Research Support Fund (RSF)
In 2003, the Government of Canada established the Indirect Costs Program (ICP) as a permanent program. This program provides Canadian universities and colleges with an annual grant to help pay for a portion of their hidden or “indirect” costs of research – administrative expenditures that support research but are not chargeable to specific research projects. In 2015, the program was renamed the Research Support Fund (RSF). Please visit the Research Support Fund website for additional information on the program.
At Saint Paul University, the Research Support Fund is used to support activities such as the purchase of library holdings and assistance in preparing and managing grant proposals.
Indirect Costs at Saint Paul University
The amount of Saint Paul University's grant will be based on the amount of funding received by researchers from the three federal granting agencies – CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC – in the three most recent years for which data is available.
For 2020–2021, the University will receive $29,318 from the RSF program. The grant will be allocated to cover a proportion of all indirect costs within the university. The majority of the grant will be distributed to the Office of Research and Ethics ($20,000) and the library ($9,318).
These investments will help to
- attract and retain researchers and provide them with the resources and infrastructure they need to succeed;
- support the development of the future generation of researchers; and
- attract additional funding to support the University’s research environment.
Institutional Performance Objectives
Institutional Performance Objectives |
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Expenditure Categories |
Performance Objectives |
Indicators |
Outputs |
Outcomes |
Research Facilities |
Maintain ability to support research facilities |
Total research space in Net Assignable Square Meters (NASM)1 |
Portion of RSF invested in research facilities |
NASM devoted to research in current FY is equal to or more than NASM in baseline FY |
Research Resources |
Maintain ability to provide research resources |
Number of journal subscriptions (traditional and electronic formats) held by the institution |
Portion of RSF invested in research resources |
Number of journal subscriptions in current FY is equal to (or not less than 10% less than) the number of journal subscriptions in baseline FY |
Management and Administration of Research Enterprise |
Maintain institutions’ ability to support existing research activity |
Number of active research files |
Portion of RSF invested in management and administration |
Number of active research files in current FY is equal to or more than the number of active files in baseline FY |
Regulatory Requirements and Accreditation |
Human Ethics: |
Number of active Ethics certificates |
Portion of RSF invested in regulatory requirements and accreditation |
Number of active human ethics certificates in current FY is equal to or more than the number of active human ethics certificates in baseline FY |
1 The amount of area (in NASM) used for research purposes. 1 square meter = 10.76 square feet
Research space includes all spaces functionally usable for research, such as lab space (e.g., dry lab, server rooms), lab-office space, office-type space used for research, office and work space of research support staff. It excludes custodial, circulation and mechanical areas.
Institutional Performance Indicators Report
In 2020-2021, funds from the Research Support Fund supplemented by the institutions’ internal operational budgets supported and maintained the research enterprise, as demonstrated in the table below.
Summary of Institutional Performance Indicators Report |
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Institutional Performance Indicators |
2020–2021 |
2021–2022 |
Research Facilities |
|
|
Research Resources |
$9,318 |
|
Management and Administration of Research Enterprise |
$20,000 |
|
Regulatory Requirements and Accreditation |
|
|
Intellectual Property |
|
|
1 The amount of area (in NASM) used for research purposes in square meters. 1 square meter = 10.76 square feet
Category of Expense |
2020–2021 |
% |
Research Resources |
$9,318 |
32% |
Management and Administration of Research Enterprise |
$20,000 |
68% |
Total |
$29,318 |
100% |
Breakdown of spending in 2020–2021