One NC SBIR/STTR Phase I Incentive Funds

One NC SBIR/STTR Phase I Incentive Funds

Funds North Carolina small businesses preparing and submitting Phase I SBIR or STTR proposals to federal agencies.

Eligibility · North Carolina, United States

The One NC SBIR/STTR Phase I Incentive Funds program is administered by the North Carolina Office of Science, Technology & Innovation (OSTI) on behalf of the NC Board of Science, Technology & Innovation, under NC General Statute § 143B-437.80. It reimburses a portion of the costs that qualified North Carolina small businesses incur when preparing and submitting Phase I SBIR or STTR proposals to federal agencies. Awards are up to $12,000 per application, paid in two stages. Funding is available on a rolling basis until the annual appropriation is exhausted; FY 2026 funds run through June 30, 2026.

To qualify, the business must be a North Carolina small business eligible for federal SBIR/STTR consideration. The program does not specify an employee headcount or revenue cap beyond the federal SBA small business definition that SBIR/STTR agencies apply. No cost-sharing from the applicant is required — this is a full reimbursement of documented proposal-preparation costs, up to the cap.

Applications are submitted through the CyberGrants portal. Applicants should first review the current year's Incentive Program Solicitation (released each December) for exact submission requirements, allowable cost categories, and any caps per cost type. Stage 1 of the payment is disbursed after the proposal is submitted to the federal agency; Stage 2 requires contacting OSTI staff after proof of federal submission.

Scoring criteria are not published; OSTI staff review applications for eligibility and completeness. In FY 2025, 51 awards totaling $418,863 were made (average $8,212 each). Since program inception, the Incentive Funds have supported hundreds of proposal submissions across the state.