The Research Corporation of the University of Guam started in 2014 with two employees and a vision of streamlining grant management at the university.

Today, RCUOG has 249 employees working on 171 different projects and more than $100 million in multi-year grant budgets.

The university commemorated RCUOG’s success with a “Zero to $100M” commemoration on Friday, Oct. 25, at UOG immediately following a regular meeting by its board.

The corporation serves as the fiscal agent for about 80% of the grants at UOG – managing the funds, hiring workers, buying equipment and allowing scientists to focus on their research.

UOG president Dr. Anita Borja Enriquez, who chairs the RCUOG Board of Directors, lauded RCUOG as a success story.

“The team has facilitated projects that have a direct, positive, and lasting impact on Guam and the region, and they’ve ensured that funds are managed wisely and appropriately. From zero to $100 million in 10 years is truly an accomplishment,” said Dr. Anita Borja Enriquez, Chair of the RCUOG Board of Directors and UOG President.

Executive Director Cathleen Moore-Linn was one of the original two employees when the corporation was formed 10 years ago and has seen improvement every year since.

“We've grown each year. When we got to $10 million, I thought, ‘Oh, that's a plateau. We probably won't grow any bigger than that.’ And then we kept growing. And it has been double-digit growth ever since,” Moore-Linn said.

UOG Marine Laboratory Director Dr. Laurie Raymundo, who also serves on the board, was one of the first scientists to ask RCUOG to support a project.

“The Research Corporation is the institution that lets us shine,” Raymundo said. “It allows us to bring in money and spend it with so much more efficiency, which means we can do our work when we are supposed to do it, when we have promised we would do it, and it allows us to purchase the materials that we need and pay the people that we hire.”

“Efficient grant management helps researchers get more grants in the future,” she added.

Some of the grants supported by the Research Corporation include the National Science Foundation funded Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research grant, the National Cancer Institute funded Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity grant and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s $10 million NextGen grant, which prepares students with the necessary coursework and job experience to be competitive for federal careers.

These awards have allowed students to attend and present at off-island conferences and engage in research projects.