TL;DR:
The University of Georgia’s FAST Phase 0 Grant provides up to $2,450 to help Georgia-based small businesses hire professional grant writers for SBIR/STTR proposals. Preference is given to applicants who have previously submitted unsuccessful applications. Rolling applications are accepted year-round.
Federal Grant Success Is Built on Strong Submissions: UGA Wants You to Succeed
Pursuing federal SBIR or STTR funding requires more than groundbreaking innovation. Without a compelling and compliant application, great ideas go unfunded. That’s why the University of Georgia Innovation Gateway created the FAST Phase 0 Grant Program, offering targeted proposal development support to help Georgia startups compete at the national level.
Eligible businesses can receive up to $2,450 toward the cost of hiring a qualified grant writing consultant. The goal? To improve proposal competitiveness and reduce the burden of SBIR/STTR preparation for emerging Georgia-based companies.
Let Expert Grant Writers Give Your Proposal a Competitive Edge
The program focuses exclusively on funding professional grant writing support for federal SBIR/STTR applications. This investment helps early-stage companies clearly articulate their technical aims, commercialization potential, and alignment with funder priorities, three of the most common areas where reviewers find proposals fall short.
Preference is given to companies that have previously submitted but not won SBIR/STTR awards, giving them another shot at success with expert insight.
An Athens-based biotech startup recently used UGA’s FAST Phase 0 Grant to hire a professional grant writer for its SBIR resubmission. With $2,450 in targeted support, the team addressed reviewer feedback, refined its commercialization narrative, and submitted a stronger, more competitive proposal.
Don’t Risk Repeating Past Mistakes: Close the Proposal Gap
The gap between a promising idea and a fundable proposal is often rooted in clarity, not science. Without expert assistance, teams risk making the same mistakes in resubmissions—missing critical reviewer comments or failing to restructure narrative flow.
This Phase 0 award closes that gap. It helps turn lessons from a past rejection into a funded future.
Rolling Applications Keep It Flexible, But Apply Early
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with awards made annually as funds allow. Businesses must be incorporated and headquartered in Georgia to be eligible. While the grant amount is capped at $2,450, even a small investment in proposal quality can lead to high-impact returns in the form of federal awards.
To get started, reach out to Kevin Wu (kwu@uga.edu) or visit the UGA FAST Program website for eligibility details and 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.