The offices of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement have defined a sponsored project to be any externally funded research or scholarly activity that has a defined scope of work or set of objectives which provides a basis for sponsor expectations. The following lists of characteristics are provided as a means of further clarifying how external funds from non-governmental entities will be classified and processed. The existence of one factor alone may not be determinative. Multiple factors should be considered in order to decide whether a sponsored project exists and therefore must be processed through the Office of Pre-Award Services (OPAS).
Sponsored Projects Requirements
The following are characteristics of a sponsored project:
- Sponsor requires specific deliverables (e.g., final technical report, evaluation, technical assistance, and training).
- Sponsor requires return of unexpended funds.
- Award designates a sponsor employee (agent) as project technical monitor, as opposed to designating a contact person to improve communications.
- Award contains intellectual property rights provisions.
- Award restricts or monitors publications or use of results.
- Award payments are contingent upon programmatic or fiscal reporting (e.g., milestones, invoices).
- Award includes "boilerplate" terms and conditions imposed by the project sponsor.
- Award requires protection of sponsor and confidential information.
- Award is designated to a specific researcher for his/her research.
- Award contains an itemized budget, which requires sponsor approval to modify.
- Request for funding will be used to fulfill a matching or cost sharing commitment on another sponsored project or requires a matching, cost sharing or other financial commitment from the university.
- Award includes a defined period of performance.
- Project involves the use of human subjects, vertebrate animals, radioisotopes on humans, radioactive materials, recombinant DNA, human body substances, etiologic agents or proprietary materials.
- Award is granted in response to a Request for Proposal (RFP). (Contact OPAM or Development to ascertain whether there is a prior decision indicating proper handling of a particular RFP).
- Proposal/award is governed by sponsor guidelines (either explicit or implicit).
- Federal award has also been granted to project.
- The award was made in response to expectations of performance described by the requester in a proposal or other writing.
Not Considered Sponsored Projects
Activities supported by a donor that are generally not considered sponsored projects may include the following characteristics:
- Award supports an unrestricted purpose or such activities as endowments (e.g., eminent scholars, endowed chairs, professorships), capital projects (e.g., construction or renovation, equipment), or general student support (e.g., scholarships, fellowships).
- Award contains only minimal requirements, generally relating to required donor pledge payments and the university's commitment to effectuate the donor's intent.
- Award requires only minimal reporting to the sponsor donor in the form of a general statement of how funds were used.
- Awards are irrevocable