Frequently Asked Questions

About VBHRC

1. How did VBHRC come into being?
   VBHRC was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 2013 in Chapter 806, Item 105:M of the Virginia Acts of Assembly. VBHRC is a 501 (c) (3) non-stock corporation.

​Eligibility

1. Can universities and companies outside of Virginia participate in the project?
   Yes, universities and companies outside of Virginia may participate provided that the project meets the requirement of having two VBHRC-affiliated Virginia research universities involved.
2. What is the project period for VBHRC grants?
   Projects span 12 to 18 months. Project teams can reapply in subsequent grant rounds for additional funding.
3. What types of research is VBHRC most interested in?
   In addition to bioinformatics, medical informatics, point of care diagnostics, drug discovery, and drug delivery, VBHRC also has focus areas in neuroscience (traumatic brain Injury, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and mental health issues), diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. However, any translational research project in the life sciences that meets the goals of VBHRC will be considered.
4. When do matching funds have to be available?
   Documentation of the availability of matching funds must be provided at the execution of the grant agreement, prior to the first funding disbursement.
5. If I'm not sure if my project will be considered, or if I just need to have some questions answered, who should I contact?
   You can contact Mike Grisham, CEO, directly at 804-545-5799.

Application

1. What are the formatting requirements for the formal PowerPoint application?
   Applications should consist of a maximum of 14 slides and should follow the provided template (see downloads page). There are no requirements for font size. 
2. What is the procedure for presentations to the Project Management and Oversight Panel?
   Applicants are allocated 20 minutes for their presentation, followed by 10 minutes of Q&A with the Panel.

Budget

1. What are the allowable indirect overhead charges that can be included in the budget?
   The indirect overhead rate to be paid to universities in connection with VBHRC-funded projects shall be 30%.
   The Virginia Bioscience Health Research Corporations policy for indirect overhead charges was adopted by the Board of Directors in the August 2014 meeting. 
2. What are some types of items that can be included as expenses for the project budget?
   Some examples are faculty and non-faculty salaries, Intellectual Property prosecutions, Reimbursement of Studies, Regulatory Pathways, and Freedom to Operate Searches. Please see the Request for Proposal - Letter of Interest form for more information on acceptable budget expenses.
3. How are disbursements made?
   Disbursements are made upon completion of milestones set forth in the initial grant agreement. All disbursements by VBHRC are made to the Prime University. The Partner University and Industry Partner receive funds through subaward contracts with the Prime University.

​Matching Funds Requirements

1. What is the matching funds requirement in order to be eligible for a VBHRC award?
   Projects with a 1:1 matching funds commitment satisfy our matching funds requirement. Our Project Management and Oversight Panel may favor a larger matching funds commitment, however many factors are considered when assessing the competitiveness of the project team's application (see the scorecard on our downloads page for more information on scoring).
2. Can we consider waiving overhead funds as part of the required match?
   No. All matching funds must be hard dollar matches.
3. Are in-kind services usable as part of the required match?
   No. All matching funds must be hard dollar matches.
4. Can university PIs waive part of their salary as contribution to matching funds?
   No, this would be an in-kind contribution.
5. Can other grants be used to count toward the hard dollar match?
   Yes, grants from sources such as federal and state governments as well as foundations may be used as matching funds as long as the dollars are not yet spent and the granting authority allows their funds to be counted as a match. 
6. Can equity capital be used as matching funds?
   Yes, equity capital may be used as matching funds.