Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, Phase I
Forecasted
Phase I grants support small businesses in testing the feasibility of research and development ideas that could improve the lives of people with disabilities; 11 six-month grants are available.
Funder: Administration for Community Living
Due Dates (Anticipated): December 2026 (application due)
Funding Amounts: $95,000–$100,000 per grant for a six-month project
Summary: Phase I grants support small businesses testing the feasibility of research and development concepts that could improve the lives of people with disabilities.
Key Information: Applicants must qualify as a Small Business Administration-defined small business concern at the time of award; foreign entities are ineligible.
Description
The Administration for Community Living (ACL), through the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), funds Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants. Phase I supports research to determine the scientific or technical merit and feasibility of a concept, topic, or idea.
ACL’s SBIR program aims to improve the lives of people with disabilities through research and development products generated by small businesses. It also seeks to increase the commercial application of ACL-supported research results and development products. The broader federal SBIR program is intended to stimulate private-sector technological innovation and strengthen small businesses’ role in meeting federal research and development needs.
