Applicant Assistance Program (AAP)

The Applicant Assistance Program (AAP) of the NIH helps small businesses write and submit Phase I grant proposals, providing coaching and guidance on application needs assessment, preparation, and review. It aims to help under-represented groups—including women, minorities, and people from certain states—achieve SBIR/STTR funding. You must be established as a business with no previous funding. The AAP is available at certain NIH institutes. The application deadline for the AAP is several months ahead of the grant proposal deadline.