SBIR/STTR Webinar: From Farm to Funding: USDA SBIR/STTR, Straight from the Source

Join our team of SBIR experts and the FAST (Federal and State Technology) Center of Illinois for an SBIR/STTR webinar event from 2:00-3:00pm on August 25th, 2026.

The Midwest is home to some of the most innovative AgTech minds in the country, and USDA's SBIR/STTR program is one of the best-kept secrets for funding that innovation. Join us for a live conversation with Tammi Neville and Erika Kraus, Program Specialists with USDA's SBIR/STTR program, as they walk through what has changed since reauthorization and what it takes to put together a competitive proposal.

This webinar will cover:

• Key updates to the USDA SBIR/STTR program following reauthorization
• An overview of USDA's SBIR/STTR proposal process, from application to award
• Common questions applicants ask, elements often missing from proposals, and what sets the strongest applications apart, so you know exactly what to focus on
• Live Q&A with our USDA speakers

Whether you're growing the next big idea in precision agriculture, ag biotech, or farm automation, this is your chance to get funding insights directly from the people who run the program. Bring your questions, bring your ideas, and let's dig in.

About the Speakers

Erika Kraus was born and raised in rural northeast Kansas. She joined the Peace Corps after earning undergraduate degrees in Biology and French from Benedictine College and served in the Republic of Benin as an Environmental Action Volunteer. That experience led her to pursue graduate degrees in African and African American Studies from the University of Kansas and a Ph.D. in Forestry from Michigan State University. Her background in communication and critical thinking supports NIFA's competitive grant programs. Outside of NIFA, Erika is an Extension Master Naturalist, a youth soccer coach, an avid reader and runner, and a dog lover who often cooks for a table of five.

Tammi Neville joined USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture in 2021 as a Program Specialist for the SBIR and STTR programs, where she helps administer Phase I and Phase II grants and serves on the Management of Natural Resources Topic Area team. Before joining USDA, she worked as a Research Specialist in the Department of Animal Sciences at North Dakota State University, coordinating research projects, collaborating with faculty, and writing journal articles, and also supported graduate students as a Writing Consultant at the NDSU Center for Writers. Tammi holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Animal and Range Sciences from NDSU, and in her SBIR/STTR role she combines her passion for advancing agriculture with supporting rural communities, small and mid-size farms, and animal agriculture.

This is a free, virtual event, but registration is required. The link to the webinar will be emailed to you upon completion of your registration. 

Recording Notice: unlike other IL FAST Monthly Webinar, this session will not be recorded. Slide deck will be shared with registrants after the session is over.

For more information and how to access more resources, visit the FAST Center at Illinois website. 

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are highly competitive programs that encourage domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) with the potential for commercialization. Through a competitive awards-based program, SBIR and STTR enable small businesses to explore their technological potential and provide the incentive to profit from its commercialization. By including qualified small businesses in the nation's R&D arena, high-tech innovation is stimulated, and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets its specific research and development needs.