Need help: Donor will send me a form 1099 for a research grant

[polly_mer]

Yes, but some schools don't like you earning extra money on their time without their knowing about it.

That is a firing offense by some faculty employment contracts.  I've seen people have the process started when unapproved external employment came to light.  A research contract is different from a one-off speaking honorarium.

[fizzycist]

It sounds like the ideal solution is for the non-profit to give your university a gift to be used by you on research as you see fit.

At my university, the appropriate contact for that is the Foundation which handles gifts. Not the Office of Sponsored Projects.

If it is done as a gift then it is likely that the giver can dictate terms including that the money may not be used for overhead.

[mamselle]

OK, the Foundation is a good option as well (ours was sort of folded into OSR to the degree we interacted with it, so I didn't think of that).

But you have to let your school know, and do what they say.

Trying to go around behind their backs is not a good idea.

The IRS will be the least of your worries then.

M.

[fizzycist]

OK, the Foundation is a good option as well (ours was sort of folded into OSR to the degree we interacted with it, so I didn't think of that).

But you have to let your school know, and do what they say.

Trying to go around behind their backs is not a good idea.

The IRS will be the least of your worries then.

M.

Agreed.

Taking the money as a private actor often doesn't make sense career-wise. Bringing the money through your University makes your dept and upper admin look good and allows you to formally take credit. And I dunno what you plan to use the money for, but if it involves paying anybody's salary or accessing any institutional resources, then how would you distribute those funds?

If the research has little to do with your job and won't be publishable, then you could ask to be paid as a consultant. But then you would be taxed and have to navigate reporting conflicts of interest. Some people are happy to do that, but I never done it, so don't have advice.

[Puget]

Yes, have this go through your university as a gift-- if it is a small grant from a donor, the university should be able to handle at as a gift without overhead, and my understanding is gift funds are generally pretty unrestricted. There are good reasons that grants are technically awarded to the institution and not the individual--play it buy the books.