Postdoctoral researchers are critical to advancing CSU’s research mission. When budgeting salaries for postdocs on grant proposals, CSU recommends using a nationally recognized benchmark like NIH to ensure consistency and competitiveness. If information is available for specific areas of expertise or field norms, these can always be taken into consideration. 👉 To determine an appropriate […]

Graduate assistantship stipends are central to recruiting and retaining excellent graduate students at Colorado State University. The Graduate School sets a minimum stipend that may not be lowered, and many units choose to exceed that baseline to address cost of attendance realities and remain competitive nationally. This post outlines three recommended stipend levels—each aligned with […]

The Research Software Facility (RSF) is a CSU internal service to aid researchers in transforming ideas into robust, user-friendly software. Whether creating a new application or enhancing an existing one, we partner with faculty, research groups, and centers across campus to design, build, and maintain custom tools that advance research, education, and outreach. What We […]

I wanted to introduce you to the Analytical Resources Core (ARC) at CSU—our university’s shared-use analytical instrumentation facility, designed to advance and accelerate research across campus and beyond. The ARC is a collaborative, customer-focused team of expert scientists with deep expertise in chemical, biological, environmental, and materials science. We support researchers at every stage—from experimental […]

Facilities & Administrative (F&A) costs are costs that are incurred for common or joint objectives that cannot readily be identified with a specific sponsored project. Examples of F&A costs include shared services like libraries, utilities, building maintenance, and administrative expenses. CSU negotiates rates for cost recovery for organized research, instruction, and other sponsored activities and […]

NSF Conference Grants support conferences, workshops, and related training activities in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines. In accordance with the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG), conference proposals that exceed $50K must include Collaborators and Other Affiliations information during the proposal submission. Additionally, conference proposers must have a policy […]

Participant Support Participant support costs are direct costs for items such as stipends, subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (not employees) in connection with conferences or training projects (2 CFR 200.1). Participants are recipients, not providers, of a service or training associated with a sponsored […]

When working on grants and contracts, when we are paid, how we are paid, and what payments are based on are key considerations. At times, we don’t have any say in how we are compensated; other times, we are able to negotiate the payment terms. Either way, it is important to understand the when, how, […]

Non-financial Research Agreements are legally binding instruments that govern interactions between parties without involving monetary transactions or financial terms. These agreements define the rights of the parties while outlining the terms and conditions for exchanging confidential information, materials, or human subject data, and are crucial for protecting intellectual property, confidentiality, and other non-financial aspects of […]

Maintaining a strong and distinct professional identity is more important than ever in the evolving academic and scientific research landscape. For researchers, particularly those engaged in federally funded projects, an ORCID iD is not just a convenience—it’s becoming an essential tool for career advancement, funding compliance, and research impact. What is ORCID? ORCID (Open Researcher […]