Michigan Assistance Program
Funded by a grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) and administered through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, BBCetc provides SBIR/STTR proposal development services to technology-based entrepreneurs and early-stage companies throughout Michigan.
The program provides training and one-one-one proposal preparation assistance to qualified companies, with the costs of these services covered primarily by the program as described below. Program components include:
- SBIR/STTR Training
- SBIR/STTR Proposal Development Assistance
- Statewide Outreach
SBIR/STTR Training
All aspects of writing competitive proposals for R&D funding through the federal SBIR/STTR program are covered in a series of informative workshops led by seasoned consultants. The training covers all 11 participating federal agencies, including the Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Energy (DOE), NASA, etc., as well as commercialization planning and grants and contracts management.
View upcoming classes schedules
SBIR/STTR Proposal Development Assistance
BBCetc can assist clients in all aspects of SBIR/STTR proposal development, including:
- Overall grant strategy
- Identifying appropriate solicitations
- Project planning
- Editorial review
- Assistance with proposal submission
- Assistance with details of post-submission administration
Assuming sufficient time is available prior to the submission deadline, BBCetc consultants will complete comprehensive proposal reviews for clients selected for proposal development assistance. Clients are required to share with BBCetc information on the results of the agency review and the grant award decision.
Eligibility: To be eligible for proposal development assistance, a prospective client must:
- Be a Michigan company or have its principal place of business in Michigan.
- Complete an assessment form and be available for a follow-up call with a BBCetc consultant.
- Have attended an SBIR/STTR agency-specific training session. If no training session is available in an appropriate time frame, view assigned recorded webinar(s).
- Agree to provide award and demographic data when requested.
- Fit within the definitions of the State of Michigan’s “competitive edge technology” sectors:
- Advanced automotive, manufacturing materials, information technology and agricultural processing
- Homeland security and defense technology
- Alternative energy technology
- Life sciences
Fees: Clients pay a fee of $500 to participate in the program. The fee includes up to 10 hours of one-on-one proposal development assistance, BBCetc tools and templates and a reduced rate for all onsite training sessions. An additional $500 will be assessed for assistance requested beyond the initial 10 hours.
The state of Michigan supports SBIR/STTR applicants with commercialization funding through the Emerging Technologies Fund. Please visit www.mietf.org before you submit your SBIR/STTR proposal to learn about this important program.
Statewide Outreach
BBCetc team members travel throughout Michigan to attend appropriate state and local meetings to provide general information on the SBIR/STTR program and technology commercialization. Through partner organizations such as the Michigan Economic Development Corp., Michigan Small Business Development Center and Michigan SmartZones™, training and consulting services are delivered directly to entrepreneurs and technology companies. Collaborations with academic technology transfer administrators, and other partner organizations in a position to assist technology entrepreneurs also help achieve the goals of the program.
Contact BBCetc to request assistance, discuss cooperative opportunities or arrange speaking engagements.
Funds for this initiative were provided by the 21st Century Jobs Fund, a MSF program designed to accelerate the growth and diversification of Michigan’s economy. The MEDC markets Michigan and provides the tools and environment to drive job creation and investment. For more information on the 21st Century Jobs Fund initiative, visit michiganbusiness.org
