NCI Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs and Funding Opportunities
On August 19th, BIOCOM hosted a program that highlighted the latest National Cancer Institute Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) & Small Business Technology Transfer (“STTR”) funding opportunities.
During the session, Michael Weingarten, Director of the National Cancer Institute’s SBIR Development Center, and Dr. Ali Andalibi, the Program Director of the NCI SBIR Development Center, gave advice and helpful information on the process for all phases of the SBIR/STTR programs. They also gave an in-depth overview of the latest NIH contract topics and funding opportunities.
The NCI SBIR & STTR programs are an entryway to federally-funded cancer research, and are structured in three phases. In Phase I, a company may be awarded up to $100,000 to test the technical merit and feasibility of their concept. Although support is generally provided for six months for SBIR, and one year for STTR, Phase I applicants may try to justify longer grant periods or larger amounts of funding if it is necessary to complete the project.
Companies that receive a Phase I award may apply for a two-year Phase II award of up to $750,000, to help further develop its particular concept. Proposals are judged competitively on the basis of scientific, technical, and commercial merit.
To help address the funding gap a company may encounter between the end of the Phase II award and the commercialization stage, the NCI SBIR Program has created a Bridge Award. This pilot program is for companies that previously received NIH SBIR Phase II grants in the areas of cancer therapies and imaging technologies. The initiative provides grants of up to $1 million a year, for up to three years. The program is designed help companies bridge the “Valley of Death” between development and commercialization by also requiring private investment to match the federal grant amount.
To aid in the success of this new effort, the NCI officials scheduled private meetings with attendees and provided valuable tips on applying for funding through the program. The NCI representatives also discussed how SBIR can help foster partnerships and collaborations between academic researchers and the industry.
Click here to view the newest NIH contract topics. NCI topics start on page 39. There are 23 total.
San Diego City Council Revisiting Linkage Fee Increase
In July, the City Auditor for the City of San Diego completed an audit report, “Performance Audit of the San Diego Housing Commission (PART I and PART II).” This audit found that the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF), which is comprised of the Housing Trust fund (HTF) and Inclusionary Housing Fund, was financially unstable and too low relative to housing funds for other cities, such as Los Angeles and Sacramento.
Commercial “linkage fees” are assessed on non-residential developments on a square foot basis, and are deposited into the HTF. Linkage fees are combined with rents collected from public housing residents, and administrative fees as source funding for the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC). The SDHC is a public agency that helps low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities afford housing in the City of San Diego through various programs. For more information on SDHC click here: http://www.sdhc.net/
The linkage fee schedule for the City of San Diego, and the development fee schedule for commercial linkage of the City’s Planning and Community Investment Department, has not been updated since 1996. According to the “Performance Audit of the SDHC (Part II)”, at the time of 2008, fees should have been 41% higher then what they are now. This would have added $2.79 million to HTF funding. According to the San Diego Municipal Code (SDMC), fees were supposed to be revised March 1st of each year.
TABLE 1
|
Current HTF Linkage Fees |
Fee/Building Square Foot |
| Office |
$1.06 |
| Hotel |
$0.64 |
|
Research and Development |
$0.80 |
| Retail |
$0.64 |
| Manufacturing |
$0.64 |
| Warehouse |
$0.27 |
The Land Use and Housing Committee is scheduled to consider the potential 41% fee increase and other policy recommendations at its September 2nd meeting. BIOCOM has joined a coalition comprised of the business community in opposing any fee increases at a time of such economic hardship. We will need our members support at upcoming Council hearings. If your company would like to be more closely involved with this issue or for more information please contact Faith Picking at fpicking@biocom.org or (858) 455-0300 x 113.
The 2-part report is available by clicking the links below:
Part I: http://www.sandiego.gov/auditor/pdf/housing_commission_part1.pdf
Part II: http://www.sandiego.gov/auditor/pdf/housing_commission_part2.pdf
BIOCOM Public Policy Section Provides Regular Updates on Health Reform Progress
The health reform debate is proceeding at a dizzying pace. In an effort to keep our members informed of the very latest developments, BIOCOM has set up a section on its website which will have news articles that help update you on the status of health reform efforts or bring a new insight into the discussions for our members. The health reform section can be found here:
http://www.biocom.org/public_policy/Health%20Care%20Reform/
If you have questions or suggestions for articles to be included that you have come across, please contact Madeleine Baudoin, BIOCOM Associate Director of Public Policy, at mbaudoin@biocom.org.