One NC Small Business Program

One NC SBIR/STTR Incentive Funds

Funds North Carolina small businesses to prepare and strengthen innovation applications for federal programs.

Eligibility · United States · US-NC

The One NC SBIR/STTR Incentive Funds program is administered by the North Carolina Department of Commerce through its Office of Science, Technology & Innovation (OSTI), under authority of NC General Statute § 143B-437.80. The program reimburses qualified North Carolina small businesses for a portion of the costs incurred in preparing and submitting federal SBIR or STTR Phase I proposals to federal agencies. Stated goals include increasing the number, quality, diversity, and geographic breadth of NC SBIR/STTR applications. The FY 2026 solicitation was released December 15, 2025 via the CyberGrants Management System.

Applicants must be for-profit small businesses based and operating in North Carolina in a capital-intensive, high-risk STEM industry. The award reimburses a percentage of documented proposal-preparation costs, including consulting, technical writing, and market research directly tied to the application; general overhead and R&D costs are not reimbursable. In FY 2025, 51 incentive awards were made totaling $418,863, representing an average award of approximately $8,200 per business. The maximum per-award reimbursement is capped at $12,000. Applications are submitted through the CyberGrants Management System using the Incentive program portal, which is separate from the Matching Funds portals. Companies must apply within 45 days of their proposal submission notification, and only one award per company per year is permitted.

Since the incentive program launched in FY 2008, OSTI has supported 525 NC small businesses across both the incentive and matching tracks combined. The broader One NC SBP portfolio has produced $9.6 billion in follow-on funding for NC small businesses, with recipients paying wages averaging twice the state average. To maximize competitiveness, applicants should confirm STEM industry eligibility, document all qualifying proposal costs with receipts, and submit promptly through CyberGrants after receiving federal proposal submission confirmation. The FY 2026 window runs through June 30, 2026 or until funds are exhausted.