DALLAS — An Arkansas nanotechnology company has been awarded $224,997 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop a green alternative to fluorescent lighting.

Nanomaterials and Nanofabrication Laboratories LLC (NN-Labs) of Fayetteville is one of seven small businesses to receive a total of  $1.6 million in funding to commercialize green technologies.

NN-Labs was awarded a Phase II SBIR contract, which is given to small businesses that successfully complete Phase I contracts.  The company received a Phase I award for $69,988 in 2007.

About 25 million small businesses in the United States employ more than 50 percent of the American workforce and develop most of the country's new technologies.  SBIR was established to ensure that new technologies are developed to solve priority environmental problems.

Since its inception in 1982, EPA’s SBIR program has helped fund more than 600 small businesses through its two-phased approach.  Phase I awards are used to investigate the scientific merit and technical feasibility of a proposed concept.  If the results of this phase are successful, businesses can submit proposals for Phase II contracts, which can reach amounts up to $225,000.

EPA will be accepting submissions for the next year’s Phase I SBIR awards until May 21.   To participate in SBIR, a small business must have fewer than 500 employees, and at least 51 percent of the business must be owned by U.S. citizens.

Additional information on the SBIR program is available at http://www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir.  More on the Phase II projects is available at http://es.epa.gov/ncer/sbir/08awards/index_state.html.