One NC SBP — SBIR/STTR Phase I Incentive Funds
Supports North Carolina small businesses through One NC SBP with help covering early proposal costs for government innovation awards.
Eligibility · United States · US-NC
The One NC Small Business Program — SBIR/STTR Phase I Incentive Funds is administered by the North Carolina Office of Science, Technology & Innovation (OSTI) under the Board of Science, Technology & Innovation (BSTI) and NC Department of Commerce. Authorized by NC General Statute § 143B-437.80, the program reimburses a portion of the costs that North Carolina small businesses incur when preparing and submitting a federal SBIR or STTR Phase I proposal. The FY 2026 solicitation opened December 15, 2025, with a total pool of $200,000 and approximately 25 awards projected to be made before June 30, 2026.
Reimbursement is calculated as a percentage of documented eligible expenses: 75% for businesses located in Tier 1 or Tier 2 counties, and 50% for Tier 3 county businesses, with a maximum award of $12,000 per application. Eligible costs include consulting fees, technical writing, market research, and travel directly tied to the proposal preparation process; general R&D overhead does not qualify. Applicants must be for-profit small businesses based in North Carolina, engaged in R&D in a capital-intensive STEM industry, and must have submitted or be in the process of submitting a Phase I application to a federal agency. The program limits awards to one per company per year, with a lifetime cap of 10 awards per business. Applications must be submitted within 45 days of the proposal submission notification through the CyberGrants Management System (GM ID: 2309).
The incentive program has issued 288 awards totaling $1.7 million since its FY 2008 launch, with 51 awards averaging $8,213 disbursed in FY 2025. The program was inactive from FY 2010 through FY 2021, making active cycles valuable for eligible businesses. Winners should document all eligible proposal-preparation costs precisely, apply promptly after submission confirmation, and verify county tier designation before applying. The FY 2026 pool closes June 30, 2026 or when the $200,000 budget is exhausted.
Reimbursement of up to $12,000 for eligible proposal-preparation costs incurred by North Carolina small businesses submitting a federal SBIR or STTR Phase I application.
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