Elevate Vermont — SBIR/STTR Matching Grant
Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD)
Up to $50,000
Vermont matches your federal SBIR award — no competition
Elevate Vermont provides non-competitive matching grants of up to $50,000 to Vermont tech businesses that have received a federal SBIR or STTR Phase I or Phase II award. Funds must go toward commercialization (marketing, market research, sales materials) — not additional R&D. Rolling applications, first-come-first-served. A business can receive up to 5 ElevateVT grants over its lifetime; businesses with more than 3 prior Phase II awards are ineligible.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- $50,000
- Realistic amount
- Most awards are $25,000–$50,000. Since the program is non-competitive, the key constraint is program budget availability…
- Deadline
- Rolling — first-come, first-served. Apply after receiving your federal SBIR/STTR award. Contact: nick.grimley@vermont.gov
- Status
- active
- States
- VT
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- Vermont-based technology business
- Must have received a federal SBIR or STTR Phase I or Phase II award prior to applying
- Phase I applicants: must be committed to submitting a Phase II application
- Phase II applicants: must be actively commercializing the technology
- Business must remain based in Vermont for the duration of the associated federal SBIR/STTR project
- Maximum 5 ElevateVT matching grants per business over its lifetime
- Businesses that have received more than 3 prior SBIR/STTR Phase II awards are not eligible
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
- Location restriction: Vermont — headquartered in VT for the duration of the project
- Requires a prior Phase I award
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Marketing and market development activities
- Market research and customer discovery studies
- Development of sales and marketing materials
- Trade show participation and business development travel
- Other commercialization activities that advance go-to-market progress
Ineligible expenses
- Additional R&D or technical development (must be funded by the federal award)
- Capital equipment purchases
- Real estate or leasehold improvements
- Overhead and general administrative costs not tied to commercialization
- Activities that duplicate the federal SBIR/STTR scope of work
How to apply
-
1
Receive federal SBIR/STTR Phase I or Phase II award
Obtain the federal SBIR or STTR award from any participating agency (NIH, NSF, DOE, DOD, NASA, etc.). Phase I applicants must commit to pursuing Phase II.
-
2
Contact ACCD to initiate the ElevateVT application
Email nick.grimley@vermont.gov or visit the ACCD ElevateVT program page. Program staff confirm eligibility and provide the application materials.
-
3
Submit commercialization budget and application
Document planned commercialization activities: marketing plan, market research scope, sales materials development, or other commercialization expenses. Provide a copy of the federal award notice.
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4
Receive award and execute agreement
Program is non-competitive — if eligibility is met and funds are available, the grant is awarded. Execute a grant agreement and begin commercialization activities.
Non-competitive means first-come-first-served — apply immediately after you receive your federal SBIR award, not weeks later. Budget can run out during the fiscal year.
Deadline & timing
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Federal award must be received before submitting. No annual window — apply when eligible. Contact ACCD at nick.grimley@vermont.gov.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.