SBIR Grants from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Researched by the BidStride Research Team
Agency overview
USDA SBIR supports agricultural innovation including precision farming, sustainable food systems, rural broadband technology, forestry, and bioenergy. USDA awards are smaller than DOD or NIH but are highly accessible for agtech, food tech, and rural infrastructure companies. USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) administers the program. One solicitation cycle per year.
Award details
Phase 1 — Feasibility
Typical Award Amount
$100,000
Duration
8 months
Phase 1 establishes the technical merit and feasibility of the proposed R&D. The deliverable is a feasibility report and prototype demonstration where applicable.
Phase 2 — Full R&D
Typical Award Amount
$600,000
Duration
24 months
Phase 2 funds the primary R&D effort to develop the technology to a commercializable or deployable state. Only Phase 1 awardees (or those who meet equivalent requirements) may apply.
Research topic areas
U.S. Department of Agriculture SBIR solicitations consistently address the following research areas. Specific topics vary by solicitation — check the current open solicitation for exact topic descriptions and technical points of contact.
Solicitation cycle
1 per year — typically opens in October
Solicitation windows open and close on a defined schedule. Applications submitted after the close date are not accepted. Set a calendar reminder at least 6 weeks before the close date — a well-written SBIR application typically takes 60–90 hours of preparation for a first-time applicant.
View current solicitations on USDA’s official portalHow to apply for USDA SBIR funding
- 1
Confirm eligibility
Your company must be a for-profit U.S. small business with fewer than 500 employees. The principal investigator must spend at least 51% of their time on the project. More than 50% of the company must be owned by U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
- 2
Register in SAM.gov
All SBIR applicants must have an active SAM.gov registration. Registration can take 1–3 weeks. Apply early — the government cannot issue payment on an SBIR award without an active SAM.gov registration.
- 3
Review open USDA solicitations
Visit https://nifa.usda.gov/program/small-business-innovation-research-program to see currently open solicitations. Read topic descriptions carefully — each topic has a Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) you can contact with technical questions before submitting.
- 4
Contact the TPOC
Each topic lists a Technical Point of Contact. Email them with a 2-3 sentence summary of your approach before writing your full proposal. TPOCs can tell you whether your company's approach aligns with what the agency is looking for — this step alone doubles your success rate.
- 5
Submit through SBIR.gov or the agency portal
USDA SBIR applications are submitted through the agency's designated portal. Most DoD applications go through SBIR.gov. NIH uses ASSIST (grants.nih.gov). NSF uses Research.gov. Check the solicitation for the correct submission system.
Frequently asked questions about USDA SBIR
No. USDA SBIR covers the full agricultural value chain: agtech software, food processing technology, sustainable packaging, water management, rural broadband, and veterinary diagnostics all qualify. If your product improves food, agriculture, or rural communities, there is likely a USDA topic for you.
USDA SBIR is generally less competitive than NIH or DOD. Award success rates have historically run 15–30% at Phase 1. Smaller applicant pools and more accessible topic areas make it a strong first SBIR target for early-stage agtech companies.
Yes. Alternative protein, food safety diagnostics, sustainable packaging, and post-harvest technology are all active USDA SBIR topic areas. The program specifically invites novel approaches to improving the safety and sustainability of the U.S. food supply.
USDA does not have a formal Phase IIB like DOE, but successful Phase 2 awardees can apply for USDA Agricultural Marketing Service cooperative agreements or USDA Rural Development funding as Phase 3 pathways.
This guide is for informational purposes only and reflects the BidStride Research Team’s summary of publicly available SBIR program information. Award amounts and solicitation cycles are subject to change. Always verify current program details at SBIR.gov and the agency’s official SBIR portal. BidStride does not provide grant writing services or legal advice.