Seminar Highlights: Small businesses receive more than $2 billion in federal grants and contracts each year through the SBIR and STTR programs. The Phase I Proposal Writing Workshop being offered by Arkansas Small Business Development Center Sept. 17 can help your business move from SBIR applicant to awardee.
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program provides federal funding for business and product strategies that meet federal research and development needs. Covering all 11 agencies that participate in SBIR and STTR (a sister program), the eight-hour workshop is for early-stage, first-time or unsuccessful writers of SBIR Phase I proposals. The event will be held at Bailey Alumni Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2801 S. University Ave.
Instructor Sharon Ballard will focus on two areas key to winning SBIR funding: the work plan and the commercialization plan. Ballard will explain how to integrate knowledge of the state-of-the-art with the work plan, and how to master requirements unique to different federal agencies. Participants will receive guidance in researching government organizations, topics and financial and administrative requirements and will explore some specific steps to attract commercialization partners, even at the Phase I stage of the SBIR Program.
In addition, the workshop will offer tips for approaching and structuring working arrangements with large corporations on government contracts.
In contrast to informational seminars, this is an interactive, hands-on workshop, with in-class exercises using tools and techniques that help in writing more successful proposals. Proposal outlines from various agencies will be used, and each major proposal section will be considered in detail, with methods and techniques for covering each section. You will walk away with the essential elements of your Phase I proposal outlined.
Speaker: Sharon C. Ballard, president/CEO of EnableVentures, Inc.
Cosponsor: Arkansas EPSCoR
