thank you. I should add that my role includes zero coding/dev and my workgroup does our work without the benefit of APIs and apps. My apps greatly improve the quality of service the group can provide.
So, I actually missed a fairly important point above that may relate to your case. While my company (that I've worked at for 18yrs) has never bought or funded a project I requested a waiver for, in the past year they have begun funding development of a directly work-related side project via Internal R&D. This is a concept I've worked on here and there since undergrad. While I don't have a profit share in place, and this project is extremely high risk-high reward, I am excstatic to work on this under my current salary.
It's an amazing feeling to watch people get passionate about an idea you created, but the reward to you can still be significant in terms of the visibility/credit you'll get from leadership, which could well translate into salary and position increase. Since adoption, I've had the ear and consult of our talented leadership team, who have given me access to their powerful professional networks to boost support for the project.
Again, put yourself in their shoes. If you were paying somebody a salary, and they brought you an idea that they cultivated on their own time and with their own resources, would you not view them as one of the most valuable member of your staff, in awe that someone has that much pride in the mission of the company to go that far above and beyond the call of duty, and do everything in your power to not only pump the idea up, but also make sure the person is comfortable and stays with the company rather than leaving to empower a competitor.
Business is a very personal thing. Have confidence in yourself and what you bring to the table, find great people to work with, keep pushing, and good things will happen.
