Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) supports the university's mission by assisting Ball State personnel in the quest for external funding to carry out their research, scholarship, and creative activity as well as subsequent award administration. Support includes identifying potential funding opportunities, guidance in proposal and budget development, submission of proposals to funding agencies, award administration, and related compliance assurances. SPA offers workshops in sponsored projects development and administration, oversees the university's research incentive programs, and supports early seed funding through the Aspire and Advance internal grant programs. SPA fosters an atmosphere of academic, scientific, and creative inquiry; internal and external collaboration; cross-disciplinary teamwork; entrepreneurial thinking; and community engagement while promoting integrity, responsibility, and ethics in all phases of scientific, intellectual, and artistic inquiry.