The Indiana Small Business Development Center (SBDC) today announced that applications for the Indiana Technical Assistance Program (INTAP) will be open beginning next Monday, Jan. 16, and remain open through Friday, Feb. 17. This statewide initiative connects Hoosier small businesses with funding and professional assistance to complete growth and improvement projects, such as technology development, business management systems, grant writing, and more..

“INTAP aims to connect businesses with critical professional assistance, especially for underserved communities, by helping them fund projects they might otherwise not be able to pursue," said Indiana SBDC State Director David Watkins. “With funding for this year’s INTAP program increasing, more qualified businesses can complete essential projects ranging from prototype development to business management and training systems. I encourage small business owners across industries to consider this program for their next iterative stage of innovation.”

 

Learn more this Thursday:

Interested businesses are encouraged to join the Indiana SBDC for an online informational event on Thursday, Jan. 12, from 1-2 pm EST. The event will feature the state’s programs manager, the INTAP program facilitator, and a 2022 award recipient to discuss the program and the project eligibility requirements. The first 30 minutes will be an informational session with an open Q&A session to follow. Register here.

Under INTAP, eligible small businesses can apply for up to $15,000 for projects that require specialized assistance or technical expertise such as app or technology development, Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), industry-specific training, intellectual property legal assistance, and grant writing assistance for the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs. INTAP is administered by Ivy Tech Cook Center for Entrepreneurship, which hosts the South Central Indiana SBDC regional office. The program has assisted more than 170 businesses with completing projects since the program was launched in 2017.

To be eligible for INTAP, Indiana small businesses must meet the following criteria:

• Be or become an Indiana SBDC client,

• Be registered to do business in Indiana,

• Be able to complete the project within six months and before Dec. 31, 2023, and

• Be able to demonstrate a positive impact after completion, including but not limited to new job creation, increased production or sales, or new market expansion.

Success Story: Aviation manufacturer, MSP Manufacturing, uses INTAP to further workforce education and profit.

South Central SBDC client MSP Manufacturing, a Bloomington-based manufacturer of aircraft engine parts, has turned challenge into opportunity. MSP aimed to innovate and support investment into their workforce using training programs to increase production, operator skill, and wages. MSP used 2022 INTAP funding to provide training programs for their machinists on existing and newly purchased equipment. Purdue MEP was contracted to provide MSP Manufacturing with Mastercam/CNC training and professional consulting services. Through this project, the company realized improvements including, new equipment installation and set-up, more efficient fixturing and work-holding, streamlined machine programming, quicker set-up and reduced changeover downtime, and improved operator knowledge and programming capabilities.