Alabama § 41-23-253 - Research and Development Enhancement Grant Program; Faculty and Student Intern Partnership Program; Funding.

§ 41-23-253. Research and Development Enhancement Grant Program; Faculty and Student Intern Partnership Program; Funding.

(a) The Director of ADECA may establish and administer the research and development enhancement grant program for the purpose of encouraging new and continuing efforts to conduct new or expanded research and development activities within Alabama. By September 4, 2019, the director shall adopt rules and policies to administer the program and begin to accept applications for grants, and shall adopt such rules as may be necessary to meet the future needs of the grant program.

(b) The program shall be administered pursuant to policies developed by ADECA in compliance with this article. The policies shall provide for the awarding of grants to Alabama research entities that have qualified research expenses in Alabama in a fiscal year exceeding a base amount.

(c) The Director of ADECA may adopt rules to develop a faculty and student intern partnership program to enhance the grant program by providing interns with increased experience with research and development. The research and development enhancement grant program will provide a maximum of one dollar ($1) of grant funding for each non-state dollar of matching funding for one-year or two-year projects requiring a minimum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per year and a maximum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per year in grant funds. Projects shall involve one or more students, faculty, or both, working at an Alabama research entity. The required matching funds shall be cash, grants, or contracts specifically provided for the proposed research project.

(d) The Alabama Research and Development Enhancement Fund is created in the State Treasury. The fund is subject to appropriations by the Legislature and gifts, grants, and other donations received by ADECA for the research and development grant program or fund. ADECA may not spend appropriations for the program for purposes other than those listed in this section. Any monies appropriated to ADECA for research and development grants that are unspent at the end of a fiscal year shall be carried over for use by the program in the next fiscal year. ADECA shall develop rules ensuring that expenses incurred to administer the program must not exceed three percent of the total amount appropriated for the program in any fiscal year. Monies in the fund shall be invested by the State Treasurer for the sole benefit of the fund.

(e) Individual grants awarded by ADECA under this section may only be awarded for qualified research expenses and may not exceed the lesser of 20 percent of the total grant funds awarded in a single fiscal year, or 50 percent of the budgeted project costs. Indirect costs and administrative costs may not exceed 10 percent of the grant amount awarded.

(f) The first annual commencement date to submit grant applications shall be September 4, 2019, and shall be March 1 in each subsequent year. ADECA shall accept applications within a 150-day grant window after the annual commencement date. Applications for eligible expenses shall be evaluated according to a scoring system developed by ADECA that incorporates the priorities listed in this section, with grant awards published within 90 days after expiration of the filing window.

(g) Funding awards shall be made based on the competitive scoring system developed by ADECA. Partial awards may be made at ADECA’s discretion if funds do not allow a full award to be made. Scoring to be developed by ADECA shall consider the following:

(1) New research.

(2) The amount of financial commitment of an industry partner.

(3) Research to benefit Alabama business and industry.

(4) Research to benefit small- and medium-sized business and industry.

(5) New and continuing efforts to conduct new or expanded research and development activities within Alabama.

(6) Research to improve the employment opportunities available to the residents of the state.

(7) Research to improve the products and services available to the residents of the state.

(8) Other criteria, as appropriate.