NIH SBIR
NIH SBIR Facilities and Other Resources: What to Include
Learn what to include in NIH SBIR Facilities and Other Resources, from shared labs and core facilities to equipment access and supporting documents.
Show how your research environment supports the proposed aims
The NIH SBIR Facilities and Other Resources attachment explains where your research will happen and how that environment supports successful execution. For a startup using an incubator laboratory, university core, contract research organization, or distributed software team, this section makes the operating model understandable to reviewers. It should connect the proposed experiments to the physical space, technical services, computing infrastructure, and organizational support available to perform them. A useful starting question is: can a reviewer trace each major research activity to a credible location and an available resource?
Prepare the attachment using the instructions for the R&R Other Project Information form and the requirements in your chosen NIH notice of funding opportunity. NIH applications may be assembled through ASSIST, an institutional system-to-system solution, or Grants.gov Workspace; the underlying attachment requirements follow the application package. Organize the narrative around resources relevant to the proposed work, such as laboratory, clinical, animal, computer, and office resources. Describe their capabilities, proximity, and availability where those details affect execution. The appropriate level of detail follows the complexity of the project and the number of participating sites.
Describe startup-controlled space and shared laboratory access
For company-controlled space, identify the location, type of facility, and research functions it supports. A wet-lab description might cover tissue culture rooms, sample preparation areas, cold storage, and access to shared analytical instruments. Include square footage when it helps establish capacity, and explain features that matter to the proposed methods. For example, experiments involving sensitive biological samples may depend on controlled storage, backup power, or monitored freezers. A computational project may require secure development environments, adequate processing capacity, and documented access controls. Select details that show how the facility can support the actual experimental workload.
For leased or shared space, explain the company's access arrangement and distinguish resources included in the lease from separately scheduled or fee-based services. State whether access is already active, documented through a membership agreement, or contingent on award funding. Include relevant limitations, such as instrument booking windows or dedicated versus shared tissue culture space, alongside your plan for managing them. Where access is essential, obtain written confirmation from the facility operator. Applicants using university space should describe the business arrangement and coordinate with the university's authorized offices so that proposed access matches institutional policies and any planned agreements.
Document core facilities, contractors, and specialized research environments
Map external resources to the experiments they enable. If a university core will perform flow cytometry, sequencing, microscopy, or materials characterization, identify the core and explain its relevant capabilities. Include sample handling requirements, available technical support, and anticipated service capacity when these affect feasibility. For a contract research organization, describe the facilities relevant to its assigned work and keep that description consistent with its statement of work. Supporting letters can confirm access, responsibilities, and availability. A concise project-specific letter from an authorized representative provides useful evidence that the proposed relationship is sufficiently developed for the application.
Specialized environments need additional attention. Animal studies require access to appropriate housing, procedure space, and veterinary support; the Vertebrate Animals attachment addresses the required animal-use information separately. Work involving human participants may depend on clinical research space, specimen processing, or secure handling of identifiable data, with the applicable human subjects information supplied in the designated forms. For biosafety-sensitive research, describe the relevant containment capabilities and institutional oversight arrangements. Be precise about the status of approvals and assurances. Facility availability, institutional permission, and regulatory readiness each contribute to feasibility, and each should be represented accurately.
Keep facilities, equipment, budgets, and research methods aligned
The Facilities and Other Resources attachment describes the research environment. The separate Equipment attachment lists major equipment already available for the project and, as appropriate, its location and relevant capabilities. Proposed equipment purchases belong in the applicable budget materials, with a justification tied to the research plan. Coordinate these documents carefully: an instrument described as available through a shared facility should have a consistent access and cost explanation throughout the application. If a purchase or installation is essential, account for procurement, setup, training, and qualification in the project schedule. Reviewers should be able to understand when the capability becomes usable.
An illustrative diagnostic startup might conduct assay development in leased laboratory space, use a university core for imaging, and outsource a defined analytical service. Its facilities narrative would explain each location and access arrangement; its equipment attachment would identify available major instruments; its budget justification would explain rental, core, and service charges. The Research Strategy would connect those capabilities to the proposed experiments. Check that external activities are classified appropriately as services, consultant work, or substantive research collaborations. Those classifications affect application documentation and can affect SBIR or STTR workshare compliance, so resolve them before finalizing the budget and partner materials.
Run a resource-readiness review before submission
Build a simple internal resource matrix with one row for each major experimental activity. Record the location, responsible organization, required equipment, access status, supporting document, and associated budget line. This exercise often reveals practical questions early: who can authorize access to the core, where samples will be stored, whether a contractor's quote includes analysis, and whether cloud computing charges match the planned workload. Use the completed matrix to draft a focused narrative. Each resource description should explain a capability the project needs, while supporting documents provide evidence for material access commitments and costs.
Before submission, ask the principal investigator, operations lead, and participating organizations to verify the facts. Confirm that facility names, locations, access terms, equipment descriptions, and planned charges agree across the application. Identify award-contingent arrangements clearly and give a realistic account of how they will be activated. A strong facilities section helps reviewers see a startup that understands the practical requirements of its research and has organized the resources to meet them. GrantUp's PhD-level scientists and former federal reviewers can help assess whether your research environment, partner structure, and project scope support a competitive application. Book a free eligibility call with GrantUp.
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