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RSP Functions and Services
RSP works with faculty and staff to increase externally funded research, scholarly activities and other sponsored programs. This site describes the various services RSP provides.
- Identification of External Funding Sources
- Dissemination of Funding Information
- Liaison with Sponsors
- Proposal Development and Preparation
- Budget Preparation
- Institutional Authorization
- Proposal Transmittal
- Institutional Compliance
- Contract Negotiations
- Administration of Externally Funded Programs
- Administration of Internally Funded Programs
- Technology Transfer
- Government Security
Identification of External Sources of Funding
RSP uses several resources to identify sources of external funding that are appropriate for Wright State University (WSU). To identify these opportunities, the RSP staff RSP has developed a system to identify sources of external funding appropriate for Wright State University (WSU). To identify these opportunities, the RSP staff:
- monitors newsletters and publications (both electronic and hard copy) from public and private agencies and institutions;
- subscribes to Community of Science (COS), a computerized funding datase; and
- accesses information from the World Wide Web to locate sponsors and funding information.
Dissemination of Funding Information
RSP gathers, summarizes, and distributes grant and sponsored project related information to individual faculty, staff, departments, and colleges or schools. To do this, the RSP staff
- maintains computerized interest profiles for faculty and staff that allow us to identify their research interests*;
- publishes a newsletter, Research News, three times per year that covers grant awards and related topics; and
- offers quarterly funding opportunity workshops to demonstrate the electronic funding databases to researchers so they may
receive automatic email alerts of funding opportunities related to their interests.
*All faculty and staff are encouraged to complete and return a profile form for inclusion in RSP's database. The completed profiles help us to match faculty and staff research interests with potential funding sources.
Liaison with Sponsors
The RSP staff serve as liaisons with public and private sponsors. In this capacity, they:
- discuss proposals and/or negotiate contracts with program officers;
- monitor proposals that have been submitted and attempt to facilitate their review;
- contact program officers to obtain approvals for budget revisions, no-cost extensions, or any other changes that require prior approval from sponsor;
- stimulate interest in WSU by providing sponsors with information about faculty and staff research interests; and
- coordinate sponsor visits for those wishing to discuss their programs with WSU faculty and staff.
Proposal Development and Preparation
To aid researchers in the proposal submission process, the RSP staff:
- consults with researchers on pre-proposals and/or proposal drafts;
- offers proposal writing workshops;
- interprets program guidelines and regulations;
- reviews proposal and standard forms for completeness and proper format;
- obtains authorized signatures for certifications and assurances;
- gives direction to proper compliance committees for authorizations; and
- discusses reviews of unfunded proposals with principal investigators to assist in resubmissions or in locating alternative sources of funding.
Budget Preparation
In order to speed the review process, RSP staff encourages investigators to contact this office early for assistance in developing budgets. RSP provides:
- expertise in developing and reviewing final budget drafts that accurately reflect project expenses (including current fringe benefits and F&A rates); comply with university regulations; and meet agency guidelines; and
- computerized spreadsheets to develop multi-year budgets including specific formats for the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense.
Institutional Authorization
It is the University's policy that requests for external support be reviewed and approved before submission to the sponsor. RSP is the central office for this institutional review process. The review process applies to all projects including:
- research (basic and applied);
- program development;
- instruction;
- public service;
- institutional support;
- student aid;
- career development;
- and construction.
and to all types of submissions including:
- new proposals;
- continuations;
- supplements;
- amendments;
- and renewals.
RSP obtains appropriate signatures from the:
- principal investigator/co-investigator;
- department chair;
- dean;
- and institutional representative.
Proposal Transmittal
When the authorization form has been signed by all the appropriate parties, the RSP staff will:
- make the necessary copies,
- send the proposal to the sponsor by overnight delivery service, and
- track the proposal submission if necessary.
Institutional Compliance
University policy requires that the appropriate WSU research committees review all research projects involving activities subject to federal and local regulations.
RSP must have documentation that principal investigators have complied with sponsor guidelines before a proposal is submitted and have obtained the necessary approvals prior to project initiation.
RSP staff checks for proper review and approval of all research involving
- animal use;
- human subjects;
- hazardous wastes;
- radioactive materials;
- recombinant DNA;
- and security classifications.
To expedite this review process, RSP:
- informs investigators about necessary assurances, including the federal regulations on drug-free workplaces, schools and campuses; debarment or suspension; non-delinquency of federal debt; lobbying; misconduct in the sciences and conflict of interest;
- provides guidelines and application materials needed for review of research using human and animal subjects; and
- maintains documentation that WSU has filed in compliance with federal and local regulations.
In addition, RSP:
- administers the Institutional Review Board (full board and expedited review) responsible for review of human subject research;
- administers the Institutional Biosafety Committee, responsible for review of research involving biological hazards such as recombinant DNA;
- administers the Laboratory Animal Care and Use Committee responsible for review of research involving animals; and
- acts as a liaison with the University Radiation Safety Committee, responsible for research involving radioactive materials, and the Biological Chemical Health and Safety Committee, responsible for chemical biohazards.
Contract Negotiations
RSP is authorized to negotiate the terms of an award with potential sponsors. These terms include:
- budgets;
- publication rights;
- indemnifications;
- patents and copyrights; and
- licensing and royalties.
Administration of Externally Funded Programs
Upon receipt of an award document, RSP staff will:
- notify Principal Investigator;
- assign a Wright State Financial Accounting System (FAS) account number for the project;
- assist the Principal Investigator in the orderly administration of the project;
- notify the Principal Investigator of due dates for technical reports required by the sponsor;
- act as liaison between sponsor and Principal Investigator regarding modifications of funded projects; and
- prepare and submit fiscal reports.
Administration of Internally Funded Programs
RSP, through WSU's Research Council, administers funding programs to support the creative, research, and other scholarly activities of WSU's faculty. The four internal grant programs coordinated by RSP are:
- Research Initiation Grants to initiate new research efforts that have a high likelihood of attracting external funding;
- Professional Development Grants to provide seed funds for pursuing scholarly activity that enhances the faculty's continued professional development;
- Research Travel to support research-related travel to promote external funding; and
- Research Challenge to provide seed monies for major research projects with a high potential for external funding.
Technology Transfer
It is possible that discoveries or new inventions resulting from your research may have commercial value. Please contact the Associate Director for Technology Transfer with any questions or concerns regarding technology commercialization including
- invention disclosures;
- Intellectual Property;
- confidentiality agreements;
- licensing agreements; and
- royalties.
Another exciting avenue in technology management is the creation of jobs through entrepreneurship. The Associate Director for Technology Transfer also advises faculty interested in starting a company based on their technology.
Government Security
RSP is the clearinghouse for all government security matters involving WSU employees. The RSP staff:
- processes security clearances;
- provides security briefings;
- monitors security activities; and
- processes passes and identification credentials for individuals working on DOD contracts and for research conducted on federal property.
For Further Information
If you would like to be placed on the mailing list or would like further information on funding opportunities, application procedures, or other services provided by the office, please contact us by telephone at (937) 775-2425; by email at rsp@wright.edu; visit the office in 201J University Hall; or visit our homepage at http://www.wright.edu/rsp.
Wright State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution.
