Considering Indirect Costs
Research requires both direct and indirect investments. Operational maintenance of research infrastructure requires reinvestment on a significant scale.
Indirect costs support many institutional functions of the University, including:
- Space and utilities (electricity, plumbing, heating, and air conditioning, as well as plans for and finances new research spaces)
- Core facilities (janitorial services, Facilities and Management Planning, Computing & Communication Services, hazardous waste disposal, campus security and health services)
- Library services (acquisitions, maintenance costs, etc.)
- Research financial services (personnel, financial management utilities, like FAST, Banner, etc.)
- Research compliance and regulatory requirements (Research Compliance Office, Animal Care Facility)
- Payroll
- Office of the Vice-President (Research and International) (Research Office personnel, cuResearch, research development funding, etc.)
- Occupational safety
- Liability insurance
- Laboratory/office furniture
- Advanced Research Computing
These indirect costs must be included in budget requests to external sponsors of research as per Carleton’s Indirect Costs Policy.