active Federal Grant

SBIR Phase I — EPA

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Up to $100K (Phase I)

See if you qualify — free Visit official program ↗

Researched for this program: 5 rejection traps · 7 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓

The short version

EPA seed fund for environmental tech R&D

EPA SBIR Phase I awards up to $100,000 for 6 months of environmental technology R&D — water treatment, air quality, sustainable materials, pollution monitoring, climate adaptation, and waste reduction. The smallest per-award SBIR among major agencies, but EPA's focus areas are highly specific and underfunded elsewhere. One to two annual solicitations with narrowly defined topic areas. Non-dilutive federal grant submitted via Grants.gov. EPA Phase I frequently co-occurs with Phase II applications, compressing the development timeline. NOTE: The SBIR/STTR reauthorization lapsed October 1, 2025 and was restored April 13, 2026 with reauthorization through September 30, 2031. The 2026 reauthorization added a mandatory foreign national screening requirement for all applicants.

Funding type: Grant
Level: Federal
Amount range: $100,000
Realistic amount: EPA Phase I awards are typically at or very close to the $100,000 cap — the lowest Phase I cap among major SBIR agencies. The low cap requires prioritizing a focused, testable feasibility objective. Phase II awards up to $400,000 are also the lowest among major agencies.
Deadline: Open — the EPA SBIR 2026 Phase I solicitation closes November 8, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET. EPA issues one annual solicitation.
Status: active
States: Nationwide
Payment model: advance

Who qualifies

For-profit US small business concern with 500 or fewer employees including affiliates
More than 50% owned and controlled by US citizens or permanent resident aliens
Mandatory foreign national screening: the April 2026 reauthorization requires all applicants to disclose foreign ownership, foreign control, or foreign influence (FOCI) — new compliance requirement effective for all awards issued after April 13, 2026
Principal Investigator must be primarily employed (>50% time) by the small business at time of award
Proposed work must address a specific topic area in the current EPA SBIR solicitation
All R&D work must be performed primarily within the United States
Active SAM.gov registration with valid UEI required
SBA SBIR Company Registry registration required before award
No cost-sharing required

Hard requirements

Must be incorporated
51%+ US ownership required

What it covers

Eligible expenses

Salaries and wages for the PI and technical staff
Fringe benefits on qualifying salaries
Materials, chemicals, and supplies consumed in R&D
Lab equipment required for Phase I feasibility testing
Subcontractor costs for specialized analysis or testing labs
Consultant fees
Domestic travel for field testing, EPA facility visits, or environmental site work
Indirect (overhead) costs at negotiated or de minimis rates
SBIR fee on direct and indirect costs

Ineligible expenses

Work performed outside the United States without prior approval
Lobbying or political activities
Entertainment, alcohol, or personal expenses
Costs incurred before the grant start date
Marketing, advertising, or commercial sales activities
Construction or facility renovation

How to apply

1

Register in SAM.gov, SBIR Company Registry, and Grants.gov

Complete three registrations: SAM.gov (UEI — allow 2–3 weeks for new entities), SBA SBIR Company Registry at sbir.gov, and a Grants.gov applicant account. EPA SBIR uses Grants.gov Workspace for submission. Confirm your SAM.gov registration is active and your Grants.gov account is linked to your organization's profile before the deadline.

~5 hrs
2

Read the EPA SBIR solicitation and identify your topic

EPA SBIR topics are organized around EPA program offices: Office of Water, Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Land and Emergency Management, Office of Pesticide Programs, Office of Research and Development, and others. Topics are specific — not broad environmental themes. Email the EPA topic contact listed in the solicitation to confirm fit before writing. EPA Program Officers are accessible and responsive to pre-submission inquiries.

~8 hrs
3

Write the 6-page technical proposal and commercialization plan

EPA Phase I proposals are concise — Phase I Technical Volume is typically 6 pages. Cover: (1) the technical objective and hypothesis, (2) the Phase I approach and feasibility methodology, (3) expected Phase I outcomes and go/no-go criteria, and (4) the path from Phase I to Phase II to commercialization. The $100,000 / 6-month budget requires a sharply focused feasibility objective — reviewers expect you to demonstrate a proof-of-concept, not develop a finished product.

~40 hrs
4

Submit via Grants.gov Workspace

Assemble and submit the complete application package through Grants.gov Workspace before 11:59 PM Eastern on the published deadline. Allow 2–3 business days before the deadline for error resolution. Confirm receipt of a valid submission confirmation from Grants.gov.

~5 hrs
5

Technical review and award notification

EPA conducts peer review using scientists from EPA's Office of Research and Development and external environmental technology experts. Award notifications typically arrive 4–6 months after the proposal deadline. EPA Phase I performance periods are 6 months from the award start date.

~2 hrs

SBIR / STTR details

SBIR phase amounts

Phase	Max award	Duration
Phase1	$100,000	6 months
Phase2	$400,000	24 months

NAICS codes: 541715, 541714, 562910, 562112, 333413, 334519, 325412, 541330

Insider tip

EPA's $100K cap is the lowest among major SBIR agencies — design a Phase I feasibility study that is genuinely completable in 6 months and $100K. Don't underestimate the advantage: competition is lower, topic areas are underserved by private capital, and successful EPA Phase I → Phase II → commercialization companies (e.g., water treatment tech firms) have built defensible market positions with a non-dilutive foundation.

Deadline & timing

EPA SBIR has historically run one to two solicitation cycles per fiscal year with topic areas varying by cycle. EPA Phase I is 6 months and Phase II is 24 months. EPA's SBIR program has experienced variability in annual solicitation release — in some years EPA has skipped a cycle or combined Phase I and Phase II submissions. Always check epa.gov/sbir directly for the most current solicitation schedule.

Applications are open — don’t lose the window

GrantCompass tracks SBIR Phase I — EPA’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.

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