TOUCHDOWN Awards

These awards aim to accelerate the translation of K-State intellectual property and innovative technologies toward commercialization or licensing opportunities.

Program Design

• Administered by the Kansas State University Research Foundation (KSURF) and funded from licensing revenue and royalties rather than from OVPR or One K-State intramural funds.
• Award size and number of awards are determined annually by KSURF based on available licensing and royalty revenue and are announced in the KSURF call for proposals.
• Eligible activities include prototype development, validation studies, market assessments, and preparation for SBIR/STTR proposals or licensing discussions.
• KSURF conducts the review in coordination with Innovation and Partnerships and the OVPR. ORD tracks TOUCHDOWN awards within the Ad Astra portfolio for reporting purposes.
• Funding duration: up to two years. A brief commercialization progress update (IP status, partner discussions, SBIR/STTR or investor pipeline) is due each active year, and a final report documenting commercialization milestones is due 30 days after the project end date.

Expected Outcome

Verifiable commercial progress, such as a license, patent, investment interest, or external commercialization funding.

Proposal Evaluation

KSURF reviewers score each proposal on a 1 to 5 scale (1 = Poor, 5 = Outstanding) across the criteria below, weighted as shown.

Reviewers note readiness for SBIR/STTR, private investment, or corporate partnership within 12 to 24 months; the strength of the IP position; engagement with KSURF and Innovation and Partnerships; and any external mentors or advisors.

Purpose

The Kansas State University (K-State) Ad Astra Intramural Grants Program is designed to advance the university's research mission by supporting faculty-driven initiatives that enhance competitiveness for external funding, foster interdisciplinary research collaboration, and promote innovation leading to commercialization. This program consolidates internal funding opportunities under a unified framework administered by the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), through its Office of Research Development (ORD), and is funded in partnership with the One K-State Fund, through the Office of the President. The program aligns with the Next-Gen K-State strategic plan, particularly the Opportunity Agenda areas: community health and well-being, sustainability, global food security and biosecurity, and enabling technologies.

Two competitions per year, with proposals due October 1 and March 1, give faculty a predictable second opportunity to apply and allow the university to respond to high-risk, high-reward, time-sensitive federal opportunities. All Ad Astra competitions are at the university level. Proposals are solicited, reviewed, ranked, and awarded centrally by the OVPR.

Eligibility

• Only full-time K-State tenured or tenure-earning faculty members with a research component to their appointment are eligible to serve as Principal Investigators (PIs).
• Faculty with active, unexpended start-up funding must provide a detailed justification for why these funds are not available to be used to support the proposed program of research.
• Faculty reapplying for Ad Astra funds must demonstrate measurable success from any previous Ad Astra award, such as submission of an external grant proposal, receipt of external funding, peer-reviewed publications, or other verifiable research outcomes tied to the initial award.
• A PI may hold only one active Ad Astra award at a time and may submit to only one Ad Astra competition per cycle.
• Collaborative proposals involving multiple colleges or departments are encouraged where applicable to program goals and are required for ORBIT Awards.
• Applications must be certified by the Department Head and the college/unit Associate Dean for Research to confirm alignment with the faculty position responsibilities and goals and the unit's strategic plan.