Southern Oregon businesses developing new technologies will have access to a statewide effort to help them compete for federal research funding, following an award of more than $301,000 to Oregon Entrepreneurs Network. The money will support training, mentorship and application assistance for companies seeking funds to test ideas, develop products and move research toward commercial use.
The nonprofit organization’s project combines nearly $172,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration with nearly $130,000 in matching funds from Business Oregon. Announced September 28, the award comes through the Federal and State Technology Partnership Program, known as FAST. Business Oregon selected OEN as Oregon’s designated applicant, and Gov. Tina Kotek endorsed the federal application.
For entrepreneurs in Josephine and Jackson counties, the initiative offers a route to assistance with a competitive funding process that requires both a credible research proposal and compliance with federal application requirements. OEN plans to begin delivering the funded programming this fall and work with research universities, regional economic development organizations and Oregon’s Centers of Innovation Excellence to reach businesses in urban and rural communities.
The project budget pays for assistance to applicants. Companies receiving that assistance must separately compete for federal research awards, with funding decisions made by the participating agencies.
Those opportunities fall under two federal programs: Small Business Innovation Research, or SBIR, and Small Business Technology Transfer, or STTR. Both support research and development by eligible small businesses pursuing technologies with commercial potential. The SBA coordinates the programs, while individual federal agencies issue solicitations, evaluate proposals and select recipients.
The awards provide non-dilutive financing, allowing companies to receive research funding without giving up an ownership stake. For a young business, that can provide capital for technical work while its founders retain their equity. Applicants must nevertheless meet the funding agency’s research priorities and demonstrate that their proposed work fits a specific solicitation.
Federal eligibility generally requires a U.S.-based, for-profit business with no more than 500 employees, including affiliates, along with compliance with ownership and control requirements. These programs fund qualifying research projects rather than ordinary business startup expenses.
STTR adds a required partnership with a qualifying research institution. The small business must perform at least 40 percent of the research work, and the institution must perform at least 30 percent. Eligible partners include nonprofit universities, nonprofit research organizations and federally funded research and development centers.
The programs typically begin with work to establish technical feasibility before advancing to more extensive development. Federal guidance updated for April 2026 permits agencies to issue Phase I awards of up to $323,090 and Phase II awards of up to $2,153,927 without seeking an SBA waiver. Those thresholds do not establish what every applicant can receive; the amount available depends on the agency and its solicitation.
Oregon also operates separate programs that assist companies before and after a federal award. Business Oregon’s Application Support program offers up to $5,000 for eligible expenses associated with preparing proposals. Covered services can include grant writing, technical review, consulting, application-related legal or accounting work, and market research.
Business Oregon reports that more than $400,000 distributed through that support program has helped Oregon companies secure nearly $13 million in federal research awards. Those figures describe the existing state program’s results and are separate from OEN’s new funding.
Another state program provides matching grants to companies that have already received federal awards, with maximum amounts of $50,000 for Phase I recipients and $100,000 for Phase II or Fast-Track recipients. The application round currently displayed by Business Oregon is closed.
Southern Oregon’s participation will depend on eligible businesses entering the process and submitting proposals that meet federal requirements. OEN has identified statewide and rural outreach as part of its work, but its announcement does not name local recipients, establish a dedicated allocation for Josephine or Jackson counties, or provide a Southern Oregon training schedule.
The forthcoming programming will give Oregon entrepreneurs access to assistance as they prepare to compete for research dollars. For Southern Oregon companies with a qualifying technology, the opportunity begins with identifying a federal solicitation suited to their work, establishing eligibility and developing a proposal that can withstand technical review.