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Industrial Affiliates Programs FAQs

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How are Affiliates Programs different from sponsored research?

Affiliates Programs focus on one or more related areas of research and typically support several projects. Affiliates Programs involve two or more faculty and a group of companies. Affiliates members do not receive intellectual property rights in return for their membership fee. Sponsored projects typically are one-on-one arrangements where a company funds research in a single faculty lab. The sponsored project has a statement of work, budget and term. The sponsoring company pays the full direct and indirect costs of the research. In return, the company typically receives options to license project inventions. 

 

Where can I find the University's policies on Affiliates Programs? 

The Programs promote openness in research and conform to the University's primary missions: teaching and research, as described in the Research Policy Handbook.

 

What indirect costs are applied to Affiliates funds? 

Affiliates funds are subject to the same infrastructure charge as gifts to the University, which is currently 8%.

 

Do Affiliates Programs need member agreements?

No agreement is required by the University and many programs simply invoice members. A template agreement is available on the Documents page

 

Who at Stanford can sign Affiliates agreements?

ICO signs all Affiliates agreements, as does the cognizant dean from the school. The Affiliates Program directors also may sign.  

 

How do faculty set up a new Affiliates Program?

Requests to establish or continue an Industrial Affiliate Program are submitted to the Industrial Contracts Office via Google Forms. New Programs are reviewed by the cognizant Dean’s office and ICO for compliance with University policies. More information is available at: DoR 13.4

 

What happens after a new Affiliates Program is approved?

After ICO reviews and approves the Program, the Program opens an Affiliates Program account. ICO also notifies the cognizant school dean and the Affiliates Program Director. The Program can then recruit members and deposit member funds.