Business Registrations Required for SBIR/STTR Grants

Before you can apply for government funding to start your business, including SBIR/STTR grants, you must complete several additional registrations beyond establishing your business as a legal entity.

The four business registrations required to get NIH grants are. . .

1. System for Award Management (SAM) – Registration is required to do business with the government through SAM.gov, including getting a federal grant. It can take two to six weeks to process and must be renewed annually.
   • Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) – This 12-digit number identifies your organization for doing business with the US government. It is obtained while getting your SAM registration.
2. Grants.gov – Registration is needed to access and apply for federal funding. You will need to have completed your SAM and UEI registrations. This registration takes several days to five weeks to process for organizations and two days for individuals.
3. Electronic Research Administration (eRA) Commons – eRA is the NIH’s online research administration website used to submit and review grants. Start registration at least six weeks before grant submission. Registration with login.gov is also required.
4. Small Business Administration (SBA) Company Registry – Registration is needed to log in with SBIR.gov and takes only one business day. Your UEI, email, and EIN are required. Apply before submitting a grant application.