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DASA Grant Management

What is a Grant?

  • The university commits resources or services as a condition of the grant to carry out a specified project.
  • Subject to terms and conditions
  • Specific period of performance
  • May require delivery of a product (normally a technical report)

How does this differ from a gift?

  • Gifts are a voluntary and nonreciprocal donation of personal or real property for which no goods or services are expected, implied or forthcoming
  • See 3D memo “Definition of Gifts, Grants and Contracts“.

What is the process?

  • DASA Grants Pre-Award Process Workflow
  • Cabinet level approval and notification to Vice Chancellor and Dean
  • Submit all documentation to DASA Finance at least four weeks (20 business days) in advance of the application due date.
    • DASA Finance initiates PINS request to start the university’s internal review of the proposal.
  • PINS Request Approval Routing
    • Initiator > Principal Investigator > Department > College > SPARCS

What is PINS?

  • Project Information and Navigation Systems (PINS) is an electronic system used to track proposal data and to verify approvals from all faculty and staff involved in submitting a particular proposal. The use of the PINS system is a required part of the submission process for all proposals submitted by all university faculty.

What documents are required for a PINS request?

  1. Request for Proposal (RFP)
  2. DRAFT proposal
  3. Budget – Internal Budget Template and Budget Justification
  4. Indirect Costs/F&A Rate Information
  5. Cost Sharing Information (If applicable)
  6. Principle Investigator (PI) Resume/Cover letter indicating qualifications to be PI on the project (if employee has not previously been listed as a PI on an NCSU grant)

Failure to provide all required documents will result in a delay in review/processing of your request.

What are indirect costs?

  • Facilities and Administrative costs (F&A) also referred to as indirect costs or overhead, are those costs associated with conducting sponsored activities that are incurred for common or joint objectives and therefore are not readily identifiable with a specific project.
    • Examples include administrative, facilities, general equipment, office supplies, etc.

What is cost sharing?

  • Cost sharing indicates that more than one entity will share in the costs associated with the project.  The most common relationship is for an external sponsor to provide most of the funds and for the University to provide the remainder of the project funds.

What happens if a grant is awarded?

  • Sponsor will send formal notification to the University
  • Contracts and Grants will:
    • Award the proposal in the Research Administration Data and Reporting (RADAR) system.
    • Establish a new ledger 5 project
    • Load the approved budget to the Wolfpack Reporting System (WRS)
    • Send award documentation to PI
  • Principal Investigator (PI) will:
    • Confirm budget is correct in WRS
    • Communicate salary distribution changes to department/college personnel as soon as they are known so appropriate distribution adjustments can be entered within a timely manner (within 90 days)
    • Monitor all activity in grant to ensure spending meets all grant terms/conditions
    • Spend directly from grant, do not move expenditures from other funding sources
    • Reconcile grant activity monthly
    • Utilize grant resources in the budget dates outlined from the sponsor.

Once the grant period is completed the grant closeout will be completed and final requirements from sponsor will be communicated.

What is RADAR?

  • Research and Administration DATA and Reporting (RADAR) is an online database used for monitoring and recording all submitted proposals and award actions.  In addition, this system provides standardized reports and users can run queries on sponsored activities.
  • Once the PINS request is approved by SPARCS, it then creates a RADAR record.
  • Once a RADAR record is created, it allows SPARCS, C&G, and the PI to monitor the status and make notes regarding what is happening with the proposal or the award.

What if I need to add a food exemption to my ledger 5 project?

  • Food costs are not normally allowable as direct costs on a sponsored project under Federal, State, and University guidelines.   However, food costs for workshops or conferences directly related to the project may be considered exempt from this rule and be allowable if they meet certain conditions.
    • Directly related to purpose of project
    • Planned in detail in advance
    • Include formal agenda or curriculum
    • Include written invitation to participants
    • Meal costs must be included and approved in the sponsored project agreement
    • Costs must be reasonable, certified, and approved by the department or unit head.
  • If the above conditions are met, the Food Costs/Project Exemption Form must be completed and submitted to DASA Finance.
    • This form must be signed by the following for DASA:
      • College Representative = Assistant Vice Chancellor for Finance
      • Principal Investigator
      • Department Contract Manager = Department or Unit Head (normally the PI’s supervisor).
    • DASA Finance enters the request into the system and notifies the PI once Contracts and Grants have reviewed, approved, and updated the project exemption.

Seeking grant opportunities?

  • Consider the division and department missions and priorities
  • Consider effort required
  • Allow for planning and preparation

Need more information?  Contact your DASA Finance partner or send an email to dasa-finance@ncsu.edu