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Program Guidelines

The University of Missouri research board consists of over 20 faculty members appointed by the president for two-year terms. Its mission is to enhance the long-term quality and quantity of scholarship throughout the university by supporting meritorious research projects.

The Goal is to leverage external funds by

  • supporting promising new faculty
  • funding of high quality new initiatives of senior faculty

This support is intended to:

  • help promising new faculty initiate their research
  • provide seed money to test new ideas in their preliminary stages before enough data have been gathered to submit a proposal for external funding
  • provide modest resources for excellent scholarship in fields for which external support may be quite limited
  • provide bridging funds, and
  • for Special Opportunity Proposals, provide matching funds sometimes required by external sponsors.

The Board considers these key factors in the review of projects:

  • quality of the proposed research or creative activity
  • importance and probable impact the proposed work may have on the field
  • potential of the project to obtain future external funding
  • potential value for enhancing the stature of the university
  • project design and procedures
  • resources and environment available to carry out the project
  • value for development of the applicant's research potential and progress
  • quality, productivity, and current research funding of the applicant, and
  • budget appropriateness in terms of the project and the board's resources, including consideration of need and availability of external support.

The board has established programs for:

  • individual or collaborative projects
  • special opportunities and
  • book publication subventions

No funds are set aside for specific programs or for specific types of proposals. Inter-departmental, inter-campus collaboration and new cross-disciplinary research initiatives are encouraged and may strengthen a proposal and serve as a positive factor in its evaluation. A commitment of partial support for a project from the campus, college or unit is not required, but it may be a positive factor in the review.

Awards are not renewable. The research board will not serve as a source of continuing support for specific projects or facilities. Awards normally are for a one-year period, but longer terms (up to a maximum of two years) are permitted if fully justified in the proposal.

The board will NOT provide certain types of support. These include:
  • faculty may not receive summer salary as PI and Co-PI from two active RB grants at the same time
  • academic salaries for faculty on 9 or 11-month appointments (includes ranked, non-tenure track faculty whose title includes the word Professor)
  • student tuition or fees
  • graduate research assistantship appointments for greater than 50 percent time
  • stipends for graduate students not enrolled at the University during the academic year
  • salaries for emeritus professors in excess of $10,000.
  • travel to meetings and symposia, or to principal sabbatical leave destinations
  • book publication subventions for non-refereed or commercial presses
  • computer time or data ports on University computers
  • dissertation preparation costs (copying, typing, binding)
  • construction and remodeling of facilities, equipment maintenance costs
  • professional dues/memberships/subscriptions
  • secretarial support
  • general departmental supplies

Research Parks & Incubators

The University of Missouri System’s statewide network of research parks provides a thriving environment for discoveries to move from the laboratory to the marketplace. The atmosphere of innovation and collaboration attracts national and international tenants who create quality employment opportunities for Missouri citizens and millions of dollars of capital investment across the state.

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Office of Intellectual Property Administration

The Office of Intellectual Property Administration (OIPA) supports the economic development mission by encouraging broad practical application of university research for the public benefit; assisting those associated with the technology transfer program with evaluating, protecting, licensing and commercializing university discoveries; and carrying out new economic development initiatives designed to create jobs in Missouri.

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Funding Opportunities

The Office of Research and Economic Development is dedicated to commercializing university technologies - one of the biggest challenges to that mission is funding. To proactively combat the constant obstacle, the office has formulated different funding programs for faculty, students and innovations in all stages of the discovery process.

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Office of Research & Economic Development

The Office of Research and Economic Development was established in 2005 to link research and commercialization from the four University of Missouri System campuses with emerging and existing firms across the state and around the world. Working closely with the chief research officers, chancellors and technology transfer offices from each campus, the office also serves as a conduit to local, state and federal agencies to ensure research results aid the growth of Missouri’s economy.

The Office is dedicated to advancing Missouri through innovation, investment and infrastructure.

Our enthusiasm for these three categories revolves around the development of intellectual property, funding programs and research parks and incubators. Providing support during critical stages in university inventions’ path to the marketplace stimulates Missouri’s economy, jobs and entrepreneurship.

Our vision is to enable and lead Missouri’s transformation toward a knowledge-based economy dependent upon innovation and entrepreneurship.

Contact Us

309 University Hall
Columbia MO, 65211
Phone: 573-882-6726
Email: email