Top

Would you like someone to pay you to develop your great new idea into a profitable product? The Small Business Administration's SBIR�Small Business Innovation Research �program can do just that: this year it's offering $1.6 billion through 10 federal agencies to help small companies bring new products, technologies, and services to the marketplace. SBIR grants are awarded in two stages, and they can total up to $1 million over 3 to 4 years.

How much would you be willing to pay someone who could teach you how to get that kind of research and development support? (Hint: To access real experts, competitive companies will pay up to $400 or $500 per hour.) However, the University of Northern Iowa and the Iowa Federal and State Partnership (including Iowa State University's Center for Advanced Technology) are covering those costs and hosting an SBIR workshop on August 5 and 6 at the University of Northern Iowa's Commons Ballroom in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

UNI and IFSP have secured the Greenwood Consulting Group to facilitate the workshop. The Greenwood Consulting Group is one of those top-level consulting firms. They've been coaching small businesses to SBIR success for more than 20 years. Their staff knows the programs, knows the politics, and knows the right people to talk to. The company's founders, Jim and Gail Greenwood, will lead you through all the basics and key points, with plenty of time for questions and answers, plus a lot of hands-on resources to show you what winning SBIR applications look like, and how to create them.

The SBIR program provides qualified small businesses (those with 500 or fewer employees) with opportunities to propose innovative research and development projects that meet specific federal needs. This workshop is designed for small businesses interested in conducting innovative research and development.

Why should you attend now? First, because a new round of grant opportunities is coming this fall. Second, because the Greenwoods probably won't be coming back to Iowa for a long time. Congress has zeroed-out the SBA funding for SBIR education and training for next year, even as it increased the appropriation for the grants themselves. After September 30, Jim and Gail Greenwood won't be traveling here to teach and coach; you'll have to go to them -- at $400 per hour.

Please complete the enclosed registration card, or call our office, or visit our website to register. Your registration fee of $35 before July 23 covers the cost of materials only. We have covered all of the other costs. Please make your reservation now as space is limited � only 60 people will get to be part of this unique opportunity. You may register by credit card via telephone at 319-273-7350 or print a registration form (see the link at the left) and send a check from our website.

Top

Click here for an Acrobat PDF version of the conference agenda. Agenda in PDF

SBIR Workshop
University of Northern Iowa
Commons Ballroom
Cedar Falls, Iowa
August 5 & 6, 2003

AGENDA

AUGUST 5

• 8:30 - 9:00 Coffee
• 9:00 - 9:15 Welcome & Introduction
• 9:15 - 11:00 Overview & Insight into the SBIR & STTR Programs
• 11:00 - 12:00 Proposal Strategy Part 1
• Luncheon Lunch at UNI with Keynote Speaker
• 1:00 - 2:30 Proposal Strategy Part 2
• 2:30 - 2:45 Break
• 2:45 - 3:45 Instructions, Tips for Proposal Preparation
• 3:45 - 5:00 Iowa Resources:
1. UNI Regional Business Center
2. Strategic Marketing Services
3. JPEC Capital Resources
4. Bill Witt: Research Collaborations and Partnerships
5. Christine Twait: Collaborative Opportunities and Application Assistance
6. Joe Gilbert: Institute for Physical Research and Technology

AUGUST 6

• 8:30 - 9:00 Coffee
• 9:00 - 9:30 General Q&A;
• 9:30 - 10:15 Common Phase 1 Proposal Problems
• 10:15 - 10:30 Break
• 10:30 - 11:00 Phase 1 Q&A;
• 11:00 - 11:45 Common Phase 2 Proposal Problems
• 11:45 - 12:15 Phase 2 Q&A;, other issues

Top

Directions

Regional Map of Iowa

Waterloo/Cedar Falls Map

Campus Map

On the campus map, the Commons Ballroom is identified as building 13. If you need written directions on how to get to UNI, please e-mail us or call us at 319-273-7350 and we will happily provide them to you.

**This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration under Cooperative Agreement. The Center for Advanced Technology Development (CATD) is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Technology. The Office of Technology is established to help small high technology businesses participate in the federal government's research and development efforts, foster commercialization, and economic development through small business participation.