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Core Finances

Requesting Professional Development and/or Grant Writing Support

The Core Facilities Administration provides support to cores to assist with grant writing and professional development through the annual report process. Cores seeking support for new technique development should submit proposals through the twice-yearly Internal Grant program
  • Requests for support should be made in the Annual Report (section 5); requests are for the following fiscal year
  • Requests for OR support are for core facilities within FSM, WCAS, McCormick, and OR (including OR Centers); Cores already receiving ongoing operational support are not eligible for this program; FSM provides additional operating support for core facilities [Note: the types of operating support that may be requested from OR are different than those requested from FSM, as described below]
  • Requests for OR support should indicate how the funds will support the facility. Requests must fall into one of the two categories below:
    • External Equipment Grant writing (must have faculty appointment and be PI on the proposal)
      • Note: If funds are provided for grant writing, PI's are not eligible for donating equipment to the core through the voucher program.
      • $2,000 maximum award. Core staff must be a PI on the grant.
    • Professional development includes attending workshops or conferences directly related to core operations.
      • The conference name, date, and staff attending should be included in the description.
      • Up to $3,000 will be provided to offset costs incurred by the core. No cost share is required.
      • Priority will be given to staff who are presenting or who have not recently had the opportunity to attend a conference.
  • Requests for Operating Support are NOT intended for the following purposes:
    • Covering costs for any project already underway
    • Renovation of space (direct request to appropriate Department/School)
    • Formal teaching initiatives (e.g. credit courses listed with the Registrar)
    • Deficit Reduction
    • Rate Reduction
  • Note that past allowable requests for operations support to develop new services or expand services will now be reviewed as part of the grants program.
  • Note that if a core is currently receiving Operating Support from OR, it is not eligible to receive additional support through this program

Cost Sharing Policies for Shared and Core Facilities

For full information regarding the process of obtaining institutional support, please see OSR’s Process for Obtaining Institutional Support.

Annual Cost Study

All core facilities are expected to complete an annual cost study before the start of each academic year. This is a university requirement and necessary in order to charge sponsored projects for services. Annual cost studies must be approved by the Office for Cost Studies. For full information regarding the process of performing a cost study, please contact Jennifer Wei, Director of Cost Studies & Effort Reporting (jennifer-wei@northwestern.edu) or visit the website.

Recharge Rate Calculation Template

Recharge Rate Calculation Template Instructions

Unrelated Business Income

If your facility provided services for external customers in the previous fiscal year, please complete the UBI spreadsheet and send the completed form to CoreFacilities-Finance@northwestern.edu by November 15. Please answer the following questions on the form: facility name, name of customer’s company or organization, status (for-profit or non-profit), name of person who used the facility, amount of revenue received for each project, project period, was technical assistance provided (if so, please describe), was there joint research activity with an NU employee (if so, please describe), did this activity further the educational or research mission of the University (if so, please explain), will the results be published, were you conducting commercial testing?

For reference, please use the Frequently Asked Questions document.