Researching Grants for Engineering Projects
Finding Funding to Turn Ideas into Products and Services
Jun 3, 2009
Turning an idea into a viable product or service usually requires time, effort, and money. While many individuals and businesses may have the time available to devote to the effort of developing an idea, money can be a stumbling block.
Some companies obtain funding for their projects from venture capitalists or angel investors. Another option is to apply for research grant funding from United States federal agencies.
Planning a Research Grant Search Strategy
There are a wide variety of research grants available to qualified applicants from many of the federal government agencies, so it helps to have a strategy to narrow down the available options to those most applicable to the idea to be proposed. Some of the factors to consider include:
- Agency - Selecting one or two agencies to focus on can dramatically simplify the search process. Look at the overall industry or topic related to the idea, and choose the agencies that are most closely associated with that industry or topic. For example, an innovative medical device may be of interest to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A process to detect airborne particles may be of interest to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
- Budget - Each agency has different grant mechanisms available to support different levels of activity. The Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program has a budget for Phase I programs in the $70,000 to $100,000 range, while other mechanisms can support multi-million dollar research programs.
- Entity Type - Many federal agencies have grant programs that focus on certain corporate entity types. These can include small business, as in the SBIR program; non-profit organizations, and in some cases, fellowships for individual researchers.
By examining some of these factors, the applicant can narrow down his search options and focus in on the right grants for his situation.
Where to Look for Engineering Research Grants
If certain agencies have been identified to match the interests of the proposed idea, the best place to start is that agency's web site. Many federal agency web sites have prominent links to their grant listings and research opportunities.
However, the most comprehensive resource for federal research grants is the site Grants.gov. Grants.gov acts as a clearinghouse for grant information, and many agencies use Grants.gov for their proposal submission process. This site covers a lot of grants, so it is best to at least have some specific search terms in mind before jumping into broad searches.
After using these resources to identify potential grant opportunities, the applicant can then focus on developing a proposal to meet the needs of that solicitation.
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