The Multimedia Technology Health Communication SBIR/STTR Program

How to Improve Your Funding Potential

10 Most Important Things You Need to Know

1. Who to contact about discussing a concept and mentoring:
   This site lists each NIH institute, grant topics or categories, and program contacts.
   PHS 2007-2 SBIR/STTR Program Descriptions and Research Topics for NIH, CDC, and FDA



2. If your application receives a fundable score, you are assigned a program director and grant manager. The name of your program director can be found on your summary statement. Check the eCommons website for the name of your grant manager and other pertinent information.



3. How to apply electronically:
   Registration Requirements for Electronic Submission: http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/preparing.htm#4
   
   SF 424 R&R SBIR and STTR Competing Applications: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm
   
   Frequently Asked Questions about electronic submission: http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/faq_check_submission.htm
   
   NIH eSubmission Tips for Small Business Applicants:
   http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/files/NIH_eSubmission_SmBus_Tips.pdf



4. The basics of SBIR grantsmanship:
   http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir_policy.htm



5. Current grant and contract topics:
   For all of NIH, see:
   PHS 2007-2 SBIR/STTR Program Descriptions and Research Topics for NIH, CDC, and FDA
   http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/contracts_vs_grants.htm
   For this SBIR program: see the 07/08 SBIR/STTR Topics of this webpage.



6. Program requirements



7. Levels of evaluation:
   See the Evaluation Process of this webpage.



8. Time frames:
   It takes at least 4-6 months to prepare an acceptable application; 2-3 months from the time you submit your proposal until it is reviewed; 2-4 weeks before you receive a summary statement and another 2 months to hear about funding. During the grant, you have 6 months - 1 year to complete a Phase I and up to 4 years to complete a Phase II.



9. How your score is determined and funding difficulty:
   No matter which NIH institute you apply to, SBIR applications are sent to review groups with a specific research focus, i.e., ehealth applications focusing on behavioral modification across all diseases. Applications are assigned to an upper or lower half. The lower half is not scored or discussed at review, but applicants receive a detailed summary statement. The upper half of the applications are reviewed and scored between 100-350. The score is determined by the application's scientific merit, how well it met institute objectives, and its commercial potential. Each NIH institute has its own pay line which determines who gets funded.



10. Organizations that award products:
    See the Organizations that Award eHealth Products of this homepage.