Background:

The WiSys Spark Grant Program has been designed to help innovators advance their knowledge and technology to commercialization. The grant provides awards of $500 - $10,000/project to faculty or academic staff, towards implementation and completion of short-term projects. 

WiSys Spark Grants are intended to support early-stage research projects and scholarly activities. Proposed projects must be designed to help demonstrate the impact potential of a new concept, technology, or scholarly work. Projects must demonstrate a need for additional development support that would be required for an innovation to achieve real-world impact. Preference will be given to projects where applicants have demonstrated some progress beyond the initial discovery, idea, or concept. 

General Program Details:

• Eligible projects will be funded for $500 - $10,000/project proposal. Limit of one award per investigator per academic year. There is no limit to the number of awards that can be granted to a single campus.
• Principal investigators (PI) must have a current position with a UW regional campus as faculty or staff. While students cannot be PIs, student-led projects can be funded through this grant, but a faculty mentor must be willing to assume the roles and responsibilities of the PI.
• Funds can be used for supplies and expenses (S&E) as well as salary for undergraduate student workers; salary for faculty should not represent more than 50% of the requested budget. Fringe benefits will be included from the GPR fringe benefit pool at the time of award and should not be included in the budget. Indirect costs are not allowed under this funding opportunity. Applicants are encouraged to minimize faculty salaries and maximize the amount of funding available for project implementation. Funding for travel to scientific conferences is limited to $1,000. Publication costs are not allowed.
• Applicants must follow each campus’ internal grant submission and approval process and use the WiSys Spark Grant application through Submittable (link provided below) for their project proposal. The proposal must be submitted by the campus Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR). 
• To be eligible for a WiSys Spark Grant, applicants must submit an Invention Disclosure Report (IDR) and agree to assign their intellectual property (IP) rights to WiSys if funded. All applications must be accompanied by an Invention Disclosure Report, Cover Page signed by your institution’s authorized signatory, Project Narrative Form, and Budget Page; All forms are available via the links below.
• Proposals will be scored based upon IP potential, development timeline, market need, potential for impact, suitability of the PI/team, and evidence of project feasibility.
• Any significant modifications to the project scope and deliverables must receive prior approval from WiSys before changes are implemented.
• Projects receiving awards during the fall semester must be completed by May 31, 2025. Projects receiving awards during the spring semester must be completed by August 31, 2025. Final reports must be submitted within 4 weeks after the project completion deadline.
• · No-cost extensions for projects will only be granted under extenuating circumstances, and such requests must be requested by emailing grants@wisys.org at least 6 weeks prior to project end date.

A WiSys team member will be in touch regarding reporting requirements. If a final report is not submitted, this may prevent the applicant's eligibility for other funding programs offered by WiSys and/or their home campus.

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The following files will need to be downloaded, completed and uploaded to your application form:

1.   Cover Page

2.  Project Narrative Form

3.  Budget Page

4.  Invention Disclosure Report

For questions, please contact grants@wisys.org. 

 

BACKGROUND
WiSys Launch Grants are intended to support the further development of technologies in WiSys' portfolio.  Projects requesting support should be focused on advancing the technology readiness of the technology/innovation and should be able to be carried out in under six months.  
Prior to submitting a Launch Grant application, applicants are encouraged to first speak with their WiSys Regional Associate to learn more.
Funds can only be used for the IP generating tasks identified in the applicant's proposal and cannot be used for travel, conference or unrelated expenses without prior written approval by WiSys. WiSys will work with the applicant to review the intellectual property (IP) status as additional data is generated for incorporation into existing IP filings and/or new filings as needed. All Project Intellectual Property (Project IP) generated over the course of WiSys Launch Grant funding, shall be disclosed to and assigned to WiSys. “Project Intellectual Property” means all Copyrightable Material, Inventions, trade secrets, data, computer software (including mobile, desktop and online apps), materials, know-how and any other type of intellectual property conceived, reduced to practice, created or made in the performance of the Project. “Copyrightable Material” means any material or other property that is or may be copyrightable or otherwise protectable under Title 17 of the United States Code. “Invention” means any discovery that is or may be patentable or otherwise protectable under Title 35 of the United States Code. Project IP generated shall be disclosed to WiSys under an Invention Disclosure Form.
A final report must be submitted not later than 6 weeks after the completion date of the project. A WiSys team member will be in touch regarding reporting requirements.  If a final report is not submitted, this may prevent the applicant’s eligibility for other funding programs offered by WiSys and/or their home campus.
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The following files will need to be downloaded, completed and uploaded to your application form:
1.   Cover Page
2.  Project Narrative Form
3.  Budget Page

For questions, please contact grants@wisys.org.