CHHS Research Incentive Program

The purpose of this research incentive program is to encourage Western Kentucky University (WKU) College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) faculty and staff to develop and submit grant and contract proposals, and to secure external funding that exceeds seed grant levels (i.e., $50,000 or greater). This document specifies a structured research incentive program. CHHS Faculty and staff must submit proposals for external funding through the WKU Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) to be eligible for the program pursuant to the incentive schedule below.  Goals of the incentive program are to encourage faculty and staff engagement in external research funding efforts, foster a research culture within the WKU CHHS, and incentivize faculty and staff that participate in development and execution of external grants and contracts, above the seed grant level as defined in this document. A primary objective is to increase grant and contract external funding for the CHHS by 10% or more on a fiscal year over year basis. The research incentive program will be managed by the CHHS Associate Dean responsible for research in collaboration with the CHHS Budget Manager.  Funds for the program will be provided by CHHS through F&A indirects.

Faculty members who submit competitive external grant and contract proposals, and receive external funding from these proposals, will receive a monetary incentive based on the total amount requested in the proposal and actual amount funded.  The incentive will be supplemental pay dispersed in two allotments, with the second allotment dependent upon successful external funding. The first 50% of the incentive will be paid when the proposal is submitted to the external agency through the WKU Office of Sponsored Programs and the second 50% will be paid when and if the proposal receives external funding. Incentives will be received by the Principal Investigator (PI), pursuant to the eligibility and guidelines below, in the form of supplemental pay based on the schedule below. These incentives are encouraged to be shared with Co-Investigators (Co-Is). However, participation in the research incentive program, and sharing of the incentives must be declared prior to submission of a proposal via the CHHS Research Incentive Program form. If an incentive sharing plan is not created before proposal submission, the incentive amount will be paid to the PI. The incentives will be as follows:

• $50,000 up to a $299,999 grant proposal – $1,000 supplemental pay
• $300,000 up to a $599,999 grant proposal – $2,500 supplemental pay
• $600,000 up to a $899,999 grant proposal – $4,000 supplemental pay
• $900,000+ grant proposal – $5,000 (maximum) supplemental pay
• It is the responsibility of each faculty member to negotiate release time needed for developing and writing proposals for grants and contracts with their Department Chair or School Director through the flexible workload process.

• A budget for the CHHS Research Incentive Program will be established each fiscal year.  If these funds are depleted in a fiscal year the faculty and staff will be informed via email that program funds are expended.
• This research incentive program does not distinguish between research, training, and service-related grants and contracts.  All external funding that meets the incentive schedule levels and produces indirects to CHHS will be considered through this incentive program.
• An individual faculty or staff member may earn a maximum of $5,000 in research incentives (supplemental pay) from this program in a fiscal year (July 1 – June 30), dependent upon the availability of funds for the program.
• Faculty or staff members must be listed as a Principal Investigator (PI), Co-PI, or Co-I, and have a significant role in proposal development and project execution, as observed in the budget and budget justification, to receive an incentive through this program. 
• The PI will be responsible for submitting the CHHS Research Incentive Program form.  An expectation of the program is that all research team members that work to develop the proposal and are listed as key personnel, as identified in the budget and budget justification, will receive a share of the incentives. 
• The Associate Dean responsible for research has the final decision in all incentive sharing, which is based on effort towards grant and contract proposal development and execution.
• To be eligible for the program faculty and staff must be full-time employees in the WKU CHHS. This program does not extend to faculty and staff in other colleges or units at WKU.
• Grant and contract proposals must be submitted to an external funding agency through the WKU OSP to be eligible for incentives. Therefore, there must be a record in the WKU SPIRIT database, a proposal number, and confirmation of submission to an external funding agency by OSP.
• Grant and contract proposals that do not produce indirects for the WKU CHHS, as indicated in the proposal budget and final award documents, will not be eligible for this incentive program.
• Proposals must meet the submission standards and requirements of the WKU CHHS and WKU’s OSP.
• Incentives will be paid in two allotments.  First, once the proposal is submitted to the external agency by OSP, the PI will receive 50% of the incentive, which may also be distributed to the research team according to the Research Incentive Program form approved by CHHS.  Second, once the proposal is funded by the external agency, WKU OSP receives the award letter, and an index number is established, then the other 50% of the incentive will be paid to the PI, which may also be distributed to the research team.
• Participants will receive the incentives from this program as supplemental pay.
• The PI must inform the CHHS Associate Dean responsible for research and the CHHS Budget Manager via email prior to initiating work on a grant proposal submission for which incentives will be requested. 
• Once a proposal is funded by an external agency it is the responsibility of the PI to inform the CHHS Associate Dean responsible for research and the CHHS Budget Manager in order the receive the second allotment of incentives.
• The PI is required to submit the CHHS Research Incentive Program form through email to chhs.research@wku.edu, the Associate Dean, and the CHHS Budget Manager. This email is required to be submitted prior to initiating a proposal to be eligible for research incentives.
• The CHHS Associate Dean responsible for research will communicate the availability of funds for incentives at the time of email receipt. The email communication and form submission will be the official documentation of the research incentive program.

• Incentives are cumulative, meaning faculty may receive incentives for multiple proposal submissions and successful awards that meet the incentive schedule.
• As compensation is cumulative, all proposals and awards within the incentive scale will be awarded incentives up to a maximum of $5000 total per individual per fiscal year. Once an individual has received the maximum incentives of $5000 in a fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) they will not be eligible for additional incentives until the following fiscal year.
• Supplemental pay will be processed via a Form 16, Special Payroll Authorization Form, through the university’s payroll system and is subject to applicable tax regulations and deductions. This form is found in Topnet through the E-signature forms link and must be sent through the CHHS approval chain.
• This research incentive program is subject to annual review, adjustments, and termination based on funding availability and institutional priorities.

• The WKU CHHS Dean’s Office responsible for research will oversee the administration of this research incentive program for full-time CHHS faculty and staff.
• PIs must inform the CHHS Associate Dean responsible for research and the CHHS Budget Manager via email prior to initiating work on a grant or contract proposal submission, including submission of the research incentive program form. This email will be required to be eligible for incentives. The CHHS Associate Dean will communicate the availability of funds for incentives at the time of email receipt.
• Questions regarding the incentive process should be directed to the CHHS Associate Dean responsible for research.