The Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR), known as “America’s Seed Fund,” provides nondilutive grants to small businesses to help them develop and commercialize technology innovations. The Department of Energy’s most recent solicitation closed on February 23, 2023.

The Clean Energy Business Network is a nationwide nonprofit that serves as the small business voice for the clean energy economy. Our team is working with the Department of Energy and Small Business Administration to help ensure that federal grant dollars for clean energy technology innovation and economic growth reach a more representative range of the U.S. population. We want to make sure every eligible applicant knows about these funding opportunities and receives the support needed to successfully compete for these funds. Learn more below or view event recordings on the FY2023 solicitation.

Timeline

FY23 SBIR/STTR Phase I Release 2 Timeline:

• November 7, 2022: Topics Available
• December 16, 2022:  Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Available
• January 3, 2023 at 5pm ET: Letter of Intent (LOI) Due
• January 24, 2023: Non-Responsiveness Feedback Provided
• February 23, 2023 at 11:59pm ET: Full Application Due
• May 15, 2023: Award Notification

Registrations:

• Avoid being delayed by registrations. Register your business now with SAM, Grants.gov and PAMS so you’re able to submit.

Resources

FY23 Phase I Release 2 Information:

• Topics for SBIR/STTR under the FY23 Phase I Release 2 release cover a range of offices and energy technologies.
• The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) details the application process.
• DOE provides Applicant Resources, including lists of required forms, applicant requirement checklists, and required forms. Please note a Disclosure of Foreign Relationships form is now required.
• The Water Power Technologies Office and Solar Energy Technologies Office also have separate pages with resources.

Technical Assistance:

• First-time applicants: Apply for free technical assistance from DOE’s Phase 0 Dawnbreaker program starting November 8 to help you prepare a winning application once topics are released. Also access their free tutorials and resources for submitting your SBIR application at any time.
• CEBN: We have been supporting applicants for SBIR/STTR over the past three years. Make sure you’re on our list for updates on office hours, webinars, and other resources.
• Arrowhead Center Applicant Resources: New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead program has useful resources on SBIR programs at different agencies, including the DOE. View checklists, template forms, and more on the Arrowhead Resources page.
• Local programs: Reach out to your nearest Federal and State (FAST) Partnership Program and other local resources to find out what types of support they offer.

Hydropower-Specific R&D Funding

The Department of Energy is offering $14.5 million through the Water Power Projects: Innovative Technologies to Enable Low Impact Hydropower and Pumped Storage Hydropower Growth in three topic areas. The first two topic areas will target innovative solutions to retrofit non-powered dams with hydropower and develop pumped storage hydro technologies. The third topic is for Emerging Research Institutions, particularly those supporting disadvantaged and/or underserved communities, such as HBCUs or MSIs. Brief concept papers are due Dec. 1, 2022, and full applications are due March 5, 2023.

• January 19, 2023, 2:30pm ET – Hydropower Grant Informational Webinar – ADL Ventures.

Events

Find a full list of upcoming events here.