R856-5-4. Eligibility Criteria

  (1) ERT-P grant is available to university research teams that meet the following guidelines:

  (a) Research team must include at least three researchers.

  (b) Research team must include at least three Utah universities or colleges.

  (c) Research team must include at least two Utah research universities under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education (http://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/classification_descriptions/basic.php). The following three Utah universities are currently classified as research universities:

  (i) University of Utah;

  (ii) Utah State University;

  (iii) Brigham Young University;

  (d) Research team may include at least one researcher from universities in the state of Utah other than those listed in (1)(c).

  (2) Research team must be developing a technology with applications that can address Utah-specific energy and natural resource issues.

  (a) USTAR/OED may specify a specific subsector of Utah's energy and natural resource industry as a priority for grant funding in the ERT-P application materials.

  (b) ERT-P grants are targeted at energy and natural resource innovation and development.

  (c) In selecting targeted energy and natural resource subsectors eligible to receive support from ERT-P, the governing authority may consider the following factors:

  (A) statewide or regional importance of the subsector to Utah's economy;

  (B) relative size of the subsector, its stability, and growth potential;

  (C) characteristics of the state's existing workforce, including education and training;

  (D) the current availability of other sources of funding or risk capital (public or private) for early-stage companies in the technology sector;

  (E) the potential for the subsector to develop new jobs and business opportunities in the state;

  (F) the likelihood that research in this subsector will result in the creation of a company in Utah or IP transfer to an existing Utah company; and,

  (G) any other factor USTAR/OED deems relevant, considering the mission of USTAR and the purpose of ERT-P.

  (3) Eligible technologies will be between a TRL 2-5;

  (4) Applicants may not receive ERT-P funding and UTAG funding for the same technology in the same Utah fiscal year.

  (5) If Applicant is a current recipient of any other USTAR grant, that project must be verified as complete by USTAR before the application deadline in order for the awardee to be eligible to apply, unless expressly exempted by USTAR.