Using Your IDC Account Funds

Section 5 of UPPS number 03.04.05 provides information about what funds in your IDC account can be used for; essentially research items and activities that support the research enterprise. Here are the examples the UPPS provides:

• conducting pre-grant feasibility studies;
• preparing competitive proposals for sponsored programs;
• providing carry-over funding for research efforts to provide continuity between externally-funded projects;
• supporting new researchers pending external funding;
• purchasing capital equipment directly related to expanding the research capability of the institution;
• covering research administrative costs;
• covering commercialization activities; and
• proposal support.

College of Education leadership has also generated some additional, more specific examples of potential research items and activities you could fund with your IDC account:

• Travel to present research findings at a conference
• Professional development to enhance your research skills (methods, data management, etc.)
• Open Access publishing fees with a reputable publisher
• Hiring Graduate or Doctoral Research Assistants (include fringe)
• Research participant incentives
• Travel to conduct research (field work, etc., including mileage)
• Research lab equipment
• Software for data collection, analysis, or management (required to check first that the university does not already have comparable software)
• Pilot study costs
• Hiring a consultant for grant proposal development or implementation
• Buying out a course to increase research time (guidelines and application coming by end of October 2025)
• Other – if in doubt about appropriateness of a charge for the IDC account, check with COERO or your Chair. 

In all cases, we recommend confirming the appropriateness of a particular research item/activity prior to expending the funds.