Startup Funding provides newly hired tenured or tenure track faculty with the resources they require to establish a foundation of research and scholarly productivity at the University of Kentucky in order to meet their department’s evidence for excellence in research. This can be achieved through successful extramural funding and peer-review publications. Appropriate uses include: graduate student support, research equipment (purchase, upgrades, maintenance, etc.), research seminars, symposia, workshops, domestic and foreign travel related to research, research supplies (including research-related office supplies), and/or computers. Typically, startup funds are provided for the first three years of a faculty member’s appointment, with the expectation that they will seek out and obtain extramural funding to support their research in subsequent years. Startup funding is negotiated between a faculty member, the department chair, and the Dean’s Office during the hiring process.

It is recommended that faculty candidates submit a plan to their department chair detailing the projected startup funding budget for the next three years.

Startup Funding Plan

Faculty members should submit an annual plan to their department chairs detailing their projected startup funding budget for the coming academic year. If a faculty member does not spend all of their startup funding by the end of their third year, they may request to extend their funding for an additional year. If a faculty member resigns from the University of Kentucky, they will no longer have access to the negotiated startup funding.

Extension Process

In order to request an extension for startup the faculty member must submit a plan to their department chair that includes a projected budget for the extended funds and thoroughly explain how the extension will support a faculty member’s research program and progress towards tenure and/or promotion, as appropriate.

Department chairs will then submit the startup funding plans to the Assistant Dean for Finance and the Assistant Dean of Research, via email by March 31st annually. They will be reviewed/approved by the Associated Dean for Research. Upon approval, funding will be returned in the new fiscal year for a one-year period ending June 30th.

Funding Example

Faculty member receives Year 1 funding at hire date (2023). Subsequent years will occur at the beginning of each new fiscal year (July). Sample: Faculty provided $75,000 over three years with an August 1st hire date.

FY 1 (2023): August 1, Year 1 funding provided in the amount of $25,000

FY 2 (2024): July 1, Year 2 funding provided in the amount of $25,000

FY 3 (2025): July 1, Year 3 funding provided in the amount of $25,000

Spending is available through 3 fiscal years of the last infusion date. In this example any remaining funds at the end of June 2028 will be returned to the College Startup Pool or Department Enrichment based on original funding source. If the funding was split (for example 75% College/25% Department) the remaining balance will be returned based on the original split.

If no external research has been established by the end of FY 3, funding can be pulled back to the College startup pool/Department Enrichments. The faculty member should work with the Department Chair to submit an extension if they believe they are close to receiving an award.