The Innovation Partnership, which helps young Pennsylvania high-tech companies get federal funding, is planning a series of workshops aimed at businesses that are often left out of the race for government dollars.
The workshops will take place in parts of the state that are rural or otherwise removed from the hotspots in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, says Kelly Wylam, director of the Innovation Partnership. The events will be especially targeted at businesses owned by women and minorities, since those firms are nationally underrepresented when it comes to securing federal money.
Since IPart just learned that it will receive $100,000 for the project from the U.S. Small Business Administration, it’s too early to say exactly when and where the events will be.
The workshops will give high-tech firms pointers on how to figure out whether, and how, to apply for federal awards. The topics addressed will include writing a good grant application and keeping the meticulous records federal grants often require. Wylam says it’s also important for companies to match their skills to the needs of government agencies, which are sometimes very specific about the problems they want grant-winners to solve.
IPart will use some of the money to train its own counselors so they can better assist companies in figuring out whether it is the right time to seek federal money, find the right funding sources and work on securing awards.
Source: Kelly Wylam, Innovation Partnership
Writer: Rebecca VanderMeulen