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Governor’s University Research Initiative (GURI)

Governor's University Research Initative Logo

The Governor’s University Research Initiative (GURI), enacted in 2015, is aimed at helping Texas public institutions of higher education recruit distinguished researchers from around the world to the State of Texas. The program seeks to bolster both the standing of Texas public colleges and universities and economic development efforts statewide.

Who Can Apply?

Eligible Texas public institutions of higher education attempting to recruit distinguished researchers.

Type of Incentive

Matching grants paid on a cost-reimbursement basis. The state’s grant contribution may not exceed $5 million per distinguished researcher.

Eligibility Details

For full eligibility details and eligible grant reimbursement cost categories, please refer to the GURI Statute and the GURI Administrative Rules, as well as the GURI Application Kit document.

A “distinguished researcher” is defined as:

  1. A Nobel Laureate or the recipient of an equivalent honor, or
  2. A member of a national honorific society, such as the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, or an equivalent honorific organization.

Basic qualifying criteria for a prospective applicant includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Applicant must be an eligible institution
  2. The researcher proposed for recruitment must meet all the eligibility requirements necessary to qualify as a distinguished researcher
  3. The proposal must involve the recruitment of a distinguished researcher in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or medicine
  4. The applicant institution cannot recruit a distinguished researcher from another eligible institution or a private or independent institution of higher education
  5. The grant application must have the support of the applicant institution’s president and of the institution’s governing board, the chair of the institution’s governing board, or the chancellor of the University System if the applicant institution is a component of a University System
  6. Preference is given to those recruitments which are most likely to enhance Texas’ economic competitiveness, create a unique locus of research in Texas, include federal or private funding, and lead the development of intellectual property or the commercialization of technology, among other factors.

Application

This matching grant program has a rolling application process.

Before applying for the program, eligible institutions of higher education should review the Application Kit document. GURI applications will only be accepted through the online application portal.

All GURI applications are reviewed by an Advisory Board, which presents its recommendation for approval and disapproval of each application to the Governor’s Office. The Governor’s Office then makes a final decision whether to award a grant using its discretionary authority. Final decisions are not subject to appeal.

Program Documents