Requesting Cost Sharing from the Vice Chancellor for Research
These guidelines articulate how, when and under what circumstances the Vice Chancellor for Research (VCR) provides funding to assist principal investigators, departments, schools and/or research units in meeting cost sharing mandated by sponsors.
Background
When governmental and non-profit sponsors mandate cost sharing as an eligibility criterion for funding programs, it may not be possible for the principal investigator or his/her department, school and/or research unit to identify and secure the resources necessary to meet such a requirement. Securing extramural research awards is essential to fulfilling UCI's mission; therefore, no principal investigator should be denied the opportunity to compete for extramural funds due to his/her inability to meet sponsor-mandated cost sharing.
Criteria for Requesting VCR Cost Sharing
- The VCR will consider requests for cost sharing if 1) a sponsor's funding program includes, as an eligibility criterion, a written requirement mandating applicant organizations to cost share at specified level; and 2) the administering unit (in conjunction with other units and schools involved in the performance of the project, if applicable) demonstrates its support by providing cost sharing.
- Generally, the VCR will make a cost sharing commitment to match (1:1) the cash cost sharing commitment made by the administering unit or school, but only to the extent that the VCR's commitment increases the total campus cost sharing commitment to the minimum cost sharing level mandated by the sponsor.
- The VCR does not match the in-kind cost sharing commitment made by departments, schools and units.
Request Process
- The principal investigator should initiate discussions with appropriate unit officials well in advance of the proposal submission deadline. It is particularly important to do so if multiple units will contribute cost sharing.
- After discussions with the principal investigator, the dean, research unit director or appropriate vice chancellor should prepare a written request for VCR cost sharing. All requests should include the following information:
- Title of the proposed project;
- Name of the principal investigator;
- Name of the sponsor;
- Title and call number of the sponsor's funding program (if applicable);
- Kuali Coeus doc ID number (if known);
- If the requested cost sharing is to acquire equipment and/or instrumentation, an assessment of similar equipment and/or instrumentation in the possession of UCI, a description of how the equipment and/or instrumentation will enhance UCI's research infrastructure, and a plan for making the equipment and/or instrumentation available to other UCI researchers;
- Period of performance for the proposed project, if the proposal has not been submitted to Sponsored Projects (SP);
- Project budget, including the total project costs requested from the sponsor and the total proposed UCI cost sharing, if the proposal has not been submitted to SP;
- A breakdown of the total proposed UCI cost sharing by cash commitments, by in-kind contributions and by contributing unit; and,
- Evidence that an authorized official of each unit has approved the respective commitments (e.g., signatures of the other units' officials, on separate memos or separate e-mails confirming commitments).
- Requests for VCR cost sharing should be addressed to the VCR and submitted electronically to or@research.uci.edu with a copy to the Director, Research Policy (contact below).
- VCR staff will review the request and work with the administering unit and/or principal investigator to secure any additional information, as needed, in consultation with Sponsored Projects. The request will then be forwarded for final review and discussion with the VCR. Please allow 10 days for this process to be completed.
Approval or Disapproval of VCR Cost Sharing Requests
The VCR will consider all cost sharing requests that meet the eligibility requirements and are submitted in accordance with these guidelines. The VCR may discuss changes in the requested amount of cost sharing with the dean, director or other vice chancellor prior to making a final decision. In addition, the VCR may require changes to plans for making equipment and/or instrumentation acquired with VCR cost sharing funds available to other UCI researchers.
If the VCR approves a cost sharing request, an institutional cost sharing commitment letter will be prepared for submission with the proposal (if required by the sponsor). A copy of this letter will be forwarded to the dean or research unit director and principal investigator. The VCR will also send the dean or research unit director and principal investigator an internal memo confirming cost sharing commitments made by each school or unit and describing any contingencies related to the VCR cost sharing commitment.
If the VCR does not approve the cost sharing request, the dean or director and principal investigator, as appropriate, will be notified immediately. The dean or director may then commit additional cost sharing, commit additional cost sharing and submit a revised request to the VCR, determine that the proposal will be submitted without additional cost sharing, or withdraw his/her support for the proposal.
The dean or director may pursue other options at his/her discretion after consultation with the VCR.
For additional information regarding VCR cost sharing requests, please contact:
Jill Kay
Director, Research Policy
(949) 824-1410
jill.kay@uci.edu