(a) The Director of ADECA may establish and administer the research and development enhancement grant program for the purpose of encouraging new and continuing efforts to conduct new or expanded research and development activities within Alabama. By September 4, 2019, the director shall adopt rules and policies to administer the program and begin to accept applications for grants, and shall adopt such rules as may be necessary to meet the future needs of the grant program.
(b) The program shall be administered pursuant to policies developed by ADECA in compliance with this article. The policies shall provide for the awarding of grants to Alabama research entities that have qualified research expenses in Alabama in a fiscal year exceeding a base amount.
(c) The Alabama Research and Development Enhancement Fund is created in the State Treasury. The fund is subject to appropriations by the Legislature and gifts, grants, and other donations received by ADECA for the research and development grant program or fund. ADECA may not spend appropriations for the program for purposes other than those listed in this section. Any monies appropriated to ADECA for research and development grants that are unspent at the end of a fiscal year shall be carried over for use by the program in the next fiscal year. ADECA shall develop rules ensuring that expenses incurred to administer the program must not exceed three percent of the total amount appropriated for the program in any fiscal year. Moneys in the fund shall be invested by the State Treasurer for the sole benefit of the fund.
(d) Individual grants awarded by ADECA under this section may only be awarded for qualified research expenses and may not exceed the lesser of: (1) 20 percent of the total grant funds awarded in a single fiscal year or (2) an amount equal to the sum of the following:
(1) Ten percent of the following:
a. Contract research expenses for qualified research conducted in Alabama during the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which grant funds are being awarded, minus
b. Fifty percent of the contract research expenses conducted in Alabama, on average, over the three fiscal years preceding the fiscal year for which the grant amount is being determined.
(2) Twenty-five percent of the following:
a. Consortium research expenses for qualified research conducted in Alabama during the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which grant funds are being awarded, minus
b. Fifty percent of the consortium research expenses conducted in Alabama, on average, over the three fiscal years preceding the fiscal year for which the grant amount is being determined.
Subject to such limitations, grants shall be awarded pursuant to criteria established by ADECA, with priority given to qualified research expenditures supporting an approved activity as defined in Section 41-23-252.
(e) The first annual commencement date to submit grant applications shall be September 4, 2019, and shall be March 1 in each subsequent year. ADECA shall accept applications within a 150-day grant window after the annual commencement date. Applications for eligible expenses shall be evaluated according to a scoring system developed by ADECA that incorporates the priorities listed in this section, with grant awards published within 90 days after expiration of the filing window.
Last modified: May 3, 2021