NCURANational Council of University Research Administrators
NCURA - National Council of University Research Administrators
NCURA - National Council of University Research Administrators
An organization of individuals involved in the administration of sponsored programs at colleges, universities and teaching hospitals.
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Fundamentals of Sponsored Project Administration

Fundamentals Overview

Individuals involved in sponsored projects administration are faced with a multitude of challenges: becoming knowledgeable about federal regulations and individual agency requirements, providing assistance to faculty, gathering information, administration of awards, and many other tasks. The purpose of this program is to provide participants with a broad overview of the various aspects involved in sponsored projects administration, including preparation and review of proposals; negotiation and acceptance of awards; financial and administrative management, closeout and audit, as well as the relevant compliance issues.

Who should attend:

This program is intended primarily for the newcomer (less than 2 years experience) involved in sponsored projects administration at higher education institutions and affiliates, or for the individual who has worked primarily in only one area of sponsored projects administration and is seeking a broader view of the field. This session is targeted specifically to: proposal development personnel, sponsored projects administrators, grant and contract accountants, departmental administrators, research compliance administrators and others with newly acquired responsibilities in sponsored projects administration.

What participants can expect:

After completing Fundamentals of Sponsored Projects Administration, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the differences between grants, contracts and cooperative agreements;
  • Describe the underlying legal framework surrounding sponsored projects;
  • Identify the federal circulars that govern federally sponsored projects and discuss the key principles of each, including how they apply to the preparation and submission of proposals and the administration of awards;
  • Distinguish between allowable and unallowable costs and between direct and F&A costs;
  • Identify several types of third party agreements associated with sponsored projects administration;
  • Describe the various components of a proposal budget and how to apply the institution's F&A cost rate;
  • Summarize how an institution's F&A cost rate is calculated;
  • Assist a Principal Investigator in finding sources of funding;
  • Explain the process through which a proposal travels from the time it begins as an idea with the faculty member to the point of award;
  • Describe the importance of proper closeout of a sponsored project and the steps necessary to prepare for an audit;
  • Discuss the importance of the primary compliance issues facing institutions today, including protection of human and animal research subjects, research misconduct, subrecipient monitoring, effort reporting, and export control.

Please note these programs will have limited enrollment, so register today!

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