Research And Innovation Scholarly Entrepreneurship (RAISE) Award

The growth of the RSCA enterprise at SJSU relies on extramural funding. Funding that provides direct RSCA costs but that does not fully reimburse the equally essential cost of supporting the facilities and administration (F&A) of that RSCA taxes the university’s resources and limits the ability to support additional research. Therefore, it is in everyone's best interest that extramural funding supports the entire cost of the funded RSCA, including both direct and indirect (F&A) costs.

To try to encourage SJSU principal investigators to seek full funding for their RSCA activities, the R&I division has launched two companion programs: RAISE and CURF. The Research and Innovation Scholarly Entrepreneurship (RAISE) program offers a fully loaded buy-out of 0.2 FTE for PIs who have been most successful in securing full F&A extramural funding. The College Unrestricted RSCA Fund (CURF) program invests funds in a college-controlled Research Foundation account, utilizing them as needed to support RSCA. The CURF program distributes funds based on the number of tenured/tenure-track faculty in each college, irrespective of extramural funding success. Both programs are funded entirely from a reinvestment of F&A reimbursements controlled by the R&I division. The amount of that investment is determined annually based on the availability of funds. The principle is that these two companion programs both provide incentives for extramural fundraising where possible and allocate RSCA funds to colleges without regard to their extramural funding, thereby supporting RSCA across the breadth of university disciplines. The annual funding for both programs depends on success in extramural funding.

Program Goal:

To recognize and reward individuals who generate significant extramural funding as measured by F&A reimbursements to the university through their sponsored research activities. This award provides a mechanism for reinvesting a portion of these reimbursements, thereby further supporting their research endeavors and fostering a culture of research excellence.

Funding Source:

A designated portion of the F&A reimbursements returned by the SJSU Research Foundation to the University. The funding for this program will be determined annually based on available funding and strategic priorities.

Award Amount and Number:

The number of awards will be determined annually in accordance with the budget. For 2025-26, we anticipate making 10 awards, but the program will begin in S26, so only one semester will be covered in the inaugural year.

  • Determination of Award Amounts: Awardees will receive an additional 0.2 FTE of release time in each of the two semesters. This is in addition to any RSCA assigned time awarded. The RAISE award will be funded at the full buyout rate for each awardee, not the vacant rate.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Active Tenured or Tenure-Track Faculty: The program is open to all active tenured or tenure-track faculty members.
  • Significant Extramural funding, including F&A Reimbursement: Individuals must have demonstrated substantial entrepreneurial success in raising extramural funds to support their RSCA (including F&A reimbursements) over the previous three fiscal years.
  • Compliance: Recipients must be in good standing with all federal and state regulations and university policies.
  • Exclusion: Individuals in administrative roles whose primary responsibility is not direct research grant acquisition may not be eligible. Additionally, individuals who may not be able to fully benefit from the award, such as those unable to utilize additional released time, may be excluded from eligibility.

Evaluation and Selection Process:

  1. Data Collection: The university's Office of Sponsored Programs or equivalent will be responsible for compiling data on extramural funding, including F&A reimbursements generated by individual principal investigators (PIs) for the specified eligibility period.
  2. Ranking: Individuals will be ranked based on the total F&A returns directly attributable to their sponsored projects as PI during the eligibility period.
  3. Identification of Awardees: The top individuals with the highest F&A reimbursements over the previous three fiscal years and who meet all eligibility criteria will be identified.
  4. Verification: The Vice President for Research & Innovation (VPRI) will review the data to ensure accuracy and compliance with eligibility criteria and make the final decision on any award.
  5. Notification: The award recipients will be officially notified via a memo from the VPRI with a copy to the chair, dean, and provost.

Use of Funds:

The awarded funds are intended to directly support the recipient's research activities and can only be used for release time in the award year.

Program Administration:

  • Oversight: The Office of the VPRI will have overall responsibility for the program.
  • Data Management: The Office of Sponsored Programs will manage the data on F&A reimbursements.
  • Communication: The Research Engagement Unit will be responsible for communicating program details, eligibility criteria, timelines, and award announcements.
  • Reporting: Recipients may be required to submit a brief report on the impact on their research within a specified timeframe.

Timeline (Annual Cycle):

  • November: Data on F&A returns from the previous fiscal year are compiled.
  • December: Eligibility review and ranking of individuals.
  • January: Verification by the VPRI.
  • February: Announcement of award recipients.
  • March: Funds for the buyout are transferred to the College’s RF account. The College is responsible for using these funds to provide 0.2 FTE of buyout in each semester.
  • Following Year (e.g., September): Recipients submit a brief report on the impact of the RAISE award on their RSCA activities.

Key Considerations and Benefits:

  • Incentivizes Grant Seeking: Directly rewards successful grant acquisition efforts, encouraging faculty to pursue external funding opportunities with full F&A reimbursement.
  • Recognizes Research Leadership: Acknowledges and celebrates individuals who significantly contribute to funding the university's research enterprise.
  • Strategic Reinvestment: Channels a portion of F&A reimbursements back into the research programs that generated them, fostering further research productivity and innovation.
  • Enhances Research Capacity: Provides flexible funding to support critical research needs, potentially leading to new discoveries, publications, and further grant applications.
  • Promotes a Culture of Research Excellence: Highlights the importance of sponsored research and its impact on the university's mission.
  • Transparency: A clear and transparent process for determining eligibility and awarding funds is crucial for the program's credibility and acceptance.
  • Equity: The RAISE program is a companion program to the College Unrestricted RSCA Funding (CURF) program. The first incentivizes extramural funding with full F&A, while the second invests a portion of the F&A reimbursements in College RSCA, irrespective of extramural funding. The expectation is that both programs will grow as extramural funding increases.