Embracing the Entrepreneurial Spirit

The Research Administrator’s Guide to Saving Your Department in Hard

Financial Times

Part 1: Things You Almost Control

Saving the Costs you can (sometimes)READ the proposal

– Cost Sharing• NIH Salary Cap• NSF Mandatory Cost Sharing• Administrative Time

– A-21. B.(2) The salaries of administrative and clerical staff should normally be treated as F&A costs. Direct charging of these costs may be appropriate where a major project or activity explicitly budgets for administrative or clerical services and individuals involved can be specifically identified with the project or activity. "Major project" is defined as a project that requires an extensive amount of administrative or clerical support, which is significantly greater than the routine level of such services provided by academic departments. Some examples of major projects are described in Exhibit C.

Part 2: Technology: Friend or Foe?

• Using Technology to sell services or save money– On-line courses• Office of Extended Studies/Shady Grove

– Selling Services (Recharge Centers)• Maryland Neuroimaging Center (MNC)

– Online research/surveys• Amazon Turk

Part 3: Wearing Too Many Hats…

• Finding Funding/Sustainability

– Sponsored Funding vs. Gifts

– Marketing

– Engaging our Faculty, Administration, Customers

Neuroimaging Center Brand Pyramid

Mission and Vision

Functional Attributes/Features

Emotional Rewards

Brand Personality

Message Platform: Our goal is to increase knowledge and understanding of the

brain in a manner that will help improve XXXX.

University Strategic Priorities

Innovation & Entrepreneurship InternationalizationService to the People of Maryland Student Access & Opportunity

Engage in interdisciplinary, holistic, cutting-edge neuro-scientific research of brain mechanism and function to help inform, influence, and improve XXXX

-University of Maryland brand-significant intellectual capital-multi/trans-disciplinary venture-state of the art technology & facility-premiere location and access to influencers

Discovery that will:-improve health through science-inform policy development-understand and influence behavior-make a difference in people’s lives

intelligentinclusivecuriousmotivatedcollaborative

Foun

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• Use the brand pyramid as a message guide• Focus on the “human benefits” in terms of functional and emotional

benefits• Stay on message and ensure everyone is saying the same thing• Ensure seamless consistency of verbal and visual messages in all

mediums (web, print, f2f)• Recognize that some organizations will be more interested in the

research and the technology, while some will want to hear about outcomes

• Be prepared to answer direct questions with an equally direct response

Maryland Neuroimaging CenterStreamline the Rhetoric

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Target Audience Characteristics MNC Objective Engagement Tactics

Corporations -Revenue-driven, looking for ROI and market share, along with a some recognition-Very direct about expectations, costs, and outcomes

-Funding support-Technology, product development partnerships and joint commercialization

-Website, -e-communications-F2f meetings with representatives-DO, CFR and OHRAA-Site visits and open houses

Foundations -Service-driven with distinct priorities that can vary-Solutions-driven-Specific funding process and cycle(s)-Must distribute annual funds

-Funding support-Build connections-affect positive change-Raise awareness (publishing opportunities, for example)

-Website, -e-communications-DO and CFR-F2f meetings with PO-Site visits and open houses

Government Agencies

-Distinct priorities with defined expectations and parameters

-Funding support-Build stronger relationships to ensure longer-term awareness and engagement-Raise awareness (joint publishing opportunities)

-Contact connections and conduct f2f meetings-Site visits-Website, e-communications

Maryland Neuroimaging CenterPrimary Audience Demographics

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Target Audience Characteristics MNC Objective Engagement Tactics

Health Organizations -Specific focus on a particular area of interest-Solutions-driven

-Raise awareness (publishing, for example)-Build connections-Affect positive change

-Website, -e-communications-F2f meetings, -Site visits and open houses-Invites to seminars/symposiums

Media -Diverse areas of focus-Complex-Self-motivated to capture market share, with some public good

-Increase awareness with intent to further partnerships, funding, and peer engagement

-Website-Press releases-Site visitations, open house gatherings-Invites to seminars/symposiums

UM Campus -Academic and administrative bureaucracy-Looking for “stories” to promote the university

-Funding support-Promote understanding, awareness, and engagement

-Web-Internal communiques’-MNC events, collegial gatherings-Campus presentations

Individual Donors -Personal objectives/motivations which can be wide and varied

-Funding support-Affect positive change

-Website-Connections-DO / leadership engagement-WOM

Maryland Neuroimaging CenterSecondary Audience Demographics

Judi Cohn Gorski jcgorski@umd.eduUniversity of Maryland, College ParkManagerMaryland Neuroimaging Center

Kimberly J. Schmidt kschmidt@umd.edu University of Maryland, College Park Director of Administrative ServicesDepartment of Psychology