active State Grant

Nebraska SBIR/STTR Phase 0 Grant

Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED)

Up to $5,000

See if you qualify — free Visit official program ↗

The short version

Up to $5,000 reimbursed for grant-writer or technical-review costs of a federal SBIR/STTR Phase I proposal. Nebraska businesses only; apply 30+ days before the federal deadline.

Reimburses up to $5,000 for costs of preparing a federal SBIR or STTR Phase I proposal, such as a grant writer or technical reviewer, for for-profit small businesses whose principal place of business is in Nebraska. You must be applying to a specific open federal solicitation and apply to DED at least 30 days before its closing date. Applications are taken from July 1 to June 30 each fiscal year, or until funds run out; the current period closes June 30, 2027. Nebraska also offers Phase I and II matching grants to businesses that win federal awards, but those are separate.

Funding type: Grant
Level: State
Amount: $5,000
Realistic amount: Up to $5,000 per project; DED may limit the number of Phase 0 awards per applicant.
Deadline: Rolling: July 1 to June 30 each fiscal year until funds run out (current period closes June 30, 2027); apply at least 30 days before the federal solicitation closes
Status: active
States: NE

Who qualifies

For-profit small business with its principal place of business in Nebraska
Meets all federal SBIR/STTR eligibility rules for the solicitation
Submits a qualified Phase I proposal to a federal agency in response to a specific solicitation
Names the use of funds and the service providers it plans to hire when applying
Applies to DED at least 30 days before the federal closing date
NSF applicants need an invitation to submit a full Phase I application
No duplicate funding for the same purpose without DED approval

What it covers

Eligible expenses

Grant writing services for the federal Phase I application
Technical review of the Phase I application
Other costs incurred in preparing the Phase I application

Ineligible expenses

Costs of establishing eligibility to apply, such as the NSF Product Pitch
Costs of applying to NE DED grants
Expenses incurred before the contract period

How to apply

1

Pick an open federal SBIR/STTR solicitation

Confirm the closing date is more than 30 days away.

~4 hrs
2

Name your grant writer or technical reviewer and the planned costs

DED asks for the use of funds and provider names in the application.

~2 hrs
3

Apply online in AmpliFund

The application must include every required document or it is returned.

~4 hrs
4

Meet DED staff, then wait for review

DED reviews about every other week and usually answers in 3 to 5 weeks.

~1 hrs
5

Spend, then request reimbursement

Submit proof of expenses and payment; costs before the contract date are not covered.

~3 hrs

Insider tip

Apply to DED as soon as you pick the federal solicitation, well before the 30-day cutoff, and call program staff first to confirm funds remain; a late or incomplete application is returned without review.

Deadline & timing

The program page lists the Phase 0 application period as open 7/7/2026 and closing 6/30/2027 11:55 PM CDT. DED returns Phase 0 applications received less than 30 days before the federal closing date (if the federal window is longer than 30 days); DED recommends calling program staff to check funding status before applying.

Applications are open — don’t lose the window

GrantCompass tracks Nebraska SBIR/STTR Phase 0 Grant’s application windows in the live catalog. Leave an email and we’ll warn you before this window closes — and tell you when the next round opens.

Free. One email when the window moves, deadline warnings on your watchlist, and the monthly closing-soon digest. Unsubscribe anytime.

Required documents

Online application in AmpliFund with the federal solicitation named
Use of funds and names of the service providers to be hired
All documents the application lists (incomplete applications are returned)

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Last updated November 8, 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.