SBIR and STTR grants by agency in 2026: which federal program fits your startup

Short answer: SBIR and STTR are the same federal program run separately by each agency, so the right one depends on who would buy or use your technology. Deep-tech startups without a government customer usually start at NSF (Phase I up to $305,000 after an invited Project Pitch). Biomedical and health companies go to NIH (next standard receipt date 5 January 2027). Dual-use technology fits the Air Force and Space Force through AFWERX (Phase I up to $323,000; Release 1 closes 25 November 2026 and Release 2 opens 2 December). Agriculture and food R&D goes to USDA NIFA, and energy work to DOE, where concept papers for ARPA-E's UNLOCK call are due 20 November 2026. None of these take equity.

This guide compares the federal SBIR/STTR programs The Grant Index tracks, each checked against its official page (the date is in the "Verified" column). It is the federal half of the picture. Many states add matching money once you win a federal award; those are covered in our separate guide to SBIR matching grants by state.

1. How SBIR and STTR work in one paragraph

Each participating agency sets aside part of its research budget for US small businesses. Phase I funds a short feasibility project; Phase II funds the larger R&D effort for companies that proved feasibility; some agencies let mature companies skip straight to Phase II. SBIR lets the small business do the work alone. STTR requires a formal partnership with a US non-profit research institution, such as a university. Across the programs below the core eligibility rules are the same: a for-profit US small business, majority owned and controlled by US citizens or permanent residents, with 500 or fewer employees including affiliates. After a six-month lapse, the programs were reauthorized through 30 September 2031 by the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, signed on 13 April 2026 (Public Law 119-83). The law also tightened foreign-risk screening, added limits on how many proposals a company can submit and created larger "strategic breakthrough" awards, so expect questions about foreign ownership, investors and collaborators.

2. The agencies compared

3. NSF: the best first door for most deep-tech startups

NSF does not publish a shopping list of problems it wants solved. It funds high-risk technical innovation with commercial potential across most fields, which makes it the most common first federal grant for software, hardware, materials and climate-tech startups that do not yet have a government customer. The key step is the Project Pitch: a short online description of the technical innovation, the risk, and the market. Only invited companies can submit a full Phase I proposal, so pitch early, ideally months before the March or July 2027 proposal date. The 4 November 2026 date has passed.

If you are still inside a university, look at NSF I-Corps National Teams first. It is not SBIR, but it gives up to $50,000 for a seven-week customer-discovery program (a $10,000 participation fee comes out of the award) and requires at least 100 customer interviews. Many teams use it to test the market before founding a company and pitching NSF SBIR.

4. NIH: health and life sciences

NIH runs the largest health-focused SBIR/STTR program through the parent omnibus announcements (PA-27-100 for SBIR, PA-27-102 for STTR). You choose the institute whose mission matches your work; budgets follow SBA guidelines and can be higher for topics with waivers. Registration is the usual bottleneck: SAM.gov, eRA Commons, Grants.gov and the SBA company registry all need to be complete before you submit, and SAM.gov alone can take weeks. Clinical trials are optional, and NIH also runs separate announcements for later-stage Phase IIB and commercialization readiness.

5. Department of Defense: AFWERX and DSIP

Defense SBIR is contract-based. You answer a specific topic in a scheduled release on the DSIP portal (the department now calls itself the Department of War in its solicitations), and the government buys a defined result. For the Air Force and Space Force, AFWERX runs the topics. FY27 Release 1 (SBIR 27.BZ and 27.BX, STTR 27.TZ) opened on 28 October and closes 25 November 2026 at noon Eastern. Release 2 was pre-released on 4 November, opens 2 December and closes 5 January 2027 for SBIR and 6 January for STTR. You can talk to topic authors only during the pre-release window; once a release opens, questions go through the public DSIP Topic Q&A. Direct-to-Phase II (up to $2.1M over up to 24 months) is only realistic if you already have a mature solution and a named Department of the Air Force customer who signs a Customer Memorandum.

6. USDA and DOE: sector programs with narrower calls

USDA NIFA funds agriculture, food, forestry and rural R&D with no cost match. The current FY2027 call is Phase II only and limited to companies that already won a USDA Phase I, so new applicants should watch for the next Phase I NOFO. The quickest way is a Grants.gov saved search on Assistance Listing 10.212, which NIFA itself recommends. Note USDA's ownership rule: it has not opted in to the provision that lets companies majority-owned by multiple venture capital firms apply, so those companies are not eligible.

DOE and ARPA-E issue topic-specific calls. The UNLOCK opportunity (DE-FOA-0003631) has about $45M shared with its companion notice for subsurface-resource technologies (shale and tight oil and gas, plus geothermal, minerals and other low-permeability formations), with 9 to 12 awards expected. It starts with a concept paper; ARPA-E then encourages or discourages a full application, expected around 5 January 2027. Read the full technical scope before you write anything: DOE calls are narrow, and applications outside the topic are not reviewed. Submissions only count through DOE eXCHANGE.

7. Which agency fits you

1. Deep tech with a commercial market, no government customer yet: NSF Project Pitch now, aiming for March or July 2027.
2. Drug, device, diagnostic or digital health: NIH omnibus; start registrations this month for the 5 January 2027 date.
3. Technology the military could use alongside commercial customers: AFWERX topics on DSIP: Release 1 closes 25 November 2026, Release 2 runs 2 December to 5 January 2027.
4. Agriculture or food tech: USDA NIFA, watching for the next Phase I call.
5. Energy or subsurface resources: the specific DOE or ARPA-E call that matches your technology.
6. Won or applying for a federal award: check your state in our state matching guide; several states also pay for proposal preparation.

8. Rules that sink SBIR and STTR applications

• Missing registrations. SAM.gov, the SBA company registry and the agency portal (eRA Commons, DSIP, DOE eXCHANGE) are separate. Start them before you write.
• Ownership. Majority ownership and control by US citizens or permanent residents is required, and USDA excludes firms majority-owned by multiple VC funds. Foreign investors and collaborators now get closer scrutiny.
• PI employment. At NSF the principal investigator must be primarily (at least 51%) employed by the company at award and throughout. At least two-thirds of an NSF Phase I budget must stay with the small business.
• STTR partner. STTR without a formal agreement with a US research institution is not eligible.
• Wrong topic. DoD and DOE fund defined topics. A strong proposal outside the topic will not be reviewed on merit.
• Applying to closed calls. Deadlines change monthly at DoD and by NOFO elsewhere; confirm dates on the official page linked from each program.

Not sure which you qualify for? The eligibility checker asks for your country, stage, company age, funding and backing once and gives every program a verdict. You can also see every program for US startups or browse all government grants. For state money that stacks on a federal award, see SBIR matching grants by state.

FAQ

What is the difference between SBIR and STTR?

Both fund R&D at US small businesses. SBIR lets the company do the work itself. STTR requires a formal partnership with a US non-profit research institution, such as a university, which performs part of the work.

How much is an NSF SBIR Phase I grant?

Up to $305,000 under NSF 26-510, with Phase II up to $1,250,000 and Fast-Track up to $1,555,000. You must submit a Project Pitch and be invited before sending a full proposal; the next full-proposal dates are 4 March and 7 July 2027.

Can a startup with venture capital apply for SBIR?

Usually yes, as long as the company stays majority owned and controlled by US citizens or permanent residents and meets the size rules. USDA NIFA is the exception among the agencies here: it has not opted in to the rule that lets companies majority-owned by multiple venture capital firms apply. Other agencies set their own policy on this, so check each solicitation.

Does SBIR take equity?

No. SBIR and STTR awards are grants or contracts. The agency takes no equity, and Air Force and Space Force awards through AFWERX are contracts with no equity.

How long does it take to register for SBIR?

Allow several weeks. SAM.gov registration is often the slowest step, and you also need the SBA company registry plus the agency portal (for example eRA Commons for NIH, DSIP for DoD or DOE eXCHANGE).

Can I get state money on top of a federal SBIR award?

In many states, yes. Several states match Phase I or Phase II awards or pay for proposal preparation. See our guide to SBIR matching grants by state.

Program terms change often. Every program page linked above shows its official source and the date we last verified it; confirm on the provider's page before you apply. Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.

Related guides

• SBIR matching grants by state (2026): which states top up your SBIR/STTR award
• Startup grants and free credits for student founders (2026)
• Startup grants in Germany (2026): EXIST, state programs and EU grants compared
• Startup grants in Saudi Arabia (2026): MVPLab, RDIA, Monsha'at and more

Browse the full lists: Startup programs in the United States · Government grants for startups