R&D funding available for Mississippi small businesses.

Quite often the best ideas come from people with a small business.

"Good ideas aren't confined to large companies," says Joseph Graben, who is director of the MS-FAST program based at Stennis Space Center, which is designed to provide opportunities for small businesses to obtain federal research and development (R&D) funding in return for conducting R&D needed by federal agencies.

A workshop was held recently at Jackson State University to let Mississippi businesses know about the opportunities provided by the program. Graben said about $1.5 billion in funding is…