Sponsored Projects Training

Research Administrator Training

Sponsored Projects Research Administrator training is designed for those working in department business offices who are responsible for, or involved with, the administration of sponsored awards. Please email us with questions and visit Workday Learning to register for trainings.

For an overview of key terms and definitions, refer to The ABCs of Sponsored Projects.

Our website also contains information and Quick Guides regarding Integrated Research Enterprise Solution Proposal Development (otherwise known as IRES PD.)

We also offer Sponsored Projects training for Faculty and Sponsored Projects training specific to Funding and Grantsmanship.

Have a training need? Request edits to an existing training or request the creation of a new sponsored projects training.

View Suggested Training Tracks

Research Administrator Training by Topic Area

Accounting Monitoring and Closeout

*Training offered by Yale School of Medicine

An in-depth overview of the Account Holder Report (AHR), providing users with instructions on running and reviewing a package of reports with detailed and summarized financial transaction activity.

Access the Account Holder Report Overview training

Prerequisite: None
Audience: This presentation is designed for advanced users, who are familiar with running the Account Holder Reports, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the content and application of the Account Holder Report.

This module provides critical information for sponsored project administrators responsible for financial reporting and the close out of sponsored awards, including sponsor requirements and University processes supporting these functions.

To successfully complete this course, you’ll need to attend class and pass the Financial Reporting and Closeout quiz administered at the end of the class.

Access the Financial Reporting and Closeout training

Prerequisite: Introduction to Sponsored Projects Administration
Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects

(Previously: Subaward Management Overview)

*Training offered by Yale School of Medicine

This course is designed for finance staff who review or approve subaward invoices on both Federal and non-Federal grant funding. It provides end-users with an in-depth overview of policy and procedures around the approval of subaward invoices.

Upon completion participants will know how to:

  • Identify the steps required to process a subaward invoice
  • Classify the roles within invoice processing and define their duties and responsibilities
  • Resolve invoice content issues
  • Explain the difference between a subrecipient relationship and a vendor relationship
  • Review and approve subrecipient invoices on time and accurately
  • Generate Workday reports to review subaward invoices
  • Distribute prepayments to a subrecipient

Access the Subaward Management Overview training

Prerequisite: None
Audience: Finance staff who review or approve subaward invoices on both Federal and non-Federal grant funding.

Charging Costs

This module provides individuals with an understanding of Yale’s policies and procedures concerning the allowability and allocation of costs associated with sponsored awards.

To successfully complete this course, you’ll need to pass the Allocating Allowable Costs online quiz, which is linked at the end of the training.

Access the Allocating Allowable Costs training

Prerequisite: Introduction to Sponsored Projects Administration
Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects

Instructor-led and online training modules cover the same information. Instructor-led sessions are designed for those who prefer an interactive learning environment and are interested in participating in class discussions. Feel free to ask questions and share relevant experiences in class.

(Previously: Cost Allocation Methodology)

*Training offered by Yale School of Medicine

An in-depth review of cost allocation methodologies for the support of purchases on sponsored awards. Learners are highly encouraged to have taken Intro to Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) AND Allocating Allowable Costs – Online before completing this module.

Access the Cost Allocation Methodology training

Recommended Prerequisite: Intro to Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) AND Allocating Allowable Costs – Online
Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects.

This short video reviews the rules regarding mandatory cost-sharing, voluntary cost sharing, voluntary uncommitted cost sharing, in-kind/matching and charging effort commitments to an award.

Access Cost Sharing on Sponsored Projects (Self-paced video, approx 5 minutes.)

Prerequisite: None
Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects

This module provides training for the processing of both labor and non-labor cost transfers. Course objectives are to increase awareness and understanding of Federal regulations related to cost transfers, to provide a thorough understanding of Yale’s policies and procedures, and the process to properly and efficiently prepare, document, approve, and submit a cost transfer.

To successfully complete this course, you’ll need to pass the Cost Transfer Principles online quiz, which is linked at the end of the training.

Access the Cost Transfer Principles training

Prerequisite: Introduction to Sponsored Projects Administration
Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects

Instructor-led and online training modules cover the same information. Instructor-led sessions are designed for those who prefer an interactive learning environment and are interested in participating in class discussions. Feel free to ask questions and share relevant experiences in class.

This module is available to participants who are interested in learning more about the direct charging of administrative type costs to sponsored awards.  The learning objectives for this course are to increase awareness of Yale’s research policies and procedures, provide an understanding of when acceptable exceptions may exist, and provide information on how to appropriately document exceptions.

To successfully complete this course, you’ll need to pass the Direct Charging of F&A Costs online quiz, which is linked at the end of the training.

Access the Direct Charging of F&A Costs on Sponsored Awards training

Prerequisite: Introduction to Sponsored Projects Administration
Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects

Instructor-led and online training modules cover the same information. Instructor-led sessions are designed for those who prefer an interactive learning environment and are interested in participating in class discussions. Feel free to ask questions and share relevant experiences in class.

This module explains the restrictions involved when making foreign flight reservations that will be charged to federal awards, reviews how to avoid booking inappropriate flights, and provides tools and resources to help PIs and business offices remain compliant with the Fly America Act and Open Skies Agreements.

Access the Fly America and Open Skies Agreement training

Prerequisite: None
Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects

Clinical Research

*Training offered by Yale School of Medicine

The Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI) Clinical Research Training Program is an opportunity for faculty and clinical research staff to ensure that research is carried out appropriately and efficiently.

*Training offered by Yale School of Medicine

FDA’s annual 3-day training course for clinical investigators focuses on non-clinical, early clinical, and phase 3 studies; issues in the design and analysis of trials; safety and ethical considerations; and FDA’s regulatory requirements related to the performance and evaluation of clinical studies. Attendees have the unique opportunity of hearing directly from FDA’s nationally renowned experts on issues critical to successful clinical research. The course is designed for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other health care professionals involved in clinical trials.

*Training offered by Yale School of Medicine

This course provides training in Good Clinical Practice (GCP) through the Good Clinical Practice (US FDA Focus) web-based program on the CITI website. The course can be used to meet the requirements of sponsors or funding agencies requiring that researchers who conduct clinical research demonstrate knowledge of good clinical practices.

*Training is offered by Yale School of Medicine

This is an online delivered training course for investigators and key personnel performing research with human subjects.

Researchers who need to complete the Human Subject Continuing Education Requirement can choose additional training modules by clicking on the Alternates Available.

This module provides resources supporting effective clinical trial budgeting, describes associated costs, demonstrates how to prepare an internal budget, identifies hidden costs, describes elements of a sponsor’s budget, and describes post award activities related to payment and budget changes.

Access the Clinical Trial Budgeting training

Prerequisite: None
Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects

*Training offered by Yale School of Medicine

YSM’s Medical Research Billing Compliance website seeks to ensure that medical researchers employ proper billing practices. The website has many resources available about how to bill for services provided as part of a research study and about the laws and regulations governing the billing procedure.

Effort Reporting

*Training offered by Yale School of Medicine

Workday at Yale Training Guides are available on the topics of Effort Certification Work Area, Certifiers, Reviewers, and Reporting. Links to each guide are available on the Effort Reporting page.

(Previously titled “Effort Reporting Principles”) This module provides administrators with a thorough understanding of the principles of effort reporting including the life-cycle of effort reporting, policies, regulations, key terms and concepts.

To successfully complete this course, you’ll need to attend class and pass the Principles of Effort Reporting quiz administered at the end of the training.

Access the Principles of Effort training

Prerequisite: Introduction to Sponsored Projects Administration
Audience: T>hose involved in the administration of sponsored projects

This live Zoom is an optional supplement to the Principles of Effort eLearning with an emphasis on Effort Certification. Subject Matter Experts will be expanding upon the course material by discussing Effort Certification case studies, Frequently Asked Questions, and audience Q&A.

Please come prepared with Effort Certification-related questions. You can also submit questions ahead of time to effort.reports@yale.edu.

If registration shows as full, be sure to join the waitlist as we are still determining capacity.

Access Principles of Effort: Ask the Expert Registration

Prerequisite: Principles of Effort
Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects, specifically Effort Certification.

Export Control Compliance

This online module explores export compliance laws, the laws and regulations which prohibit the unlicensed “export” of certain technologies (information, software, materials and other items) to foreign entities.

To successfully complete this course you’ll need to pass the Export Compliance quiz, a link to the quiz can be found at the end of the online training course.

Access the Export Compliance by CITI training

Prerequisite: None
Audience: Those involved in the administration or research of sponsored projects

This virtual Instructor-Led Training (vILT) is designed to increase awareness of export controls and inform learners of noncompliance repercussions that could result in civil or criminal penalties. Export controls are U.S. laws and regulations governing the “export” of certain controlled technologies, services, and information to foreign nationals or entities for national security and foreign policy reasons. Export compliance regulations involve activities occurring both inside and outside the U.S. This course is offered by the Office of Export Controls and facilitated by the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP).

Access the Export Compliance training

Audience: Yale employees involved in the export of controlled technologies, services, and/or information (inside and/or outside the US).

Integrated Research Enterprise Solution (IRES)

This eLearning provides step-by-step instructions for creating a Clinical Trial Agreement in IRES. It can be re-visited to serve as a reference.

Learning Objectives:

  • Apply the procedure for creating a Clinical Trial Agreement
  • Recognize the features of IRES and identify resources for assistance if needed

Access the IRES Agreements Module for Clinical Trials training

Prerequisite: None
Audience: Research administration staff responsible for managing Clinical Trial Agreements in IRES

This eLearning is intended for research administrators who will be creating and submitting proposals using IRES PD. Staff resuming work in IRES after a hiatus are strongly encouraged to revisit this course as a refresher.

Prior to registering, check with your supervisor and obtain permission to attend this course. A registration process takes place prior to course access. We will be contacting your department to confirm the IRES access you require. Do not take this course if you only need PD for Clinical Trials, Contracts, RPPRs, or proposal tracking as we offer separate courses for each of those topics.

Learning Objectives:

  • Recognize the features and navigation of IRES PD
  • Apply the procedures for: Proposal initiation & creation (system to system and non-system to system), Entering budgets into the PD system, Certification and approval process overview, Child records
  • Identify resources for assistance

Access the IRES Proposal Development training

Prerequisite: Introduction to Sponsored Projects Administration
Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects and need access to the IRES system

This eLearning provides step-by-step instructions for creating a contract record in IRES PD. This self-paced training involves walking through the user guide as you create your first few contract records in PD.

Learning Objectives:

  • Apply the procedure for creating contract records in IRES PD
  • Recognize the features of IRES PD and identify resources for assistance if needed

Access the IRES Proposal Development (PD) for Contracts training

Prerequisite: None
Audience: Research administration staff responsible for creating contract records. If you are looking for instructions for Principal Investigators (PIs) or Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) staff, access the full guide.

This online course provides an overview of the IRES* Proposal Tracking (PT) environment including navigation, search functionality, and field definitions. Users are encouraged to open IRES PT and click along with the course to become familiar with navigating in the PT environment. This presentation will still be useful if you do not yet have PT access.  

* IRES: Integrated Research Enterprise Solution

Access the IRES Proposal Tracking training

Prerequisite: None
Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects

This eLearning provides step-by-step instructions for creating a Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) child record in IRES Proposal Development (PD). It can be re-visited to serve as a reference when creating an RPPR child record.

Access the Proposal Development (PD) for NIH RPPRs training

Prerequisite: None
Audience: Research administration staff responsible for managing RPPR child records.

Introductory Info

Introduction to Sponsored Projects Administration (Intro to SPA) provides an overview of the sponsored award process from pre-award through post award and closeout. This eLearning must be completed in one sitting, as Workday Learning does not save progress between sessions and any progress will be lost. The estimated duration for this course is: 1.5-2hrs.

Learning Objectives:

  • Recall award basics and terminology
  • Understand proposal preparation, submission, negotiation, & acceptance on an introductory level
  • Recognize the processes of award setup and managing the award
  • Understand regulatory compliance on an introductory level
  • Familiarity with reporting obligations, award closeout, and audits

Access the Introduction to Sponsored Projects Administration training

Prerequisite: none
Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects

This short video reviews the eligibility requirements for becoming a Principal Investigator (PI), including employee status, eligible ranks, required training, Patent Policy Acknowledgement Agreement (PPAA) certification, and required documents.

Access PI Eligibility: Who Can Be a PI? (self-paced, approx 5-10 minutes)

Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects and interested in becoming a PI

This half-day session is designed to walk attendees through the principles of research compliance concentrating on what business administrators need to know about research involving animals, human research studies, conflict of interest, environmental health and safety, and export controls.

To successfully complete this course, you’ll need to attend class and pass the Research Compliance Principles for Administrators quiz administered at the end of the training.

Access the Research Compliance Principles for Administrators training

Prerequisite: Introduction to Sponsored Projects Administration
Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects

This module provides a comprehensive understanding of Yales policies and procedures related to subrecipients and includes topics such as the roles and responsibilities of the PI and administrators throughout the subaward process, the difference between a subrecipient and a vendor relationship, the requirements for subrecipient monitoring, the processing of subrecipient invoices and where to locate resources to assist in the subaward process.

To successfully complete this course, you’ll need to pass the Subrecipient Basics and Monitoring online quiz administered at the end of the training.

Training materials are currently being updated to reflect Workday business processes and will be online again soon. If you have any questions contact: osp.trainings@yale.edu.

Access the Subrecipient Basics and Monitoring training

Prerequisite: Introduction to Sponsored Projects Administration
Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects

Instructor-led and online training modules cover the same information. Instructor-led sessions are designed for those who prefer an interactive learning environment and are interested in participating in class discussions. Feel free to ask questions and share relevant experiences in class.

This online module is designated for lab staff and lab staff managers identified by business offices as having a responsibility for purchasing goods and services for a sponsored award. It is designed to raise awareness of University and sponsor policies and regulations and introduce the attendee to tools that support the management of sponsored projects. Topics covered include roles and responsibilities, allowability of costs, allocating allowable costs, purchasing strategies, travel charges, and record retention.

To successfully complete this course, you’ll need to take the online training and pass the online quiz administered at the end of the training.

Access the What Research Staff Need to Know About Spending Sponsored Projects Funds training

Prerequisite: None
Audience: Lab staff responsible for purchasing

NIH-Specific

This course is designed to provide DBOs (department business offices) with the information and tools needed to better understand the unique requirements of NIH Career Development Awards (CDAs), commonly referred to as “K” Awards. This course will cover the lifecycle of the proposal and K Award process, types of K Awards, effort requirements, RPPRs and more.

Access the NIH K Award Fundamentals training

Prerequisite: Introduction to Sponsored Projects Administration
Audience: Those involved in the administration of K Awards

This self-paced online training provides the steps necessary to create the NIH Other Support JIT and RPPR submissions, including use of the Third-Party Agreements Library and creating the Other Support Page.

Access the Other Support Page and Third-Party Agreements Library training

Audience: Those involved in the administration of sponsored projects.

Workday

Visit the Workday@Yale Sponsored Awards training website to view training materials related to sponsored award business processes performed in Workday.

Research Administrator Day

The Inaugural Research Administrator Day took place on September 13, 2023 at West Campus. Research administrators across Yale had the ability to learn, network, and connect with colleagues both in-person and virtually. Presentation slides are available to view via Yale Box.

Access the 2023 Research Administrator Day Slides

Research Administrator Lessons

This webinar will focus on the process of proposing, tracking and reporting of cost share. This lesson expands upon the 2023 RA Day Cost Share presentation.

View the webinar (10/12/23) (38minutes)
View the presentation

Amid systems, processes, and federal regulations, managing subawards can be a challenge. Yale provides a breadth of resources to navigate potential obstacles and assist DBOs. In this webinar, we will discuss current hot topics in subaward management, as well as review common issues.

Participants will…

  • Learn how Yale is addressing the forthcoming NIH regulations on foreign subrecipients
  • Discover common errors in subrecipient invoices and processing
  • Review the tools available to Yale DBOs to assist with subaward management and compliance

View the webinar (12/7/23) (48 minutes)
View the presentation

NCURA Webinars

Having trouble viewing on Stream? Access the full NCURA Webinars recordings playlist.

NCURA Agency Day 2023

National Institute of Health (NIH) Update

Do not miss this opportunity to hear about what is new and what is being developed within the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) programs, policies, and budgets. In this comprehensive review, participants will learn about the newest policy updates and how their respective institutions may be impacted. Upon completion of the presentation, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions about new and existing policies and procedures. Topics include recent and upcoming changes to NIH policy, compliance requirements, and so much more!

Learning Objectives:

  • Participants will learn about NIH’s budget priorities.
  • Participants will learn about new policies and compliance initiatives.
  • Participants will gain insight into current issues at NIH.

Speakers

Ashley Alexander, Assistant Grants Policy Officer, Division of Grants Policy (DGP), Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), National Institutes of Health
Gina Matrassi, Systems Policy Analyst, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), Systems Policy Branch (SPB), National Institutes of Health
Brian Sass-Hurst, Assistant Grants Compliance Officer, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), Division of Grants Compliance and Oversight (DGCO), National Institutes of Health

View the webinar (3/7/23) (1 hour 4 minutes)
View the presentation

National Science Foundation (NSF) Update

This session will cover updates to the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 23-1) including revisions to the biographical sketch and current and pending support, and the transition to Research.gov for proposal preparation and submission.

Learning Objectives: Participants will learn and be able to ask questions about NSF proposal and award policies and procedures, agency priorities, and advances with proposal submission modernization and Research.gov.

Speakers

Jean Feldman, Head, Policy Office, Division of Institution and Award Support, National Science Foundation Department Office of Budget, Finance & Award Management

View the webinar (3/7/23) (1 hour 15 minutes)
View the presentation

Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA) Q&A

Join panelists from the NIH Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA) for a discussion of common questions from the community related to data sharing, disclosures, other support and foreign interference.

Speakers

Michelle Bulls, Director, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), National Institutes of Health
Kristin Ta, Deputy Director, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), National Institutes of Health

View the webinar (3/7/23) (1 hour 13 minutes)
View the presentation

This session is comprised of three sections: 1) OMB Update, 2) NSF Update, 3) NIH Update. Discussions will include new developments related to proposal and award policy; a comprehensive review of recent policy changes; a review of major updates to NSR’s proposal system modernization efforts; NIH’s budget priorities; compliance requirements and more!

Speakers

Gilbert Tran, OMB
Senior Policy Analyst
Executive Office of the President
Office of Management and Budget

Jean Feldman
Head, Policy Office, Division of Institution and Award Support, Office of Budget, Finance & Award Management
National Science Foundation

Michelle Bulls
Director, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA)
National Institutes of Health

NIH Updates

NSF Updates

OMB Updates

Managing all the terms and conditions, agency guidelines, and federal regulations for an award may seem less than straightforward. We will take a trip down the terms and conditions rabbit hole, meet Alice’s friends, and learn how they all get along in their unorthodox world. Together, we will learn to navigate the hierarchy of conflicting terms without being late to the party! In this webinar we will use real life examples to understand how to navigate our way through the terms and conditions rabbit hole. Participants will learn to identify applicable terms and conditions for an award and learn how to determine which terms to follow when there are conflicts.

Prerequisites: Participants will need to be able to navigate a sponsor award notice; familiarity with sponsor/agency guidelines.

Speakers

Carrie Chesbro
Assistant Director, Subawards & Subrecipient Monitoring
Office of Sponsored Research, Stanford University

David Schultz
Assistant Vice President for Sponsored Research Administration
University of Houston

View the webinar (7/6/23) (2 hour 33 minutes)
View the presentation

Working with faculty to assign the cost of resources to a project poses a challenge, especially when those resources benefit multiple (yet highly related!) projects. Articulating a solution to distribute costs among projects that is acceptable to sponsor, institution, and PI is one of the trickiest in research administration. You may know general guard rails; but, is the approach defendable? This presentation and follow-on “Ask the Speaker” session addressed the allocation definition and acceptable practices. In addition to informative background, the panel worked through case studies that may feel instantly familiar and challenge you to produce clever solutions.

Speakers

Tolise Dailey
Director, Training & Education Development and Communication & Outreach
Office of Research Administration, Duke University

Heather Offhaus
Director, Medical School Grant Services & Analysis
Office of Research, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Josh Rosenberg
Senior Director, Grants and Contracts
Georgia Institute of Technology

View the webinar (12/5/22) (1 hour 27 minutes)
View the presentation

This webinar is a professional development opportunity that focuses on a recap of the NSF, NIH, NSF Covid audit initiative and other OIG Audit work plans and recent audit results and settlements. This webinar provides an in-depth look at audit issues through a combination of audit trends, review of Federal audit reports, and a discussion of day-to-day best practices. 

Topics Covered

  • A recap of the NSF, NIH, NSF COVID audit initiative
  • Other OIG Audit work plans
  • Recent audit results and settlements
  • An in-depth look at audit issues through a combination of audit trends, review of Federal audit reports, and a discussion of day-to-day best practices

Presenters

Jeff Seo
Assistant Vice Provost for Research Compliance
Northeastern University

Jeffrey Silber
Senior Director, Sponsored Financial Services
Cornell University

Roseann Luongo
Higher Ed Consulting Manager
Huron Consulting Group

View the webinar (4/29/21) (90 minutes)
View the presentation

This session will incorporate multiple perspectives including those from central offices, departments, and principal investigators, to review common and preventable Post-Award issues and best proactive strategies on how to prevent them in the Pre-Award process.

Learning Objectives:

  • Provide examples of common post-award issues.
  • Determine potential solutions in the pre-award process to avoid the common post-award issues.
  • Describe different perspectives to the proposal to award lifecycle to increase collaboration and understanding.
  • Format of webinar: 90-minute presentation, followed by 55 minutes of discussion.

Speakers

Ann Holmes, Senior Assistant Dean,
Administration and Finance
University of Maryland College Park

Laura Kingsley Director,
Office of Sponsored Programs
University of Pittsburgh

Erin Bailey, Chief Financial Officer,
CTSI, University at Buffalo

View the webinar (2/7/24) (2 hours 28 minutes)
View the presentation

Cost sharing can be a challenge to research administrators, new and old, and it can present a lot of burdens, some may say horror! This webinar is designed to provide an overview and share horror stories and tips for navigating cost share across the lifecycle, including at the proposal, award receipt, award management, and closeout stages. View this webinar to learn from real-life case studies and make cost-sharing less of a nightmare! This presentation will help attendees define cost sharing, identify the types of cost sharing, explain how cost sharing can go wrong, and touch on best practices and experiences from the presenters’ time in research administration, as well as the After the Show for discussion and Q&;A!

Speakers

Erin Bailey
Chief Financial Officer
Clinical and Translational Research Institute, University at Buffalo

Jeff Derr
Sponsored Research Manager, Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy
California Institute of Technology

Roseann Luongo
Higher Ed Consulting Director

View the webinar (1/26/23) (1 hour 32 minutes)
View the presentation

In Research Administration, we talk about cost sharing as a real cost to our institutions and we recognize what is at stake if we don’t meet a cost share commitment. We often wish we could redefine commitments that were made in the proposal because they are difficult to track, and we find ourselves scrambling to resolve shortages or recovery from internal sources at the very end.

Join us as we go beyond the basic definition of cost share. Webinar hosts will discuss their experiences and share how they tackled cost share challenges throughout the life of the project. Case studies will be used, and best practices shared as you consider how to alleviate some of the administrative burden.

Topics covered

  • Alternative ways to promote resources to agencies, without committing to tracked cost share.
  • The importance of communication and shared tracking responsibilities.
  • How to proactively manage cost share to avoid close out issues, rework, and loss of time and money.

Prerequisites

  • Working knowledge of Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.306.
  • Definition understanding of three types of cost share: mandatory, voluntary committed, and voluntary uncommitted.
  • Knowledge of local institutional policies and expectations related to cost share.

Speakers

Andres Chan, Director, Office of Financial Analysis
University of Southern California

Sandy Fowler, Assistant Dean
College of Agricultural & Life Sciences
Business Services – Administration
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Heather Offhaus, Director, Medical School Grant Services & Analysis
Office of Research
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

View the video (10/25/2021) (90 minutes)
View the presentation handouts

Cost transfers are always an area of high scrutiny. While the simplest suggestion is to prevent them altogether, in many cases they are unavoidable. This webinar explores the federal requirements surrounding cost transfers and examines how two different institutions have implemented policies to monitor compliance and mitigate the risk associated with these types of transactions. This webinar discusses ways to ensure all cost transfers are appropriate, timely, and most importantly, sufficiently documented.

Speakers

Christyne Anderson
Associate Director, Training and Compliance
Harvard University

Kristi Bazata
Senior Director, Research Policy & Indirect Cost
Columbia University in the City of New York

Chea Smith
Associate Controller, Cost Analysis & Capital Equipment Management
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

View the webinar (5/22/23) (2 hour 25 minutes)
View the presentation

Over the last several years, federal agencies have worked to clarify disclosure requirements, partly due to directives in federal law and policy. Charged by the National Science and Technology Council’s Research Security Subcommittee, NIH and NSF have been leading a multi-agency effort to create common disclosure forms, which include the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support. This webinar covers the context in which NIH and NSF have made updates to these formats, as well as go through specific changes made to each agency’s forms. Jean and Michelle share the current state of the multi-agency efforts and talk about the future of their agencies’ formats. The webinar will also describe institutional approaches to updated agency requirements.

Speakers
Michelle Bulls
Director, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA)
National Institutes of Health

Jean Feldman
Head, Policy Office, Division of Institution and Award Support, Office of Budget, Finance & Award Management
National Science Foundation

Jennifer Rodis
Policy & Planning Analyst
University of Wisconsin - Madison

View the webinar (4/25/23) (1 hour 43 minutes)
View the presentation

Central offices take responsibility for submitting official institutional Financial Reports to sponsors; however, ensuring the data is accurate requires a partnership with the PI and their Departmental Research Administrator/s. There could be pending transactions, commitments, adjustments that the department has submitted but that have not cleared the financial system. There could be pending requests for budget changes or extensions. Departmental Research Administrators often have information that the central office is not privy to, so communication before and during the Financial Report preparation is essential. In this Webinar, we will discuss best communication practices between central and departmental offices related to financial management and reporting.

Speakers

Jennifer J. Cory
Director of Strategy and Operations, Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
Stanford University

Dorothy J. Johnson
Interim Associate Director, Research Financial Services and Managing Officer
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Rady M. Rogers
Associate Director, Research Administration & Finance
Harvard University

View the webinar (10/27/22) (1 hour 25 minutes)
View the presentation

This webinar explores the internal controls framework for subrecipient monitoring based on federal regulations. By close examination of the rules, this session breaks down the requirements (“must!”) vs. the nice to haves (“should!”) and how to create a compliant institutional framework.

Speakers

Jeremy Forsberg
Assistant Vice President of Research, Office of Research
The University of Texas at Arlington

Roseann Luongo
Education & Research Senior Director
Huron

Lisa Mosley
Executive Director, Office of Sponsored Projects
Yale University

View the webinar (2/20/2024) (148 minutes)
View the presentation (2/20/2024)

The NIH has issued guidance regarding the preparation of Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs) and the reporting of effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on research projects.

With the release of the revised Grant Policy Statement in October 2019, NIH revised their definition of Other Support. The revised definition “…includes all resources made available to a researcher in support of and/or related to all of their research endeavors, regardless of whether or not they have monetary value and regardless of whether they are based at the institution the researcher identifies for the current grant.

This session consists of a 30-minute overview of who must report, when to report, what to report and how to report, followed by 60 minutes of Q and A.

Speakers

Michelle Bulls
Director, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA)
National Institutes of Health

Kristin Ta
Senior Advisor, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA)
National Institutes of Health

Kassima Garst
Systems Policy Analyst, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA)
National Institutes of Health

Robyn B. Remotigue
Executive Director, Office of Research Service, School of Public Health
The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth

View the video (1/27/22) (90 minutes-includes 40 minutes of Q&A after the presentation)
View the presentation handout

We live in a global economy - international collaborations are necessary to pool knowledge and resources in order to tackle global research challenges. These global collaborations come with increased risks – in addition to working with entities subjects to different laws and security, other geopolitical factors are layered on to make navigation trickier. How can we foster these collaborations and help our researchers and institutions remain compliant? How do we balance adequate risk assessment with efficient management of subrecipients? In this session, we’ll cover the whole project lifecycle, starting with proposal development, moving to agreement negotiation and subrecipient monitoring, and through closeout.

Speakers

Eva Björndal
Director of Research Awards Administration (Pre- and Post-Award), Research Management and Innovation Directorate
King’s College London

Amanda Humphrey
Chief Research Operations Officer
Northeastern University

Lisa Wottrich
Director, Contract Strategic Services
SRI International

View the webinar (9/13/23) (2 hour 18 minutes)
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Whenever PIs transfer from one institution to another, research administrators at both institutions have work to do!  There are many considerations that must be made to allow for a smooth transition.  

This session, geared towards the departmental research administrator, takes an in-depth look at the PI transfer process.  This session will provide you with the questions you need to ask and the things to look out for in order to be prepared to handle a PI that is either coming in or leaving from their institution.  

While PI transfers can be a daunting task amidst the everyday work we do, with a detailed plan in place, this process can go smoothly for all stakeholders.  In this session you’ll learn how to create that detailed plan.

Topics Covered

  • Transfers IN:  what to do to prepare for new, incoming faculty
  • Transfers OUT: what to do to support the PI that is leaving your institution
  • Communication with all stakeholders
  • Special Considerations:  MTAs and NDAs
  • Tips, trick, and tools for smooth and efficient transitions

Presenters

Tanya Blackwell
Grants and Contracts Manager, Department of Medicine
Duke University

Robyn Remotigue
Director, Office of Research Services
School of Public Health University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth

Kay Gilstrap
Assistant Director of Business Operations
Center for Molecular and Translational Medicine, Georgia State University

View the video (9/20/2021) (90 minutes)
View the presentation handouts:

View this panel to learn the latest information and timelines on NSPM-33 guidance. The panel discusses the guidance and recent updates, focusing on the requirements of Research Security programs.

Topics include approaches to managing these requirements, including what institutions are doing in anticipation, including:

  1. Campus coordination and buy-in
  2. ORCID adoption
  3. Disclosure policies (proposal and COI/COC)

Speakers

Rebecca Keiser
Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy and Head
Office of International Science and Engineering, National Science Foundation

Lisa Nichols
Executive Director, Research Security
University of Michigan

Lori Ann Schultz
Assistant Vice President, Research Intelligence
University of Arizona

View the webinar (2/13/23) (1 hour 33 minutes)
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The new NIH Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Policy, effective on January 25, 2023, requires a Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMS Plan) for ALL NIH-funded projects that generate scientific data. Join us for a discussion of strategies to support researchers in confidently navigating the requirements of this new policy and opportunities to optimize the efficiency of institutional processes while maintaining compliance. We will also discuss common costs associated with data management and sharing activities and approaches for working with researchers to develop realistic budgets for implementing their DMS Plans.

Speakers

Christi Keene
Senior Director, Research Finance
University of Chicago

Melissa Korf
Senior Director, Research Contracts, Data and Security
Harvard Medical School

Jim Luther
Research Compliance Officer
Yale University

View the webinar (10/30/23) (2 hour 25 minutes)
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This workshop provides a primary basis of understanding of applications to and awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This workshop will give you the basics and we will walk you through the grants process, and give you an overview of key resources and websites you will need to be successful. The program is perfect for someone new to Research Administration, as well as for Research Administrators seeking to expand their knowledge of NIH. The curriculum provides an overview of the policies and procedures essential to preparing successful applications to and managing grant awards from the NIH.

Learning Objectives
Major content areas covered include:

  • NIH overall structure, culture, and organization;
  • Developing and submitting NIH grant applications;
  • The peer review process;
  • Post-Award administration;
  • Tips and tricks.

Speakers

Kasima Garst
Systems Policy Analyst, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA)
National Institutes of Health

Brian Sass-Hurst
Assistant Grants Compliance Officer, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration
(OPERA), Division of Grants Compliance and Oversight (DGCO)
National Institutes of Health

Priyanga Tuovinen
Assistant Grants Policy Officer
National Institutes of Health

View the webinar (8/9/23) (3 hours 26 minutes)
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In January of 2022, OSTP issued NSPM-33 implementation guidance for federal agencies. The guidance refers to the use of DPIs, or Digital Persistent Identifiers. This session is an educational session on DPIs – what they are, how they work, and how they can be an important part of a researcher’s workflow. This session covers information about ORCID as currently the only DPI that meets the requirements listed in the OSTP guidance.

Speakers

Lori Ann Schultz
Assistant Vice President, Research Intelligence
University of Arizona

Sheila Rabun
Program Leader for Persistent Identifier Communities
LYRASIS

Shawna Sadler
Engagement Manager
ORCID

View the webinar (5/26/22) (1 hour 26 minutes)
Veiw the presentation

Participant support costs require special treatment and clear communication throughout the award life cycle. This webinar will help you understand what participant support costs are and why they are special. Discussions include: the rules and regulations governing participant support costs; how to budget, set up, and manage participant support costs; and audit considerations.

If there have been instances where you’ve struggled to confidently validate the allowability of participant support cost or if you could simply use a refresher on the fundamentals, then this Participant Support Costs webinar is for you and will provide you with the knowledge and fundamental framework needed to manage participant support costs going forward.

Topics Covered

  • Provide participants with an overview of what participant support costs are and why they are special
  • Learn about regulations governing participant support costs
  • Learn how to budget, set up, and manage participant support costs
  • Learn how to prepare for an audit of sponsored projects with participant support costs

Presenters

Jaquion Gholston
Associate Director of the Sponsored Accounting Office
Stevens Institute of Technology

Jennifer Rodis
Policy & Planning Analyst
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Sonya Stern, MBA, CFRA
Director of Sponsored Project Administration
University of Vermont

View the webinar (8/2/2021) (90 minutes)
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In this webinar, speakers look at roles and responsibilities in research administration through the lens of 3 institutions. They examine the difference between responsibility, authority and accountability as impacted by institutional policies and procedures and sponsor terms and conditions. They also use case studies to identify how gaps in roles and responsibilities can create challenges for an institution, and discuss ways to mitigate identified gaps.

Speakers

Urmila Bajaj
Director of Post Award
University of Virginia

Stephanie Gray
Assistant Vice President
University of Florida

David Mayo
Senior Director for Research Administration
California Institute of Technology

View the webinar (9/28/22) (1 hour 33 minutes)
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Research administrators live with dual roles, serving to facilitate our investigators’ research while also monitoring compliance with sponsor and university regulations. The work we do to assist investigators with their proposals and awards helps build a relationship that engenders trust. That trust, however fragile, supports our interactions when difficult communications are necessary. Trust is definitely the starting point for potentially contentious meetings, but it is not sufficient by itself. If conflict, anger, or resentment arise, research administrators will need tools to listen to each investigator’s perspective, to calmly convey their own messages, to gain understanding of opposing positions, and to offer options to investigators. This session will provide insight into the special pressures facing our investigators; offer suggestions on building positive relationships; discuss ideas for handling instances of conflict and anger; and present tips for best practices in your communications. The webinar will include time for questions, suggestions, and anecdotes.

Speakers:

Jamie Caldwell
External Consultant and Interim Sr. Director for Research Administration and Operations
University of Missouri - Columbia

Kim Moreland
Vice Chancellor for Research Administration
University of Wisconsin – Madison

Jill Frazier Tincher
Executive Director, Sponsored Programs Administration
University of Georgia

View the webinar (7/24/23) (2 hours 25 minutes)
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Subrecipient monitoring is a delicate balance between maintaining compliance and facilitating collaboration. This webinar provides an overview of the subaward lifecycle, with a focus on monitoring components throughout the process. It clarifies subtle distinctions in policy and practice and provides tools for effective risk management.

Speakers

Beth Kingsley, CRA
Associate Director, Subaward Management Team
Office of Sponsored Projects, Yale University

Carrie Chesbro
Assistant Director, Subawards & Subrecipient Monitoring
Office of Sponsored Research, Stanford University

Robert Prentiss
Senior Financial Analyst
Office of Sponsored Projects, Yale University

View the webinar (2/16/23) (1 hour 30 minutes)
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Onboarding newly hired employees includes welcoming and successfully integrating them into your office. Introducing new, remote team members to the culture while helping them understand how their role and individuals they support impact the overall organization involves a multimodal approach. Since the pandemic, hiring remote staff requires innovative ways of communicating, collaborating, thinking and training. This webinar provides organizational socialization strategies and tips from three different perspectives to ensure new staff are set up for success and retention.

Speakers

Danielle Brown
Acting Assistant Vice President, Sponsored Programs Administration
University of Maryland, Baltimore

Vanessa O. Lopez, BA, CRA
Senior Grants & Contracts Specialist Associate Dean for Research Office
Cockrell School of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin

Ashley Stahle
Interim Director & Associate Director, Sponsored Programs
Colorado State University

View the webinar (10/13/22) (1 hour 25 minutes)
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Have you ever been working on a project or process and known there must be a better way? Are you tired of spending hours brute forcing a solution to a problem? Is your office full of administrative fires that keep cropping up at 4PM for a 5PM deadline? This webinar will address the history and theory of working smarter using tools and processes available to anyone at any level. You have the power to implement these types of changes, even if you don’t have backing from your department.

Topics Covered

  • Learn the history and theory of “Work Smarter Not Harder” through examination of related research administration case studies
  • Learn methods of organizing work to be more effective, efficient, and productive
  • Learn tools and tricks that increase productivity and save time, including software and technology

Prerequisites

  • Participants should have an introductory knowledge of administrative functions and principles and a basic knowledge of current common computer software.

Speakers

Hollie Schrieber
Director of Sponsored Programs
University of Tennessee

Abby Guillory
Assistant Director for Education and Training, Research Operations and Communications
North Carolina State University

Thomas Spencer
Associate Vice President of Research Operations / Assistant Professor, Office Of Academic Information Services
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

View the video (1/11/22) (90 minutes)
View the presentation