The Department of Education (ED), Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has issued a program announcement for the opening of its CFDA: 84.133S-1SBIR SBIR Grants solicitation.

Although the closing date for this solicitation is June 1, 2004, this offering requires a letter of intent (LOI) which must be submitted by April 30, 2004.

For fiscal year 2004, there is one priority (with four invitational priorities) proposed by the OSERS under CFDA Number 84.133S with awards up to $75,000.

The following four invitational priorities relate to innovative research utilizing new technologies (including nanotechnologies and biotechnologies) to address the needs of individuals with disabilities and their families. Ed is particularly interested in applications that meet one of the following priorities.

Invitational Priority 1. - Development of Technology to Support Access, Promote Integration or Foster Independence of Individuals with Disabilities in the Community, Workplace, or Educational Setting.
Invitational Priority 2. - Development of Technology to Enhance Sensory or Motor Function of Individuals with Disabilities.
Invitational Priority 3. - Development of Technology to Support Transition into Post-secondary Educational or Employment Settings for Individuals with Disabilities.
Invitational Priority 4. - Development of technology that incorporates universal design principles and promotes access to information in educational, employment and community settings.

Venture West's first meeting for 2004 is scheduled for, Thursday, May 6th in Laramie. (Meeting place will be announced in the next newsletter.) Two programs are scheduled:

The afternoon program is titled Financing Business Growth. Finance experts from the Cheyenne Capital Fund, Wyoming Business Council, and the First Interstate Bank will teach the ins-and-outs of start-up business financing. The workshop will be suitable for entrepreneurs, investors, economic development professionals, and financial service providers.

The evening program is titled Leading at the Speed of Growth. One of the ironies of entrepreneurial success is that fast business growth can often be a quick road to failure. The behaviors and skills that are successful at one stage of growth can be fatal in the next stage. Dr. Jana Matthews, co-author of Leading at the Speed of Growth: Journey from Entrepreneur to CEO, will identify the challenges of growth, as well as the leader's changing roles and responsibilities during the Initial, Rapid, and Continuous Stages of Growth. This session will provide a roadmap for entrepreneurs determined to grow their companies and transform themselves into great entrepreneurial leaders.
A group of entrepreneurs will also present their business plans.

The SSTI Weekly Digest Funding Supplement is a listing of funding opportunities (OTHER THAN SBIR) offered by the federal government, foundations, and other agencies. Although the Supplement is not exhaustive, the opportunities listed in each week's issue do provide application information, eligibility criteria, and submission deadlines and collectively offer a glance at what is available. The latest issue contains additional funding opportunities from: Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Justice, NASA, and the National Science Foundation.

Capturing a SBIR award is only one step in nurturing and growing a successful small business. Many critical business-related issues must be settled prior to starting the SBIR project to enable effective investment and leveraging of the SBIR resources. Planning is key to successful development of the small business, and execution of the SBIR project. Scientists and engineers launching a small business for the first time with SBIR resources frequently overlook this critical function.

SBIR competition experience is littered with many cases where small businesses are compromised (sometimes fatally) because adequate planning and subsequent actions were not performed. In one case, unrealistic indirect cost rates were proposed and accepted that were inadequate to pay actual indirect costs experienced subsequently. In another case, a proposal was written and submitted by a Principal Investigator (PI) through a small business - the proposal was selected for award, but there were serious differences in expectations between the PI and small business owner.

Cash flow and management (or lack thereof) is often a snag at new small businesses with SBIR projects. In one case history, cash receipts lagged cash outflow more than expected, stressing the small business, the project, and the owners. In another, a SBIR winner spent available resources before the project was completed and could not pay a subcontractor that had already performed a substantial part of the work. Often, inadequate cash planning leads to inability to meet financial obligations, including payroll.

The list of small business and SBIR project problems caused by inadequate planning and follow-up action is long. These problems generally are painful and harmful to the small business, and most of them are avoidable.

Study the process of nurturing and growing a small business using SBIR resources. Talk to and learn from others who have been down this road already. National SBIR Conferences offer excellent opportunities to learn.

So, think through in detail issues likely to be encountered in building a business, and develop corresponding action plans. Planning can make all the difference in business outcome!!!