Workshop on Accessing Government Funding

Attendee Satisfaction Survey Results

37 attendees responded out of 65 registrants (56.9%)

• The workshop provided an opportunity to learn how government agencies actually conduct funding reviews from people who have been directly involved in the process.
• The way presentation by NIH representative on accessing grants was given. PP presentation was excellent!
• well organized
• It walked me through the process. They had a range of experts, from study session members, to entrepreneurs and their success stories, presenting.

• Having the three major programs there all together

• The presence of several Agency's each giving details on how each implement and manage the SBIR process. 

• Hearing from the insiders about what makes grants successful.

• Networking

• Very helpful in two respects.  First, the DoD talk was extremely helpful in giving directions as to how to contact individuals who may be interested my work.  This issue has been the worst hurdle for our group. Second, it was both helpful and enlightening to hear from people who are successfully operating companies and have made the transition already. 

• Entrepreneur's perspective.

• Its focus covering both elemental and more advance levels of SBIR funding process. The panel discussion with both entrepreneurs and official was very useful.      

• Direct comparison of the three agencies.

• Specific examples of how to navigate the grant process

• I liked the presentation style and the material best:  The Moderator from NIH had excellent presentation skills.  I liked the casual approach of the information delivered from All presenters.  It was informative and professional without seeming stuffy.    The information presented translated well among the attendees.  Since this is my first workshop - I definitely got the take-home message that the culture of the gov't grant organizations varies.  Also, our company's business plan is more important to some agencies than other.

• Good to get inside view of what's important.

• Great overview

• Differences between NIH, NSF and DOD were discussed.  It was helpful to learn about differences in specific rules but I really appreciated learning more about the different strategies, attitudes and cultures between the agencies.

• Candid nature of presenter.

• focus on grant writing and proposal tips

• Some tips that I did not know about before

• The format, except as noted in (3) below.

• Dr. Milman is an excellent speaker.

• A chance to see the desire by small companies to move forward and their willingness to jump through all the government hoops to see their dream become a viable economic entity

• Very well done, concise and had the right speakers.  

• Practicality of case studies

• Small group

• It was interactive and the presenters were articulate and accessible.

• NIH, NSF, US Military all involved

• Knowing the possibilities with different gov. agencies

• Grantsmanship tips

• The review procedure, to do and not to do while applying the funding.

• The whole atmosphere of the workshop was very pleasant. The idea of inviting people with different experience is very good. Although some of the issues were familiar to us because we faced them while working on the STTR grants writing, it was still very useful to hear some details and interesting facts.

• Contact opportunities

• The only problem I had with the workshop was the venue and availible space for participants.

• Facilities were a little too small

• Would have liked the Life Science guy from NSF there.

• Can't say I disliked any part of the program.

• The meeting building was difficult to find once I was inside the campus.

• Although the entrepreneurs on the panel were successful in raising tons of government funding, there was not a single commercialization of product/ success story. It should be put into perspective that government type funds (grants) are one way of securing capital for new startups. Our company submitted 10 of these SBIR applications but no success (too slow). We finally raised Angel money (total: $5M) and completed the product development (high-throughput DNA/RNA Analyzer for Genotyping) and we are now into the second year of the worldwide commercialization of our products with good/reasonable success rate. If we would have relied on these type of SBIR funds to do the development work perhaps we would have still been doing the product development

• I can't think of anything in particular I disliked.  Please have another one before too long.

• I think the indirect cost calculation is complicated and crucial, I would like have seen the official to expand on this. This issue was just briefly mentioned.

• DOD presentation is not specific enough.  NSF presentation did not cover enough for bioscience.

• only the seating arrangement - a minor inconvenience

• Too crowded -- need a bigger room

• Facilities were not in the most convenient location.

• Panelists not more forthcoming on specific experiences in raising money

• (1)The room -- it was too small, and seating did not allow all participants to see and communicate comfortably.  (2)I would have liked to see more time (say, 45 minutes) set aside for networking.  this is one of the few events where my potential competitors and collaborators gather.

• Army presenter did not present how to accessing the contract fund, but just gave contact info.     He did not present DOD SBIR secret as Dr. Milman did for NIH. 

• I talked to 2 of your three entrepreneur's about applying for funding to any of the agencies. They all told me that if I am able to raise funds in any other way I should not apply.  Reason: Too time consuming and too much effort.    Did you choose the right entrepreneurs or is this just reality.    

• the small size of the room room did not really allow for in-between sessions and lunchtime networking that is so much a vital part of such a workshop.

• N/A

• None

• It would have been nice if there could have been some facilitating of network opportunities.

• Keep it broad to address gov funding opportunities, do not limit to just SBIRs/STTRs

• I liked the whole workshop.  

• nothing

• None

• None

• Accessing grants from private foundations and open-market financing.
• Partnering opportunities
• I would like to see a bit more detailed information about how to get started. For example, log onto the websites during the meeting and have a tour of the NIH, NSF, and DoD grany pages.

• There was a lack of general classification of grants i.e by NIH, explaining how they differ one from another.

• Reimbursement 

• Would be helpful to hear representatives from other grantors who support emerging and development stage businesses, state government (in our case State of California), private grantors (Gates Foundation??) and corporate grantors (e.g. J&J COSAT). Going right to VC's costs very dearly; they are in the driver's seat.     

• Provide government access/connection to be able to penetrate selling our products, technologies and services  Create visibility and awareness for small businesses like ours to be able to succeed in all avenues by benefiting community and mankind

•   Tips and advice on mechanics of running a small company.  That is, management skills unique to science businesses, financing, facilities, etc.

• Collaborations and strategic alliances.  This is probably more important than fund raising.

• 1. Indirect cost calculation for SBIR grants.  2. Downstream processing.

• Grant writing workshop

• Some focus for academic institutions grant application.

• More academic/industry mixers with emphasis on bringing out post-docs and graduate students.  Such events should be free for the academic associated people and focus on company creation with a couple brief 5-10 minute presentations of successful startups in the southland.  Include a how to and resources that SCBC can offer to encourage process.

• Accessing private foundation funding

• 'How to write effective B-plans to obtain $ from Angel Investors'

• Avenues to other funding besides government funding.  Creative financing options

• FDA approvals

• Regulatory issues and strategies associated with commercializing combination products.

• proposal writing seminar with practicable examples

• Other funding opportunities

• Raising capital

• Mini-conferences on targeted technological topics (e.g., Diagnostic Equipment, Imaging; Point-of-Care Monitoring; Biotech Drug development)

• I like to know how to access BAA type of grants.  Of course, not too many biomed-related BAA.    

• Bring in the Small Business Administration and the Southern CA Chamber of Commerce and have them do a workshop and mixer.

• University Partnerships

• All aspects of building an enterprise. Manufacturing and operations planning  Marketing  PR  Personnel policies and procedures  

• Potential partnerships between small independent research institutes and for profit entities?  Opportunities for sites for clinical trials?

• Getting the technology to work  Getting good clinical data  Capturing the economic benefit

• Small business loans by gov agencies

• ??

• How to get venture capital or private funding.

• Perhaps workshops on finding new collaborators

• other informational and networking opportunities

• Explore the creation of the SCBC virtual incubator. Create small fund that can support or subsidize critical services that small life science companies don't have knowledge or funds to draw on such as expert biotech legal and patent advice, business development expertise, ousourcing contacts etc. The virtual incubator could have a set of mentors that would either donate their time or subsidize their rates to support startup creation and provide critical services. Moderate funding from Universities, the city, state and local VCs could serve kick off the project.

• Finding potential partners for your business.   Discuss the govtl licensing regulations.