Regents Innovation Fund
2013 Faculty and Staff Research Grants Program
at the University of Northern Iowa
1.
Purpose: To provide seed money for late-stage product or process development with the
greatest potential for commercialization. Proof of concept projects will be considered but
priority will be given to projects closer to commercial application. Priority will be given to
projects in Iowa’s targeted clusters: Bioscience, Information Solutions (including educational
technologies), and Advanced Manufacturing.
2.
Eligible applicants: Full-time, tenured and tenure-track UNI faculty and all Professional and
Scientific (P&S) staff.
3.
Amount: Up to a maximum of $10,000 for expenses such as summer salary, student wages,
equipment, and supplies. Items that have a useful life of one year or more must become UNI
property.
4.
Period of award: March 1, 2013-June 30, 2013. Time extensions will not be granted.
5.
Submission of applications: Obtain signatures on cover page, then scan and email signed
cover page, narrative, budget, and any allowed appendices shown below to
anita.gordon@uni.edu by 5:00 p.m. on February 22, 2013. Alternatively, a packet containing
all items may be delivered to Anita Gordon in Sponsored Programs, 213 East Bartlett, by the
same date and time.
Awardees will be required to have met all applicable compliance requirements prior to
initiating the project. For example, if human or animal subjects review is required for the
project, that process must be completed before the project can move forward.
6.
Review of applications: Applications will be reviewed and awards made by the Regents
Innovation Fund Grant Committee, composed of five members: the Assistant Provost for
Sponsored Programs (who shall chair the committee); Executive Director of Business and
Community Services; University Intellectual Property Officer/Technology Transfer
Coordinator; and two members of the University Intellectual Property Committee.
7.
A complete proposal will consist of: 1) cover page with abstract and appropriate signatures; 2)
proposal narrative of up to 8 pages; 3) required budget template; and 4) any allowable
appendices as listed below. The narrative should address:
:
a.
Description and scope of the applied research project or invention;
b.
Commercial potential of the research product or invention; i.e., what need does the
invention or product meet; how is it unique; is it an improvement to an existing device,
technology, or service; how would its commercialization add value to existing products
or help advance research? (provide a literature review where appropriate);
c.
List any individuals or businesses who may have an interest in or you have worked with
to develop your invention or research product;
8.
d.
If awarded, how will this grant move the product or process toward commercialization?
Provide a timetable;
e.
Have you disclosed your research product or process in any specific or detailed way at
a conference, in a publication, or other public venue? Do you plan to do so?
f.
Describe long range plans, dissemination, commercialization of the product or process;
g.
Current vita of investigator(s).
Each grant recipient will be required to submit the following reports on the project to the
Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP):
a.
Project update -- due May 30, 2013.
b.
Project final report – due by September 1, 2013. This report either will describe
specific commercialization or confirm that the project cannot be developed further.
Failure to submit the report on time to OSP may make the recipient ineligible for future
internal seed funding.
If you have questions about the Regents Innovation Fund Applied Research Grant Program or the
review process, please contact Christy Twait at christine.twait@uni.edu or 3-3217.