This proposal template is based on multiple real and successful Phase I proposals that all received funding. It can be hard to know exactly how to structure a proposal, especially if you haven’t submitted one before but this approach is guaranteed to save you hours of research and give you a head start to securing real money for your business.
Access This Template For Free!
Templates like this are not easily shared, especially not for free. We’re providing it here to save you time and make sure you focus on getting funded and not writing and editing proposals.
The template includes key section headings, structure, required detail, word counts and tips for each section.
Need More Than A Template? See a Full Proposal Here
How Much Grant Money Is Awarded?
In 2022 funding amounts for a Phase I SBIR grant were raised to $275,000 and are staying at this level for 2024.
First, the SBIR program is constantly being updated so keep an eye on the most recent published guidelines (NSF SBIR Phase I Solicitation 2024).
There are 10 sections to a full proposal. I recommend starting a separate folder for each of these to collect and compile the necessary information.
- Project Summary
- Project Description (15 pages) [Downloadable Template]
- References Cited
- Budget(s) [Downloadable Template]
- Budget Justification(s)
- Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources [Downloadable Template]
- Senior Personnel Documents
- Data Management Plan
- Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan (Conditionally required)
- Supplemental Documents
Many of these sections have downloadable fillable templates. Others will simply be pdfs that you create and upload.
The meat of the proposal is the 15-page project description. Accordingly, this is where an example or template could be extremely useful.
Luckily, our free NSF SBIR template is all you need to get started.
