About this programme
The Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) runs two grant programs for faculty researchers at accredited public or private universities in Georgia: Exploratory Grants and Development Grants. Both are aimed at moving university technology toward commercialization, at different stages of maturity.
How it works
Exploratory Grants go up to $10,000 and fund early work to answer foundational questions about technical feasibility and market demand: technical feasibility experiments, early prototype or proof-of-function testing, benchmarking against existing solutions, and customer discovery or market validation. They often serve as a stepping stone to a Development Grant.
Development Grants run from $10,000 to $250,000 and take a milestone-based approach to support projects that are further along, covering prototype development and refinement, technology validation and benchmarking, preclinical testing for therapeutics or medical devices, pilot manufacturing or system integration, IP and regulatory landscape analysis, and customer or partner pilot deployment. GRA may award more than one Development Grant to the same project if meaningful progress is made.
Who can apply
The applicant must be a faculty researcher at an accredited public or private university in Georgia.
Development Grant applicants should have a technology that has already moved beyond the exploratory phase.
How to apply
- Contact GRA at Grants@GRA.org, or reach the Chief Innovation Officer (Justin Burns) or Associate Director of Innovation (Andrew Short) for program inquiries.
- Apply through GRA's application page (referenced on its grants and loans page).
Frequently asked
Who can apply for a GRA Exploratory or Development Grant?
Faculty researchers at accredited public or private universities in Georgia.
What's the difference between the two grants?
Exploratory Grants (up to $10,000) fund early feasibility and market-validation work. Development Grants ($10,000 to $250,000) fund milestone-driven work further along toward commercialization, such as prototype development, preclinical testing, or pilot manufacturing.
Can I get more than one Development Grant?
Yes. GRA may award multiple Development Grants to the same project if it shows meaningful progress.
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Reviewed 2026-09-25. Programmes change, so check eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private firm and is not part of any government body.