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Sponsored Projects

Day-to-day activities associated with sponsored projects are managed at the department/unit level. Oversight and support is provided by the college. University-level oversight and support is provided by Sponsored Programs and Regulatory Compliance Services (SPARCS) and by University Contracts & Grants (C&G).

Proposals
Faculty should let the College of Sciences Pre-Award Office know when considering a proposal submission. Faculty can email preaward@sciences.ncsu.edu, or can complete the College of Sciences Proposal Submission form. The department may be able to offer some help with budget creation and other aspects of proposal preparation, but primary role is Post-Award research administration, and will help you connect with Pre-Award for proposal assistance.

New Award Setup
Faculty are usually the first notified of a sponsor’s intent to fund. To get your project started in a timely manner, this position will assist with revised budgets (if requested), new award setup, and/or preaward accounts and preaward spending.The college will schedule a new award meeting with the Principal Investigator (PI), this position, and any other key personnel involved in managing your award. PIs should take the time to fully review the notice of award, to include all of the terms and conditions of the award.

Spending the Award
Faculty should spend their awards at a rate acceptable to their sponsors while following the appropriate processes for making purchases, traveling on a sponsored project, hiring employees, paying consultants, paying participants, and establishing subcontracts. Monitor spending in WRS and consult with this position for assistance with adhering to NCSU and sponsor procedures.

Making Changes
During the life of a sponsored project, changes are likely to occur. this position can help with reforecasting spending to see if a budget modification or if a no-cost extension should be requested. Nearly all project modifications are requested via NCSU’s Project Modification Request system (PMR). Faculty should request changes well in advance of the change occurring.

Compliance
This position is available to help PIs with the rules and regulations governing sponsored projects. Follow the Four Imperatives of Sponsored Project Spending: Reasonable: Would a prudent person do this? Am I being a good steward of these funds? Allowable: Is this a direct cost to the project? Is it currently budgeted? Is this allowed to be charged to a grant? Do I need an unlike circumstance justification?
Timely: Is this within the budget period/period of performance? Am I trying to spend out the grant, or is the purpose/use of the expenditure within the period of performance? Is the purchase within NCSU’s and the sponsor’s deadlines?

Closeout
Final changes and preparation for final expenses should occur at least 90 days before the end date of a sponsored project. PIs should work with the department to ensure any employees paid from an outgoing award are moved to another funding source. Contracts & Grants will initiate the closeout process soon after an award ends, assigning deadlines for the department, college, and university to complete their appropriate portions of the closeout. Closeouts are usually due to the sponsor 60 days after the end date of the project, and sometimes sooner. This position may be able to offer some help with budget creation and other aspects of proposal preparation, but her primary role is Post-Award research administration, and she will help you connect with Pre-Award for proposal assistance.

New Award Setup
Faculty are usually the first notified of a sponsor’s intent to fund, and should let this position know right away. To get your project started in a timely manner, this position will assist with revised budgets (if requested), new award setup, and/or preaward accounts and preaward spending. The college will schedule a new award meeting with the Principal Investigator (PI), and any other key personnel involved in managing your award. PIs should take the time to fully review the notice of award, to include all of the terms and conditions of the award.

Spending the Award
Faculty should spend their awards at a rate acceptable to their sponsors while following the appropriate processes for making purchases, traveling on a sponsored project, hiring employees, paying consultants, paying participants, and establishing subcontracts. Monitor spending in WRS and consult with the Principal Investigator for assistance with adhering to NCSU and sponsor procedures.

Making Changes
During the life of a sponsored project, changes are likely to occur. The department can help with reforecasting spending to see if a budget modification or if a no-cost extension should be requested. Nearly all project modifications are requested via NCSU’s Project Modification Request system (PMR). Faculty should request changes well in advance of the change occurring.

Compliance
This position is available to help PIs with the rules and regulations governing sponsored projects. Follow the Four Imperatives of Sponsored Project Spending:
Reasonable: Would a prudent person do this? Am I being a good steward of these funds?
Allowable: Is this a direct cost to the project? Is it currently budgeted? Is this allowed to be charged to a grant? Do I need an unlike circumstance justification?
Timely: Is this within the budget period/period of performance? Am I trying to spend out the grant, or is the purpose/use of the expenditure within the period of performance? Is the purchase within NCSU’s and the sponsor’s deadlines?

Closeout
Final changes and preparation for final expenses should occur at least 90 days before the end date of a sponsored project. PIs should work with the department to ensure any employees paid from an outgoing award are moved to another funding source. Contracts & Grants will initiate the closeout process soon after an award ends, assigning deadlines for the department, college, and university to complete their appropriate portions of the closeout. Closeouts are usually due to the sponsor 60 days after the end date of the project, and sometimes sooner.

She is also able to provide assistance for the following processes with sponsored projects:

  • Purchasing
  • Vouchers
  • Travel (Prepaid, Authorization and Reimbursement)
  • Personal Reimbursements
  • Assisting with preparing and monitoring sponsored projects budgets
  • Coordinating and referral of proposals with College of Sciences’ Research Administration

Forms/Links: