Welcome to Western Carolina University

We are excited to welcome you to WCU, where curiosity, creativity, and collaboration drive our mission forward. Whether you’re joining us fresh from graduate school, industry, or another academic institution, you are now part of a community that values scholarship and the people behind it.

Our team in the Office of Research Administration (ORA) is here to help you navigate the research and creative activity landscape at WCU. From finding funding to submitting proposals, managing awards, and building collaborations, we’re your partners every step of the way.

To set you up for success, here are the first key actions to complete as a new WCU faculty member engaged in research, scholarship, or creative activities:

1. Create or Update Your SciENcv Account
   • • Required for NIH and NSF biosketches and other support documents
     • Get started with SciENcv
2. Create or Update Your ORCID Account
   • • Provides a persistent digital identifier for your scholarly work.
     • Register or log in to ORCID
3. Update your Research.gov Affiliation
   • • Ensure your profile lists Western Carolina University as your current institution for NSF submissions.
     • Access Research.gov
4. Complete Your Annual COI Disclosure
   • • Required by university policy to ensure compliance with federal and institutional conflict of interest regulations.
     • Submit your COI disclosure
5. Share Your Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities with Us
   • • Let us know what you are working on so we can help promote your work, connect you with collaborators, and identify funding opportunities.
     • Submit your project details
6. Access SPIN for Funding Alerts
   • • Log into your myWCU
     • Select Research Administration (InfoEd) under My Apps
     • In InfoEd, select SPIN located in the left-hand sidebar.
     • Follow this Funding Search Guide to begin your search for funding.
7. Subscribe to Funding Alerts
   • • Stay informed about upcoming funding opportunities tailored to your discipline.
     • Sign up for funding alerts

Institutional Information

Applicant and Awardee Information

Identifiers (e.g. CAGE, EIN, UEI)

Assurances

Facility and Administrative (F&A) Costs

Source: WCU Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

F&A Cost Rate Period: July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2028

Rate Base: Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC)

Modified total direct costs, consisting of all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel and up to the first $25,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award). Modified total direct costs shall exclude equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. Other items may only be excluded when necessary to avoid a serious inequity in the distribution of indirect costs, and with the approval of the cognizant agency for indirect costs. 

Equipment: Tangible personal property (including information technology systems) having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit acquisition cost which equals or exceeds the lesser of the capitalization level established by the non-Federal entity for financial statement purposes, or $5,000. 2 CFR 200.1

Subawards: F&A Costs are calculated on the first $25,000 for each subaward/subcontract. This applies to the total amount being allocated towards each subaward/subcontract and not on the amount each year.

University Policy 88: Facilities and Administration Receipts Policy

Academic Procedures and Regulations 28: Distribution of Indirect Cost Allocations

Cognizant Agency for WCU’s Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA)

Department of Health and Human Services
HHS Representative: Wheatford Ashby
301-492-4855