Collaborative research: epiic: supporting partnerships for advancement, research, and knowledge (spark)

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded Southern Arkansas University $399,997 under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) program (CFDA 47.084) to support the Supporting Partnerships for Advancement, Research, and Knowledge (SPARK) initiative. This collaborative research project, which commenced October 1, 2025, and will conclude September 30, 2028, engages four geographically diverse primarily undergraduate institutions in developing institutional capacity for innovation and knowledge creation. The award supports Southern Arkansas University's efforts to establish and sustain strategic partnerships with regional industry and innovation ecosystems while enhancing its research infrastructure and external funding competitiveness.

The project delivers four primary institutional development services across the three-year funding period: policy and process improvements to support research and community partnerships; professional development and incentive programs for faculty and staff engaged in use-inspired research; relationship-building initiatives with local industries and innovation ecosystems through dedicated partnership liaisons; and establishment of a sustainable center or hub to continue program benefits beyond the grant period. Working collaboratively as a cohort, the SPARK institutions will share best practices, support one another's capacity-building efforts, and develop intellectual property rights policies and partnership agreements designed to strengthen their respective regions' innovation ecosystems and economic development capabilities.

Abstract

Supporting partnership for advancement, research, and knowledge (spark) is a joint effort of four geographically diverse and primarily undergraduate institutions (puis). Each spark institution seeks to overcome its unique challenges by developing the capacity to facilitate innovation and knowledge creation by building and sustaining partnerships with industry and innovation ecosystems in its region. These efforts will also pave the way for each institution to develop intellectual property rights policies and construct partnership agreements while also positioning itself more favorably than heretofore to pursue external funding opportunities. Working together as a community, the spark cohort will focus on four primary objectives. First, each institution will improve how IT supports research and community partnerships by identifying and fixing areas where policies or processes are lacking or are not helpful. Second, each will provide professional development and incentives for faculty and staff to expand their involvement in use-inspired research and institutional capacity building. Third, each will build stronger relationships with local industries and innovation ecosystems with the help of dedicated liaisons or individuals adept at building relational assets to function as catalysts of this effort. Finally, each will create a center or hub designed to sustain the efforts achieved by the cohort even after the cohort ceases to exist. Along the way, members of the spark cohort will support each other, learn from one another, and empower all so that each institution may leverage its specific resources and expertise and address its region's challenges. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.