Grantsmanship and My Risky Approach to Academia

I took what is becoming an increasingly risky approach to academia and not one I would recommend to others as secure. Increasingly, scientists are expected to bring in research money from grants; and the universities get overheads from certain grant organizations that give high overhead. Regardless of the merits/shortcomings of that approach, I concentrated my research on what I felt needed to be resolved, not on seeking grants through usual mechanisms because grants were not being given in subjects that I thought were most important. I became very successful in funding my research because many people and organizations liked the pragmatic results I was developing. I would have garnered more favor with many of my academic administrators had I gone through usual grant-giving channels that bring high overhead to the university; however, others were supportive of my approach.