(1) Each public university listed in ORS § 352.002 and Oregon Health and Science University may elect to establish a university venture development fund as provided in this section for the purpose of facilitating the commercialization of university research and development. A university shall direct that the university venture development fund be administered, in whole or in part, by the university or by the university’s affiliated foundation.

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(2) The purposes of a university venture development fund are to provide:

(a) Capital for university entrepreneurial programs;

(b) Opportunities for students to gain experience in applying research to commercial activities;

(c) Proof-of-concept funding for transforming research and development concepts into commercially viable products and services; and

(d) Entrepreneurial opportunities for persons interested in transforming research into viable commercial ventures that create jobs in this state.

(3) Each university that elects to establish a university venture development fund shall:

(a) Notify the Department of Revenue of the establishment of the fund;

(b) Either directly or through its affiliated foundation, solicit contributions to the fund and receive, manage and disburse moneys contributed to the fund;

(c) Subject to ORS § 315.640, 350.540 and 353.445, issue tax credit certificates to contributors to the fund in the amount of the contributions;

(d) Establish a grant program that meets the requirements for a venture grant program under policies adopted under ORS § 350.540 by the governing board of a public university listed in ORS § 352.002 or under policies adopted by the Oregon Health and Science University Board of Directors under ORS § 353.445; and

(e) Subject to available moneys from the fund, provide qualified grant applicants with moneys for the purpose of facilitating the commercialization of university research and development.

(4) Except as provided in subsection (5) of this section, moneys in a university venture development fund shall be disbursed only as directed by a university.

(5) A university or its affiliated foundation may charge its customary administrative assessment to manage its university venture development fund in an amount not to exceed three percent of the fund’s average balance during the fiscal year of the university or its affiliated foundation. The administrative assessment may be paid from the assets in the fund. Except as authorized by law, no other fees or indirect costs shall be charged against the university venture development fund or any associated grants or other disbursements from the fund.

(6)(a) A university that has established a university venture development fund shall monitor the use of grants made from the fund and identify the income realized by the university as the result of the use of the grants. Income consists of cash realized from royalties, milestone and license fee payments and cash from the sale of equity. The university shall cause the transfer of 20 percent of the income realized from the grants to the General Fund. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, the transferred amount may not exceed the amount of the tax credits indicated on certificates issued by the university as a result of contributions to its university venture development fund. Immediately upon deposit of the transferred amount into the General Fund, the university may issue new tax credits to equal the transferred amount.

(b) In addition to the transferred amounts described in paragraph (a) of this subsection, for any amount listed on a certificate that has not been claimed as a tax credit by a taxpayer within five years of its issuance, a university may accept a donation and issue a certificate for an equal amount.

(7) A university that has established a university venture development fund shall report annually to the Legislative Assembly or, if the Legislative Assembly is not in session, to the interim legislative committees on revenue. The report shall be at the end of the fiscal year of the university or of its affiliated foundation and provide information for that fiscal year. The university shall include in the report the following information pertaining to its university venture development fund:

(a) The amount of donations received for the fund;

(b) The amount of income received from the fund;

(c) The amount of disbursements and grants paid from the fund;

(d) The amount of income and royalties received from disbursements from the fund; and

(e) The amount of moneys transferred from the fund to the General Fund. [Formerly 351.697; 2016 c.31 § 5]

POLICY ON INDEPENDENT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION