connecticut Innovations · United States
Supports early Connecticut technology firms through matched pre-seed investment that requires private co-investment.
Vermont Research and Development Tax Credit
🇺🇸VT Tax · United States
Supports Vermont businesses with innovation tax credits that reduce innovation costs.
DOE SMASH Incubator
🇺🇸DOE · United States
Funds U.S. for-profit organizations and partners developing solar module and non-module hardware through RD&D projects.