Georgia FAST Grant Program

Georgia FAST Grant Phase 0

Funds Georgia-based small businesses hiring a grant writing consultant to prepare a competitive SBIR or STTR application.

Eligibility · Georgia, United States

The Georgia FAST Grant Phase 0 is administered by the University of Georgia's Office of Research through a Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). It is a small direct grant — up to $2,450 — that covers part or all of the cost of hiring an external grant writing consultant to help a Georgia-based small business submit a stronger SBIR or STTR proposal to a federal agency. The FAST program is an SBA-funded initiative that supports state and regional organizations in building the SBIR/STTR pipeline from undercapitalized regions.

The Phase 0 award covers the upfront cost of employing a grant writing consultant. No match funding is required and the funds go directly toward consultant fees. Award size is capped at $2,450; no stated minimum. No total pool figure is published.

Eligibility is open to any Georgia-based small business that operates as a for-profit venture working on bringing a technology to market. The business must be preparing a SBIR or STTR application to one of the 11 participating federal agencies. There is no stated headcount limit or revenue cap beyond the standard SBA small business size rules implied by SBIR/STTR.

Applications are open on a rolling basis via a Monday.com online form (no stated deadline). After submitting the form, applicants are reviewed by UGA staff. No multi-step evaluation process is described; the source page indicates applications are accepted while funds last. The contact for the program is Monica Williams at UGA.

Key caveat: the Phase 0 award is specifically for grant writing assistance costs only — it does not fund R&D, product development, or any other business expense. Businesses must still separately apply to and win a federal SBIR/STTR award on their own. Award amounts and pool information were not published on the source page as of the verification date.