KNOXVILLE — Entrepreneurs who want to win federal grant money for new business projects are invited to proposal writing workshops that will be held across Tennessee April 3-5.
Geared toward individuals with small, technology-based businesses, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Proposal Writing workshop will provide detailed instruction for writing and submitting successful grant proposals. The class will emphasize correct writing methods and proper responses to government agency requirements. By attending the full-day workshops, participants can submit a proposal for free review and critique from the workshop instructors.
Through its SBIR/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, the federal government provides funding for new and innovative technology development. However, in fiscal 2004, Tennessee’s small business community submitted fewer than 175 proposals for funding. Only one in 10 proposals was successful.
By hosting these workshops, the Tennessee SBIR Proposal Assistance Center aims to help Tennesseans improve their proposals and increase the amount of federal grants awarded to Tennessee-s small businesses.
Partners with the University of Tennessee in providing the proposal assistance program are Oak Ridge National Laboratory, NNSA/Y-12 National Security Complex, Technology 2020, East Tennessee Economic Council, the Knoxville Oak Ridge Innovation Valley, Integrated Manufacturing Technology Initiative and the UT Research Foundation.
The workshops are facilitated by Greenwood Consulting Company Inc., which has taught successful proposal writing principles in more than 40 states and at national SBIR/STTR conferences.
The workshops will be offered at the UT Conference Center in Knoxville on April 3; at UT’s Center for Industrial Services Training Room in Nashville on April 4; and at UT’s Hamilton Eye Institute in Memphis on April 5. All three workshops run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost of the workshop is $150. More details about the workshops and online registration are available at www.tnsbir.tennessee.edu.
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Contacts:
Amy Blakely, (865) 974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu
Queena Jones, (865) 974-1533, queena.jones@tennessee.edu
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