Resources

NFRI Workshop [May 16, 2018]

In 2017, a formal working group began conducting monthly calls to advance discussions on IP and technology transfer, reimbursement of research operating costs, and how to streamline administrative requirements. These discussions led to a May 16, 2018 meeting supported by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s (NASEM) Government University Industry Research Roundtable (GUIRR). Among the goals of the meeting was to engage the broader community of nonprofit funders and research institutions in these discussions and to demonstrate the potential benefits of a broad, ongoing partnership between nonprofit funders and research institutions.

From that meeting, four subcommittees were formed and continue to meet by phone to develop guidelines and resources relating to the topics below.

  1. Intellectual Property Workgroup: IP/Technology Transfer is one of the central themes in the research funder-performer relationship. A premeeting survey showed that the major challenges regarding IP policy are a key concern for both funders and performers. The results of a premeeting survey and meeting report out are posted.
  2. Research Project Related Costs Workgroup: This group’s goal is to increase transparency and support of research project-related costs by identifying costs that are direct, costs that are indirect, and costs that are often classified as indirect but can be specifically identified with a research project.  The group hosted a webinar to educate funders on the ins and outs of IDC, and will create subsequent resources to educate research institutions about the wide variety of funders’ polices with respect to IDC.
  3. Streamlining Administrative Requirements Workgroup: This group is identifying major challenges within 4 broad areas (Proposal Submission, Award Issuance and Acceptance (i.e. contracting), Financial Reporting, and Additional Administrative Issues (i.e. reporting progress, publications, IP development), and suggesting ways that funders and universities can change what they do to address those challenges.  Their recommendations are in a draft Working Document.)
  4. Principles Workgroup The goal of this subgroup is to outline guiding principles for building stronger, more effective relationships.