Supplemental Opportunity for SBIR/STTR Memberships in I/UCRCs

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is a federal agency dedicated to advancing scientific progress across various disciplines through research funding and programmatic initiatives. This supplemental funding opportunity, titled "Supplemental Opportunity for SBIR/STTR Memberships in I/UCRCs," is aligned with NSF's goal of fostering partnerships between academia and industry to catalyze innovation and commercialization. The program specifically targets existing grantees under NSF's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs by providing them with supplemental funding to join Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs). The purpose of this supplement is to strengthen collaboration between academic researchers and small businesses engaged in commercialization efforts. By enabling small businesses to purchase annual memberships in I/UCRCs, NSF aims to accelerate the technology development lifecycle through exposure to ongoing industry-relevant academic research. These memberships grant small businesses access to collaborative research environments, insights into industrial needs, and potential for networking with academic and industrial stakeholders. The funding is supplemental in nature and does not represent a standalone grant opportunity. Eligible applicants must already be awardees of an SBIR or STTR grant and must demonstrate interest and alignment with the research objectives of an existing I/UCRC. The supplement facilitates the payment of membership fees, thereby integrating the small business more directly into the collaborative and pre-competitive research landscape fostered by the centers. NSF does not stipulate specific allowable or unallowable costs beyond the focus on membership fees; however, all uses must align with the overarching research and commercialization objectives. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement for this supplemental opportunity. The funding is discretionary and administered in the form of grants. No award ceiling, floor, or total program funding amount is specified in the solicitation, indicating a case-by-case evaluation and award process. Funding decisions are expected to be based on alignment with program goals and the merit of the proposed collaboration with the chosen I/UCRC. Applications for this supplement are accepted on a rolling basis, with no hard deadline. However, the program description highlights a recurring cycle with a typical application period spanning from October 1 to May 31 annually. As of the latest update (February 18, 2026), the opportunity remains open, and applicants may submit requests at any time. Although no formal pre-application stage is mentioned, applicants are expected to comply with submission requirements outlined in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). The key contact for this opportunity is Glenn H. Larsen, serving as the program coordinator. He can be reached at [email protected] or (703) 292-8383. No specific PDF or solicitation document link is provided, but applicants are referred to NSF Program Description 09-5761 and associated resources such as the Dear Colleague Letter NSF 09-065 for further guidance. While the opportunity has been archived, it still appears to accept supplement applications, possibly due to the ongoing relevance of the program framework for current grantees.