Applying for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant may seem like a daunting process. Competition is fierce, but there are several things that you can do to increase your chance of success. After you've made sure that you and your business are qualified, you should review the following checklist and to make sure that your application stands up to scrutiny.

Your proposal should:

• Summarize your company's objectives and your business
• Describe specific products/services you are or will provide
• Describe the markets you are in or plan to compete in
• Describe your competition and your advantages vis-à-vis the competition
• Provide biographical information on the principles and key personnel
• Describe the purpose(s) for which you are seeking funds and an estimate of the funds you will receive
• Provide financial statements which include the past few years (if any) and projections for the next three to seven years

For more information, visit the Small Business Administration’s SBIR website.