SAGE Phase 0 — SBIR/STTR Proposal Preparation Microgrants

SAGE Phase 0 Microgrants

Supports Nevada technology startups with federal proposal preparation assistance and pathway coaching.

Eligibility · United States · US-NV

SAGE — Sierra Accelerator for Growth and Entrepreneurship — is a GOED-funded outreach and proposal-preparation program that supports Nevada technology businesses in competing for federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants. GOED funds SAGE through the Knowledge Fund, and program delivery is split geographically between the University of Nevada, Reno (SAGE North) and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (SAGE South), with additional coordination from StartUpNV and the Nevada SBDC.

SAGE offers a suite of services including training, webinars, one-on-one proposal assistance, federal agency targeting strategy, proposal writing support, and navigation of federal grant registration systems. The program also issues Phase 0 microgrants — small awards for SBIR/STTR application preparation costs, developed and led by StartUpNV — with likely award amounts in the range of $1,000–$10,000 based on program scope, though specific per-award figures are not published. Eligibility is limited to for-profit, Nevada-based technology businesses with fewer than 500 employees; nonprofit organizations and universities are not eligible for the microgrant component.

SAGE Phase 0 microgrants are distinct from the federal SBIR/STTR awards themselves, which are issued by federal agencies such as NIH, NSF, and DoD. Applicants seeking federal SBIR/STTR funding should contact SAGE North at UNR or SAGE South at UNLV for proposal preparation support; winning a federal award is the downstream goal of the SAGE engagement pathway.