What is a sponsor code?

Sponsor codes are used to classify the sponsors of over $7 billion of extramurally-funded projects at the University of California.

Each code represents a legal entity that has either funded a project at a UC campus or received a proposal for funding. ISO 17442 generally describes legal entities as "unique parties that are legally or financially responsible for the performance of financial transactions or have the legal right in their jurisdiction to enter independently into legal contracts, regardless of whether they are incorporated or constituted in some other way (e.g. trust, partnership, contractual)." Each legal entity (e.g., individual subsidiaries of a larger corporation) should receive its own unique sponsor code.

To assist in data analysis and the application of appropriate policies, each sponsor code is affiliated with a sponsor category. For a description of sponsor categories, review the table below.

Sponsor codes are managed and available to be viewed in the Research Enterprise Management System (REMS).

Sponsor Category Data Dictionary
Sponsor Type Definitions
Government

A permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions.

There are three separate categories of government entities: U.S. Federal Government, State of California Government, and Other/Inter-Governmental Entities (including foreign, subnational/state, and local government bodies).
Business/For-profit/Sole Proprietorship

An organization involved in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers or to other businesses. Businesses may take different forms such as Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, or Limited Partnerships. Corporate types and naming conventions differ by country.

Generally, this category also includes any entity that does not fit into another category.
Non-profit Organization An organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals rather than distributing them as profit or dividends.
Higher Education A degree-granting institution of higher/post-secondary education.
Agriculture Marketing Board

An organization authorized by the State of California Department of Food and Agriculture or the United States Department of Agriculture to regulate the production, pricing, and distribution of one or more agricultural commodity.
UC Campus, Program, or Location

University of California campuses and locations, including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Agriculture & Natural Resources, and Office of the President.

Note: New sponsor codes are no longer created below the campus/location level.