There are many benefits to writing grants for the university and your department. Beyond improving the academic structure of the University and your community through research, you as the Principal Investigator (PI) benefit as well. There are three incentives to writing grants.
Release Time
When proposals are submitted and funded, the PI is given release time from academic responsibilities such as classroom instruction to run the funded program. A percentage of classroom instruction is reassigned to other faculty members, and that time is used to carry out the objectives of the grant. This percentage and amount must be approved by the faculty member, Chair, and Dean.
PI Account / Indirect Costs
The Administrative Council has approved the following policy for using indirect costs. When proposals are funded, regardless of the overhead rate, the sponsoring unit receives 40% of the overhead/indirect cost, the Office of Sponsored Programs receives 10%, and the University receives 50%.
If the unit is a school, the returned overhead is distributed as: school 5%, department 5%, and the PI 30%. If the unit is not a school: budget unit 5%, the PI's academic department 5%, and the PI 30%. None of the indirect cost money can be used to augment departmental salary lines except for student workers or graduate assistants. Any required cost sharing is deducted in the proportions above.
Asset for Promotion and Tenure
Writing winning proposals benefits you during the funded period and for years afterward. The PI can include the funded proposal in a promotion and tenure portfolio and reference the funded grant on a CV when seeking promotions or positions within or outside the University.