Core subsidization

It is a fact of life that all facilities must be funded somehow - most core managers are trained as scientists and therefore may not be familiar with the necessary steps in this process. There may well be differences in the way funding is approached in a new facility compared with an established one. Often, in the early days of a facility, funding comes via a large grant (whether this is institutional or external) which will cover outlay for equipment and possibly staffing. Once established though, cores will need funding to keep up with technology, replace outdated equipment, possibly expand the staff base and so on. The main ways that subsidization occurs are:

• Central funding by Institution or grant
• Usage charging

When users are charged for using the facility, a decision must be made whether all costs are recovered or only a nominal fee is charged. This is discussed more fully in a related section.