(KAIR)--Kansas Governor Laura Kelly on Thursday announced a new program that will help Kansas small businesses innovate, bring new products and services to market, and compete at a global level. According to a release from Kelly’s office, the Small Business Research & Development Acceleration Grants, which were approved by the 2022 Legislature and signed into law by Governor Kelly, are being made available through the Kansas Department of Commerce. 

Kelly, in the release, notes that the “grants enable small businesses to enter new markets and stay ahead in [the] rapidly changing economy.”

The Small Business Research & Development Acceleration Grants are designed to assist Kansas small businesses in advancing a product or service to commercialization; modifying a product or service to enter a new market; or gaining a new client by leveraging higher education facilities, equipment, and expertise. 

Prospective grant recipients will work with a Kansas public higher education institution to conduct research and development and receive a 50/50 matching grant up to $25,000. 

The grant program is open to Kansas registered businesses headquartered in Kansas with 50 or fewer full-time employees with at least 60 percent of its workforce, including contracted staff, in Kansas. For every dollar received from the Small Business Research & Development Acceleration Grant, the company must contribute a dollar of its own resources. Up to 50 percent of the match may be an in-kind contribution if it is provided by a public higher education institution and approved by the Kansas Department of Commerce. Approved projects must be completed within one year.   

The fall 2022 application window is open now through October 17 and grants will be announced in November. For more information and to complete an application, please go to: https://www.kansascommerce.gov/rdaccelerationgrants/ or click here.