The Technology Transfer Assistance Grant (TTAG) Program provides limited financial support for the transfer and deployment of innovative technology to Arkansas-based enterprises.

TTAG grants are awarded to the technology transfer resource provider. The resource provider must possess the capability to locate and transfer innovative technology and to transfer it to a specific Arkansas-based enterprise. In certain cases, to be determined on a case-by-case basis, the resource provider could be the company requesting assistance if they have the capability to locate and transfer the innovative technology. The technology being transferred must resolve a company’s technology-based problem, issue or concern.

Because the Division of Science & Technology wishes to leverage its limited grant funds to the greatest extent possible, the total maximum funding available is $5,000 per project. The Division will award the first $2,500 of project cost and the remainder will be cost-shared equally (50:50) between AEDC and the enterprise being assisted by the applicant. The enterprise being assisted assumes all cost in excess of $5,000. As a rule, preference will be given to the projects that have a company cash match. A maximum of two TTAG grant awards can be received for a given enterprise in one state fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).

TTAG grant awards can be used to fund costs associated with engineering or technical support fees, database searches, travel, responses to the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR), Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) or the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) and other costs to be decided on a case-by-case basis. TAG grant awards will not fund costs associated with fixed assets for an enterprise or costs associated primarily with training.

AEDC has designated the TTAG Program as a cash match for a federal grant. Because of this matching requirement, it is necessary for the Division of Science & Technology to document evidence of a enterprise’s cash contribution for every TTAG project. The evidence of payment must be received by AEDC prior to the issuance of the TTAG award funds to the resource provider. Exceptions to this requirement will be reviewed and determined by the Division of Science & Technology on a case-by-case basis. The evidence of an enterprise’s cash contribution can be in the form of the following forms

  • Company cash match payment to AEDC, who in turn pays the resource provider.
  • A copy of the enterprise’s check being submitted to the resource provider.

The resource provider should work with the company to complete all questions on the application form. The application form must be signed by the resource provider and the assisted enterprise. By signing the TTAG application, the resource provider agrees to provide the stated services to the enterprise, and the enterprise agrees to pay the cash match and respond to up to two post-project surveys within 24 months from the projects completion. The surveys are necessary to document the results and impacts of the project to AEDC stakeholders. The applicant should not submit to the Division of Science & Technology any confidential or proprietary information unless so marked. The resource provider is required to submit a final project report to the Division no later than 30 days after completion of the project. Failure to meet these requirements could impact future funding consideration.

The TTAG program is intentionally flexible and broad in scope. It is intended to provide financing that allows a technology to better compete for support in other Division programs.

All TTAG Applications must be submitted by the Friday previous to each TTAG Review Committee Meeting to be covered.