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Classification of Sponsored Projects

Sponsored projects are classified into different categories of University functions which affect the calculation of RFSUNY/SBU’s Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Rate (link).

Classification Type
Definition

Organized Research

Per OMB Circular A-21, means all research and development activities of an institution that are separately budgeted and accounted for. It includes:

  • Sponsored research - means all research and development activities that are sponsored by external organizations i.e. federal, state, private entities. Examples of sponsored research include: awards to SBU faculty to support research activities; external Faculty “Career Awards” to support the research efforts of the faculty; external funding to maintain facilities or equipment and/or operation of a center or facility that will be used for research; external support for writing of books, when the purpose of the writing is to publish research results.
  • University research - all research and development activities that are separately budgeted and accounted for by the institution under an internal application of institutional funds, such as gifts, endowment income, technology licensing income, or cost sharing expenditures which are committed to be borne by SBU rather than the sponsor.

 

Sponsored Instruction

Defined as teaching and training activities at SBU established by grant, contract or cooperative agreement from federal or non-federal sponsors. Sponsored Instruction includes agreements which support curriculum development as well as all types of teaching/training activities, whether offered for credit toward a degree or certificate, on a non-credit basis, or through regular academic departments or by separate divisions, summer school or external division. Sponsored Instruction includes:

  • Any project for which the purpose is to instruct any student at any location; recipients of this instruction may be SBU students or staff, teachers or students in elementary or secondary schools, or the general public
  • Curriculum development projects at any level, including projects that involve evaluation of curriculum or teaching methods; such evaluation may be considered “research” only when the preponderance of activity is data collection, evaluation, and reporting
  • Projects that involve SBU students in community service activities for which they are receiving academic credit
  • Activities funded by awards to departments or schools for the support of students
  • Dissertation work funded by grants, including grants for travel in relation to a dissertation
  • General support for the writing of textbooks or reference books, videos, or software to be used as instructional materials

Other Sponsored Activities

Defined as programs and projects financed by sponsors for which the activity is other than Instruction and Organized Research. OSA may include:

  • Travel grants
  • Support for conferences or seminars
  • Support for University public events
  • Support for students, staff, or teachers in elementary or secondary schools, or the general public, through outreach-related activities
  • Projects that involve SBU faculty, staff, or students in community service activities (where the SBU students are not receiving academic credit for their involvement)
  • Support for projects pertaining to library collections, acquisitions, bibliographies, or cataloging
  • Programs to enhance institutional resources, including data center expansion, computer enhancements, etc.
  • Support of certain Evaluative Testing activities
  • federally-sponsored Clinical Trials

Clinical Trials

Defined as a controlled, clinical testing in human subjects of investigational new drugs, devices, treatments, or diagnostics, or comparisons of approved drugs, devices, treatments, or diagnostics, to assess their safety, efficacy, benefits, costs, adverse reactions, and/or outcomes.  Such studies may be conducted under an industry-developed protocol or an investigator-developed protocol. Visit Clinical Trials for more information.