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Georgia FAST Grant Program Partnership

By ghmccord

Georgia FAST Grant Program Partnership

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The Center for Black Entrepreneurship (CBE) has partnered with the University of Georgia (UGA) Innovation Gateway to support small businesses and entrepreneurs in Georgia seeking Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants1. This collaboration is part of the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Grant program, which is designed to increase the quantity and quality of SBIR/STTR grant applications from the state. The program is funded through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The partnership between UGA and CBE helps to build greater networks that support small businesses focused on high-impact research. CBE’s FAST Program focuses on supporting businesses in the metropolitan Atlanta area.

See partnership announcement: Innovation Gateway partners with Center for Black Entrepreneurship on new SBA grant – UGA Research News

Goals of the Program

The primary goal of this partnership is to help Georgia-based small businesses secure early-stage funding to get their ideas off the ground. The SBIR and STTR programs, also known as “America’s Seed Fund,” are highly competitive federal programs that provide over $4 billion annually to small businesses for research and development. By working together, the CBE and UGA aim to expand engagement with entrepreneurial ecosystems and build greater networks to support high-impact research.

Resources Available

Through the Georgia FAST program, CBE helps Atlanta businesses develop competitive proposals by providing funding for grant writing consultants, providing impactful workshops/programs, and leveraging its expansive professional network.

Eligible Georgia-based businesses can receive a Phase 0 grant of up to $2,450 to cover the upfront cost of hiring a grant writing consultant. This assistance helps businesses generate a more competitive proposal for their SBIR/STTR application. The FAST program grants more than 6,000 new funding awards annually, allowing innovators to advance new technologies and create thousands of jobs.

This partnership also provides entrepreneurs with valuable resources and networking opportunities. As part of the collaboration, the CBE and UGA co-hosted the SBA’s “America’s Seed Fund 2024 Road Tour” in Atlanta, connecting entrepreneurs with federal agency representatives for one-on-one meetings, panel discussions, and insights into the funding decision process. Additionally, attendees learned about various federal, state, and local resources, including numerous UGA programs designed to help entrepreneurs start new companies.

Eligibility

The program is open to any Georgia-based, for-profit venture that is working to bring a technology to market, has proof-of-concept funding, and has the potential for job creation in the state as detailed below; but preference will be given to small businesses that have previously applied for SBIR/STTR grants but were unsuccessful:

  • For-profit venture working on bringing a technology to market.
  • Proof of Concept funding, which can include Georgia Research Alliance funding, UGA KickStart, NSF I-Corps funding, other accelerator or pitch competition winnings, bootstrapped or seed capital, etc.
  • Potential for job creation in Georgia, meaning the business is a Georgia incorporated business or has a primary business location in Georgia.
  • Must also be SBIR/STTR eligible as per the official SBIR.gov FAQ.

Application

Questions???

For any questions about the FAST program, please email Ajamu Baker at ajamu.baker@cbecenter.org.