Overview
Beginning with faculty joining UC Berkeley in July 2025, a new approach for allocating EVCP (also referred to as central) funding for start-up and retention has been adopted. This webpage provides guidance on how and when to request central funding for start-up and retention for faculty joining on July 1, 2025 and beyond. It’s important to note that faculty start-up and retention funding falls into various commitment categories, and the process for requesting funding can differ depending on the category. Below, we provide an overview of the start-up and retention commitment categories and explain how to request funding for each category for both conforming and non-conforming packages, as well as retention packages.
Implementation Considerations
- Implementation of the new practices for conforming packages will begin for new faculty joining UC Berkeley July 1, 2025 or later (excluding soft offers made prior to February 7, 2025).
- These new practices will not apply to conforming packages where the center’s total commitment is $100K or less. These funds will continue to be allocated according to the commitment letter and schedule.
- For non-conforming start-up packages and retention packages, implementation is at the discretion of the Vice Provost for the Faculty. The new allocation process will not apply to packages from previous years (2024-25 or earlier).
- Faculty will have eight years to spend all of the central funding committed by the EVCP. An extension may be granted upon request to the Vice Provost for the Faculty.
- As with any new practice, adjustments may be needed in future years based on real-time experience. Please revisit this website as needed to learn about any updates. Also please feel free to reach out to us with questions:
- Questions related to developing offer or retention packages should be directed to vpf@berkeley.edu.
- Questions about the allocation of faculty start-up and retention funding should be directed to dfl_concierge@berkeley.edu.
Faculty Start-Up and Retention Funding Commitment Categories
Funding for faculty start-up and retention falls into various commitment categories:
- Faculty Recruitment Allowance
- Zip Loan
- Relocation Assistance
- Chancellor’s Professorship
- Fundraising match
- Spousal/partner support
- Funding for faculty research
- General Research support
- Summer ninths
- Research staff positions (GSRs/Postdocs)
- Equipment Purchase
- Office or Lab Renovation
Central Funding Allocation Guidelines for Faculty Recruitment Allowances, Zip Loans, Relocation Assistance, Chancellor’s Professorships, Fundraising Match, and Spousal/Partner Support
Central funding for these commitment types will be provided in the following ways for conforming packages, non-conforming packages, and retentions:
Faculty Recruitment Allowance (FRA)
FRA funds will be provided upon request and allocated after the FRA is posted to the ledger. Once the FRA is posted to the ledger, DFLs may submit the commitments queue request form and attach the supporting document of the UCPath FRA payment record.
Zip Loan
Funds will be provided upon request and allocated after the ZIP is posted to the ledger. Once the ZIP is posted to the ledger, the DFL may submit the commitments queue request form and attach the supporting document of the ZIP loan departmental allocation.
Relocation assistance
Funding for relocation assistance will be provided upon request and allocated after the relocation expenses have been incurred. When making the request, DFLs should submit the Faculty Relocation Reimbursement form and attach the backup receipts and offer/appointment letter.
Chancellor’s Professorship
Funds are provided upon request. DFLs can submit the commitment queue request form and attach the commitment letter.
Fundraising match
Funds are provided upon request, and based on the commitment letter and documentation. DFLs should submit the commitment queue request form and attach the ledger report confirming that they have raised the targeted funds per the agreement.
Spousal/partner support
Funds are provided upon request and allocated after the expense is posted to the ledger. DFLs should submit the commitment queue request form and attach the offer letter with the payroll expenses ledger report for the spouse.
Central Funding Allocation Guidelines for Faculty Research Support
The guidelines for when central funding will be provided for faculty research support are different for conforming start-up packages and non-conforming start-up packages/retentions. As stated above, funding for faculty research falls into various categories. These include (1) General Research, (2) Summer Ninths, (3) Research Staff Positions, (4) Equipment Purchase, and (5) Office and/or Lab Renovations.
Conforming Packages
Faculty Research Support:
- General Research
- Summer Ninths
- Research Staff Positions
- Equipment Purchase
- Office/Lab Renovations
Financial Planning & Analysis will no longer require separate backup documentation for each of the above categories. Instead, FP&A will review combined spending across these five research support categories annually to evaluate whether sufficient funds have been spent in a given year to warrant allocating additional central funds in future years per the commitment letter and funding schedule.
- Research support funding in Year 1 will be allocated based on the approved allocation schedule. DFLs can request funding, as usual, by submitting the commitments queue request form and attaching the appointment letter and approved funding schedule.
- Research support funding in Year 2 and beyond:
- The DFL must demonstrate in Year 2 and future years that the faculty member has spent at least 50% of the total combined prior-year research allocation from the EVCP, dean and department before the allocation of additional EVCP funds will be considered.
- If at least 50% of the prior year’s research budget has been spent, DFLs can request funding by submitting the commitment queue request form and attaching backup documentation showing that at least 50% of the previous year’s research allocation has been spent.
- The amount of future EVCP allocations will be negotiated based on the amount spent in the prior year.
- Limits on central funding:
- Across these categories, planned central funding will not exceed 50% in any given year (i.e., the combined contributions from the dean and department should be at least 50%).
- Beyond the first year, departmental and deans’ commitments will be used first to replenish the annual research budget, with central resources available to fund the balance.
- Central funding will not be provided in excess of the annual research budget without approval from the Vice Provost for the Faculty.
- If, at the end of the period identified in the allocation schedule (five years in most cases), funds from the EVCP remain to be allocated, an updated spending plan for future years must be submitted to the Vice Provost for the Faculty for approval.
A hypothetical start-up package has been provided as further guidance for how and when central funding will be allocated.
Non-Conforming Packages and Retentions
Faculty Research Support:
- General Research
- Summer Ninths
- Research Staff Positions
The practices for non-conforming packages and retention packages are broadly the same as the practices for conforming packages across these three commitment types: General Research, Summer Ninths, and Research Staff Positions. For details, please refer to the section above. However, since the Vice Provost for the Faculty is directly involved in negotiating non-conforming packages, she has the discretion to make stipulations about the amount or specific use of funds in these categories. The Vice Provost can also agree to fund more than 50% of the annual research budget in any given year.
A hypothetical start-up package has been provided as further guidance for how and when central funding will be allocated.
Equipment purchase
For large equipment purchases ($100K or more) specified in the commitment letter to be paid from central resources, funds will be provided upon request and allocated after the BearBuy purchase order is vouchered and posted to the ledger. To request funding, the DFL should submit the commitments queue request form and attach the Cal Answers ledger report that shows the equipment purchase expenses. Equipment purchases less than $100K should be folded into the “general research” budget for the package.
Office or lab renovation
For large renovations specified in the commitment letter to be paid from central resources, funds will be allocated only after Capital Projects withdraws funds from the chartstring provided on the Capital Project and Plant Fund Transfer Form, after the charge appears on a department or faculty chartstring. To request funding, the DFL should submit the commitments queue request form and attach a Cal Answers ledger report.
Contact
Questions related to developing offer or retention letters should be directed to vpf@berkeley.edu.
Questions about the allocation of faculty start-up and retention funding should be directed to dfl_concierge@berkeley.edu.