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Expectations of Grant Applicants

Although Small Business Innovation Research-Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR-STTR) Program Directors and reviewers are seeking applications with high scientific merit, applications are not compared against one another during the review process. Each proposal is scored according to its contribution to Institute and program objectives, scientific merit, and commerical viability.

What Program Staff Expect

NIA program officers (POs) oversee the administration of SBIR-STTR grants and work with grantees to ensure timely completion of the approved and funded research. Prior to submission and review of SBIR-STTR applications, POs are available to answer any questions about the scientific relevance and merit of SBIR-STTR research ideas and plans. Technical questions about the SBIR-STTR programs should be directed to NIA's SBIR-STTR Coordinator (see NIA SBIR-STTR Contact) in advance of the application submission deadlines (i.e., April 1, August 1, and December 1). POs expect applicants to:

  • Provide a focused and comprehensive proposal
  • Include appropriate team members and consultants
  • Define the appropriate target population(s) and include sample sizes, gender, age, race, culture, and other necessary demographic information
  • Provide adequate documentation (literature search, market search, company achievements, letters of support, table of product comparison)
  • Adhere to all policies for human subjects
  • Provide marketing and evaluation plans for Phase II or Fast Track applications
  • Provide sufficient detail in the categories being reviewed

What Reviewers Expect

Where applicable in Phase I and Phase II grants, the SEPs who review SBIR-STTR applications for the NIA assess the following:

  • Qualifications and experience of the principal investigator, research team, and consultants
  • Prior accomplishments in research and product development
  • Need for the proposed product
  • How the proposed product will meet NIA's mission or objectives
  • Potential for commercialization
  • Adequacy of facilities to conduct research
  • Appropriateness of the requested budget
  • Scientific and technical merit
  • Adherence to human subjects guidelines
  • Conduct of an adequate literature search and market search
  • Appropriateness of population, setting for testing and evaluation, data collection methods, barriers to product use, and appeal to user
  • Appropriate developmental and evaluation methods
  • Cost- and time-effectiveness of the product
  • Inclusion of advisory group for evaluation purposes
  • Solicitation of interested parties as promoters or collaborators and market plans for Phase II and Fast Track applications

All applications are assigned two or three primary reviewers before the SEP meets. When the SEP convenes, it determines which applications will be scored and discussed and which will not.


Each applicant receives a Summary Statement, which includes discussion highlights by the SEP (if scored), unedited critiques of the reviewers, and administrative notes, when applicable. SBIR-STTR grant applications are scored between 100 and 500. Applications that do not receive a score are given the symbol **. Initial applications that are not scored or that do not receive a score adequate for funding may be resubmitted two more times.

SBIR-STTR Fast Track Reviews

The Fast Track application was developed at NIH in 1996 to expedite the review and funding of scientifically meritorious small business applications that indicate high potential for commercialization. Applicants must submit Phase I and II applications simultaneously. Details about the Fast Track application and instructions for completing these forms are found at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbirsttr1/index.pdf.

Reviewers seek clear, measurable goals the applicant must achieve prior to starting Phase II and details on the development, implementation, and evaluation of the project during Phase II. If both applications meet the reviewers' expectations, they assign both phases a single score and forward it to the primary NIH Institute for funding consideration. However, the SEP may score only the Phase I application and request the Phase II application be resubmitted.

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