MS-FAST — Mississippi SBIR/STTR Phase 0

MS-FAST SBIR/STTR Phase 0 — Proposal Prep Grant

Supports Mississippi small businesses by funding proposal preparation for national commercialization and research pathways.

MS-FAST (Mississippi SBIR/STTR Phase 0) is a rolling grant program operated by Innovate Mississippi that provides up to $3,000 to Mississippi small businesses and university-affiliated researchers to cover costs of preparing a competitive federal SBIR or STTR Phase I proposal. The program receives partial funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through a grant to Innovate Mississippi. Allowable cost categories and their individual maximums are: preliminary research up to $1,500, proposal writing services up to $1,500, and travel to federal agencies to discuss proposal fit up to $1,000 — funds may be used in any combination within those per-category caps, so long as total reimbursement does not exceed $3,000. Indirect costs are explicitly not allowable.

Eligibility requires Mississippi Secretary of State registration and SBA small business size classification (generally 500 or fewer employees). University faculty, graduate students, and researchers are eligible if partnering with a Mississippi-registered business or in the process of starting one in-state. The program is open year-round; applications must be submitted at least 30 days before the targeted federal SBIR/STTR solicitation deadline. Award notifications are issued within 20 days of submission. Payment is milestone-based: 50% disbursed after award and an initial meeting with Innovate Mississippi staff, and the remaining 50% after the applicant submits proof of federal Phase I or Phase II proposal receipt from the federal agency.

Applications are submitted via an Airtable form and must include a 2–3 page narrative (excluding cover page) covering project title, abstract, target federal agency and solicitation topic, commercial opportunity, team qualifications, technical objectives, work plan, anticipated results, and a detailed budget. The program functions as an on-ramp to federal SBIR/STTR funding, making it most valuable for Mississippi companies and researchers that have identified a specific federal solicitation and want structured support to improve proposal quality before committing to a full Phase I effort.