Eureka isn’t a moment. It’s a process. ®
WiSys helps great ideas—born on University of Wisconsin System campuses—reach the wider world by connecting inventors and businesses with the resources they need. We are a non-profit supporting organization of the UW-System, serving as the dedicated technology transfer office for the 11 Comprehensive Campuses. The following grant applications can be submitted via the below links:
Ignite Grant
UW System Administration, in collaboration with WiSys, is pleased to offer the Ignite Grant Program to UW System faculty and academic staff for applied research projects. Ignite funding up to $50,000 is available for applied research, and is offered as a fourteen (14) month program for all disciplines at all institutions.
WiSys Spark Grant Program
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 Launch Grant Program
WiSys Launch Grants are designed to support the further development of technologies that have been accepted into the WiSys Intellectual Property portfolio. The grant timeline is a maximum of 6 months, and the focus of the proposal should be on advancing the technology readiness of the innovation.
WiSys Ambassador Grant Program
The WiSys Ambassador Grant Program has been designed to help students employed as WiSys Ambassadors advance their knowledge and skills as young researchers. The Fund provides awards up $4,500/project to students towards implementation and completion of short- term projects or to advance long-term projects the students have been undertaking with the guidance of a faculty mentor.
For questions regarding WiSys grant programs or application materials, please contact grants@wisys.org.
For technical assistance in creating an account or completing an application, please contact Submittable at support@submittable.com.
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BACKGROUND
UW System, in collaboration with WiSys, is pleased to offer the Ignite – Applied Research grant program to UW System faculty and academic staff. The purpose of the Ignite funding for applied research is to encourage faculty and academic staff to apply their expertise and scholarship to the economic development of Wisconsin and further afield. Applied research activities strengthen the connection between knowledge and practice while promoting positive change in the state’s economy. The state legislature and the governor make significant funding available to support this program. The Ignite-Applied Research grants are sponsored by UW System and are administered by WiSys in collaboration with UW System. UW System makes final funding decisions.
General Program Details:
- Full proposals will only be reviewed if an Intent to Submit has been received by the deadline.
- Principal Investigators may request a maximum of $50,000 of funding per project proposal for a period of fourteen (14) months. The amount of the award will be based on the merits of the project and will be contingent on the availability of funds.
- Full proposals must follow your university’s established process for submitting and approving grants. Please ensure you have contacted your respective university's grants office at least five weeks before the due date. Submission Guidelines. PIs must work with their university’s Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) to submit an Ignite grant proposal.
- All Ignite Grant proposals are reviewed by an external review panel consisting of both business and technical/content experts from varied disciplines, as well as representatives from WiSys and the UW System.
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The following files will need to be downloaded, completed, and uploaded to your application form:
1. Request for Proposals
2. Cover Page
3. Budget Page
4. Structured Template
For questions, please contact grants@wisys.org.
Full Proposals Due on or before January 21, 2025, before 5:00 PM CST
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.
BACKGROUND
The WiSys Ambassador Program enhances the vital connection between WiSys and the UW regional campus. Engaging excellent students to serve as WiSys Ambassadors brings a new dimension to WiSys' outreach mission and augments WiSys’ visibility and presence among researchers and students on each of the campuses we serve. This in turn builds the culture of research and innovation on campus and provides a vital link to WiSys programs and resources.
The WiSys Ambassador Grant Program (“Ambassador Grant”) aims to connect WiSys with the research community more directly by supporting summer research programs that engage WiSys Ambassadors.
The Ambassador Grant is designed to help WiSys Ambassadors advance their knowledge and skills as young researchers. The Ambassador Grant provides awards up $4,500/project to hire a WiSys Ambassador for a summer research program. Funds awarded may be used for implementation and completion of short- term projects or to advance long-term projects the Ambassador(s) have been undertaking with the guidance of a faculty mentor.
A named award has been developed for the 2020 program, PPG has partnered with WiSys to support one Ambassador working on a project in the field of Chemistry or Materials Science. This student will be recognized as the “PPG WiSys Student Ambassador”. The application process for this award remains the same and the recipient will be selected by WiSys alongside other recipients that are selected for funding within the overall grant program.
General Program Details:
1. Eligible projects will be funded by WiSys up to $4500/project proposal; limit of one award/ambassador/call.
2. Applicants must obtain approval from their faculty mentor to apply to this program.
3. Funds can be used as salary for the WiSys Ambassador researcher and for supplies and expenses; up to $4,000 is allowed for student salary* and up to $500 is allowed for supplies and expenses. Salary for faculty will not be considered in this program. *Fringe Benefits are provided for UW System students listed in the application form. If awarded, Fringe Benefits will be covered by the GPR Fringe Benefit Pool and will be automatically transferred by UW System directly. Therefore, funds for Fringe Benefits should NOT be included in the salary requested nor should they be included within the $4,500 budget.
4. Indirect funds are not allowed in this program. Funds must be used by the end of the 2020 fall semester.
5. Applicants must follow each campus’ internal grant submission and approval process and use the WiSys Ambassador Grant application form provided below for their project proposal. Project Proposals should not exceed 2 pages in length. Applicants should use the Proposal Narrative template provided below.
6. Applicants must have been employed for at least one semester as a WiSys Ambassador and remain in good standing to be eligible for this program.
7. Proposals will be scored based upon clarity of project milestones, development timeline, unmet need/target market, and evidence of project feasibility and/or preliminary data.
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 with successful applicants regarding reporting requirements.
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The following files will need to be downloaded, completed and uploaded to your application form:
1. Project Narrative Form
Contact Tony Hanson at regionalassociate@wisys.org to learn more about this program.