Grants for Small Businesses

Natural Resources · $20K–$6M

Open to government agencies, schools, nonprofits, and for-profit organizations for invasive carp management in Illinois waterways under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Funds technical and financial assistance to protect, conserve, or restore habitat and species on public or private land in the Great Lakes Basin. Awards range from $20,000 up to $6 million; no deadline listed.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This is a forecasted NIH Small Business Transition Grant for New Entrepreneurs (Parent R41/R42 STTR, clinical trial optional). STTR awards are restricted to U.S. small businesses (for-profit) partnering with a research institution, and this notice targets new entrepreneurs transitioning into the small-business research space. Specific funding amounts and deadlines are not yet posted; note STTR programs carry U.S. small-business ownership and size requirements plus a required research-institution partner.

Natural Resources · $50K–$800K

Open to government agencies, schools, nonprofits, and for-profit organizations for aquatic invasive species work in Great Lakes states. Funds technical and financial assistance to identify, protect, conserve, manage, or restore habitat and species on public or private land within the Great Lakes Basin. Awards range from $50,000 to $800,000; no deadline listed.

Administration for Community Living · Amount varies

This is a forecasted Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I opportunity from the Administration for Community Living. SBIR Phase I grants are restricted to U.S. small businesses (for-profit) meeting SBA size and ownership rules and fund early-stage feasibility research. Specific funding amounts and deadlines are not yet posted; note SBIR programs commonly require the company to be U.S.-owned and that work be performed in the U.S.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

Eligibility is unrestricted and open to any type of entity (subject to any clarifications in the program's eligibility text), making this NSF program broadly available. The Accountable Institutions and Behavior (AIB) Program funds theoretically grounded, methodologically rigorous basic social-science research on attitudes, behavior, and institutions related to public policy and public services, and also supports undergraduate research experiences and methodological infrastructure. Note that the program does not fund applied research, so proposals must be basic-science oriented.