Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of overhead rates on research application award success. The pressure to maximize overheads to fund the indirect costs associated with operating a research-intensive university and the perception that higher overhead rates disadvantage research proposals create an unhealthy tension between research administrators and faculty. Statistical analyses of four years of banded overhead rates and publicly available funder award data across seven UK universities identified no significant relationship between overhead rates and success by number or value. The results provide objective evidence to inform discussions and decisions regarding adjusting or waiving overheads. The UK results may generalize to the US to the extent comparisons of overhead practices are similar, though further US-focused research is needed. While the study limitations are acknowledged, the empirical examination of overhead rates contribute to the scientific and applied understanding of the relationship with research grant awards.