TL;DR:
TREND’s Alaska SBIR Phase 0 Program offers up to $10,000 for proposal preparation support in 2024. The program funds a wide range of development activities including technical writing, data analysis, commercialization planning, and more. Submit your draft at least five weeks before your target SBIR/STTR deadline.
Proposal Prep is Critical: Alaska is Helping You Fund It
Federal SBIR and STTR proposals require clarity, technical rigor, and strong commercialization strategy. For many early-stage Alaskan startups, assembling a competitive submission can feel out of reach due to limited resources. That’s why the Technology Research and Development Center of Alaska (TREND) offers a Phase 0 Program to bridge that early-stage gap.
Thanks to a recent increase in funding, applicants in 2024 can request up to $10,000 (previously $5,000) to support the development of an SBIR or STTR proposal. This expanded opportunity gives Alaskan innovators more room to prepare standout applications, and boost their chances in a national competition.
Flexible Funding Covers the Work That Makes a Proposal Shine
TREND’s Phase 0 grant supports a wide array of activities, including:
- Organizing and analyzing preliminary data
- Conducting feasibility studies
- Technical writing and editing
- Commercialization planning
- Engaging with collaborators
- Attending relevant professional training
- Performing literature searches
Rather than restricting support to just writing services, this program gives businesses the latitude to invest where it matters most. TREND works directly with each applicant to identify the best use of funds, maximizing the strategic impact of the grant.
Don’t Underestimate the Cost of a Weak Proposal
Many promising projects fall short not because of the science, but because the proposal lacks clarity or polish. That’s where the gap lives, and TREND’s Phase 0 Program helps close it by providing structure, feedback, and early investment in proposal quality.
If you skip this step or rush your submission, you risk missing a crucial funding window that could advance your innovation and solidify your go-to-market timeline.
An Anchorage-based environmental tech startup recently leveraged TREND’s Phase 0 Program to secure $10,000 for proposal development, including technical writing and preliminary data analysis. With this support, the team submitted a polished SBIR application that highlighted both scientific rigor and commercialization potential.
Plan Ahead and Apply Early: Submission Guidance Matters
To be eligible, applicants must submit a draft proposal to TREND at least five weeks prior to their federal deadline, or include prior reviewer comments if resubmitting. Applications will reopen in July 2025, with award decisions expected by November 2025.
TREND uses an internal single-stage review process and advises early engagement. Contact the team at info@aksbdc.org or 907-786-6253 to begin planning your request and to access the full application instructions.
Ready To Take the Next Step?
We assist our clients in locating, applying for, and evaluating the outcomes of non-dilutive grant funding. We believe non-dilutive funding is a crucial tool for mitigating investment risks, and we are dedicated to guiding our clients through the entire process—from identifying the most suitable opportunities to submitting and managing grant applications.