The UC Discovery Grant uses state funds to strengthen California’s R&D-intensive economy by seeding new research partnerships between UC researchers and firms conducting related R&D in California .

Private sponsors are expected to conduct downstream R&D in California, so eligibility depends on the relatedness of a firm’s R&D operations to the proposed research plan. Eligibility is proposal-specific.

The following excerpt from the Request for Proposals describes the eligibility criteria.

Private Sponsor Eligibility. Eligibility is proposal-specific, and is assessed by reviewers during peer-review. The proposed Private Sponsor(s) should demonstrate, in the proposal Sponsor Forms and support documents, the direct link between the research plan in the proposal and the qualifying California R&D operation. Note: it is expected that subsequent R&D on advances achieved in the course of the jointly sponsored projects will be performed in California.

Eligible Private Sponsors will meet one of the following criteria that address the goal of providing direct benefits to the California economy through jointly sponsored research:

1. A for-profit California company with substantive R&D operations in the state.
2. A for-profit company based outside of California with substantive R&D operations in California that are directly related to the proposed research project, where subsequent R&D will be conducted.
3. A for-profit company that meets one of the following criteria (formal documentation must be submitted by the company with the proposal):
1. has no substantive California R&D operations but has formal R&D relationship with another firm that does have substantive California R&D operations that are directly related to the proposed research project, and are the location at which subsequent related R&D will be conducted; or
2. has no substantive California R&D operations, but is a California start-up company with a business plan demonstrating intent to establish a California R&D operation where subsequent R&D will be conducted; or
3. has substantive related R&D operations that are located solely outside of California, but the research project in the proposal is focused on a critical problem that significantly impacts California ’s agricultural economy.
4. A California Agricultural Market Order Board .

Organizations, including trade associations, foundations, and others, are not eligible Private Sponsors. Firms are not eligible that cannot commit to conducting subsequent R&D required to reduce inventions to practice and that do not qualify under criteria 3a, b, or c, above.

It is expected that UC Discovery Grant Private Sponsors will be registered with the California Secretary of State (CSS). You may check your company’s registration status online at http://kepler.ss.ca.gov/list.html. Registration information (or lack of registration) will be provided to reviewers and may impact eligibility.

IUCRP policy does not allow proposals to be accepted that involve any private sponsors who are currently in arrears/default for any past active or inactive UC Discovery Grant unless all payments are made current by the proposal submission deadline and a reliable plan for payments for the new proposal is provided in the Private Sponsor Letter of Intent to Fund.

The Private Sponsor is required to specify one Technical Liaison and one Financial Liaison. 

The Technical Liaison is the PI’s scientific counterpart at the company. They are responsible for reporting to the Industry-University Cooperative Research Program on the benefits gained by the firm from their participation in the UC Discovery Grant.  If the Technical Liaison is based outside of California, an explanation should be included in the Sponsor Statements form.

The Financial Liaison is the financial contact at the firm and must have the authority to make the financial commitment to the proposal.  The auto-generated Sponsor Letter of Intent to Fund uses the Financial Liaison entered on this form as the signatory.

Contact the Industry-University Cooperative Reserach Program office for help determining in advance whether or not a potential Private Sponsor is qualified (sponsorinfo@ucdiscoverygrant.org).