Funding
Federal innovation grants for US startups: the programs worth your time
Beyond SBIR and STTR, US startups can access agency prizes, ARPA programs, state matching funds and manufacturing initiatives. A practical map of non-dilutive funding and who each program suits.
SBIR and STTR remain the core
For research-intensive startups, SBIR and STTR are the largest and most reliable source of non-dilutive federal funding, distributing several billion dollars a year across eleven participating agencies. Phase I awards typically run from $50,000 to $314,000 and Phase II awards reach $1 million to $2 million or more depending on the agency.
The award funds the technical risk in your roadmap, keeps your equity intact, and gives an independent signal of technical quality that investors read as validation.
ARPA-style programs for ambitious technical bets
ARPA-H, ARPA-E and DARPA fund high-risk, high-reward research with program managers who actively shape portfolios. Awards are larger and the engagement is more hands-on, and a conversation with the relevant program manager usually precedes a successful submission.
These programs suit companies whose technology could reset a field rather than improve it incrementally, and whose team can credibly deliver on an aggressive timeline.
Mission-specific and matching programs
The Department of Defense funds medical research through CDMRP, which supports condition-specific work outside the SBIR route. Manufacturing USA institutes fund industrial scale-up projects. NIH offers R01 and R21 mechanisms for companies partnered with academic groups.
Many states add matching grants and Phase 0 support that pay for proposal preparation or amplify a federal award. These programs are underused because they are advertised locally rather than nationally, and they can meaningfully extend a federal budget.
Choosing where to apply
Match the program to the stage of your evidence. Early technical uncertainty with a commercial thesis points to SBIR Phase I. A working prototype and a named government customer points to a defense route. A clinical hypothesis with academic collaborators points to NIH or CDMRP.
Applying to fewer, better-matched programs beats spreading effort thinly. GrantUp's writers are PhD-level scientists and former reviewers who have secured more than $240 million for startups. Book a free eligibility call for a candid read on which program fits your company.
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