Opportunity Information: Apply for 23 516
The NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 23-516) is a National Science Foundation grant program designed to help US startups and small businesses advance promising technologies beyond the earliest proof-of-concept stage and move them closer to real-world deployment and commercialization. The program traces its roots back to an NSF pilot launched in 1977 to support high-risk, potentially high-payoff innovation in small firms, and it continues that same core purpose today: using targeted federal support to turn strong science and engineering ideas into products, services, and scalable solutions that can generate broad societal and economic benefits.
At its core, this Phase II program focuses on translation rather than basic research. NSF is not primarily funding open-ended discovery science here; instead, it is backing the kind of research and development work that helps a company take a breakthrough grounded in science or engineering and push it out of the lab and toward the market or other large-scale use. A defining feature is that it provides non-dilutive funding, meaning the company can pursue technical development without giving up equity, which is especially important at early stages when private capital may be expensive or hard to obtain due to technical and market risk.
The solicitation emphasizes that proposals should be rooted in groundbreaking scientific discoveries or significant engineering breakthroughs aligned with NSF's broader mission to advance science, strengthen national health and prosperity, and support national welfare and defense. The program operates under the federal SBIR/STTR statute (15 U.S.C. 638) and the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (as amended), which frame how NSF supports small businesses in developing innovative technologies that have commercial potential or clear societal value.
A notable aspect of the NSF SBIR/STTR program is its broad topic openness. Unlike many funding opportunities that narrow applicants into a short list of priority areas, NSF explicitly states that it does not have a single technological focus and welcomes proposals across many technical and market domains. NSF maintains a topic portfolio and points applicants to its Seed Fund website for examples and program staff contacts. If a proposed technology does not neatly fit an existing topic area, the program allows submission under an "Other Topics" category, signaling a willingness to consider novel or emerging areas that may not yet be formally categorized.
From a policy and impact standpoint, the program aims to strengthen the national economy by stimulating private-sector innovation, expanding the role of small businesses in meeting federal research and development needs, and increasing the commercial application of research results that were supported by federal investment. It also highlights workforce development as an intended outcome, with a particular emphasis on fostering participation among socially and economically disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses, reflecting NSF's interest in broadening innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities across the US.
Administratively, the opportunity is a discretionary grant in the science and technology research and development category, offered by the National Science Foundation. It lists multiple CFDA numbers (47.041, 47.049, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, 47.079, 47.083, 47.084), reflecting NSF's coverage across a wide range of research domains. The posted record indicates an expected 110 awards, with an award ceiling shown as 0 in the extracted listing (which typically means the ceiling is not specified in that particular field rather than implying no funding). The original closing date shown is March 1, 2023, and eligibility is broadly described as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement text.
In practical terms, this Phase II opportunity is best understood as NSF's mechanism for helping small businesses bridge the gap between early technical feasibility and a solution that is credible to customers, partners, and follow-on funders. It is aimed at companies that can articulate both a strong technical innovation case and a clear path to impact, whether that impact is commercial adoption, large-scale deployment, or measurable societal benefit.Apply for 23 516
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase II" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041, 47.049, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, 47.079, 47.083, 47.084.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 18, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 01, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 110 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (23 516) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Small Business Innovation Research/ Small Business Technology Transfer Program Phase I Apply for 23 515 Funding Number: 23 515 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Advanced Computing Systems & Services: Adapting to the Rapid Evolution of Science and Engineering Research Apply for 23 518 Funding Number: 23 518 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| DEVCOM ARMY RESEARCH LABORATORY BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FOUNDATIONAL RESEARCH Apply for W911NF 23 S 0001 Funding Number: W911NF 23 S 0001 Agency: Department of Defense, Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Create the Future Independent Research Effort Apply for FOA AFRL AFOSR 2023 0001 Funding Number: FOA AFRL AFOSR 2023 0001 Agency: Department of Defense, Air Force Office of Scientific Research Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $4,500,000 |
| Campus Cyberinfrastructure Apply for 23 526 Funding Number: 23 526 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,200,000 |
| NSF/CASIS Collaboration on Tissue Engineering and Mechanobiology on the International Space Station (ISS) to Benefit Life on Earth Apply for 23 522 Funding Number: 23 522 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Oceanographic Facilities and Equipment Support Apply for 23 525 Funding Number: 23 525 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $47,500,000 |
| 2023 HERO Appendix A: NASA Human Research Program Omnibus Opportunity Apply for NNJ23ZSA001N OMNIBUS Funding Number: NNJ23ZSA001N OMNIBUS Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Johnson Space Center Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program Apply for 23 527 Funding Number: 23 527 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| Switzer Research Fellowships Program Apply for HHS 2023 ACL NIDILRR SFGE 0000 Funding Number: HHS 2023 ACL NIDILRR SFGE 0000 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $80,000 |
| DOD Reconstructive Transplant Clinical Network Award Apply for HT9425 23 RTRP CNA Funding Number: HT9425 23 RTRP CNA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Defense Production Act Title III Expansion of Domestic Production Capability and Capacity; CALL 012 - Critical Chemicals Production Apply for FA8650 19 S 5010 CALL 012 Funding Number: FA8650 19 S 5010 CALL 012 Agency: Department of Defense, Air Force -- Research Lab Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $200,000,000 |
| FY 2023 Phase I Release 2 Apply for DE FOA 0002903 Funding Number: DE FOA 0002903 Agency: Department of Energy - Office of Science, Office of Science Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Research Coordination Networks (RCN) Apply for 23 529 Funding Number: 23 529 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Archaeology Program - Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants Apply for 23 531 Funding Number: 23 531 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| Geosciences Open Science Ecosystem Apply for 23 534 Funding Number: 23 534 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,600,000 |
| Design for Environmental Sustainability in Computing Apply for 23 532 Funding Number: 23 532 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Nonproliferation & Arms Control Program Studies, Training & Outreach Apply for DE FOA 0002899 Funding Number: DE FOA 0002899 Agency: Department of Energy, NNSA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
| Emerging Mathematics in Biology Apply for 23 537 Funding Number: 23 537 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Scholarships in STEM Network Apply for 23 536 Funding Number: 23 536 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $15,000,000 |
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