FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Submission Process
What documents do I need to submit to ORSP as part of a complete proposal package?
Is ORSP available to help me prepare my proposal?
Do all proposals need to be submitted through ORSP instead of directly to the sponsor? If so, why?
Can I charge administrative and clerical costs to my sponsored project?
What is UALR’s fringe benefits rate?
Who do I need to talk to about my proposal/contract or future projects?
Can I sign as Authorizing Official on any projects?
How long does it take to get a proposal reviewed/approved?
How do I get an NSF PIN#?
How do I handle subcontracts in my budget?
I am in the process of submitting a proposal through Grants.gov. It states that I am required to register. What do I need to do to get registered?
In addition to submitting my proposal, can I search for funding on Grants.gov?
Can I submit my own proposal in Grants.gov?
How long does the Grants.gov submission process take?
Who should I talk to if I need assistance or to submit with Grants.gov?
How can I create PDF files to include in my application?
Budget
What are indirect costs (F&A)?
Can I charge rent for office space to the university?
What is the F&A negotiated rate and will this vary by sponsor?
What is MTDC?
What is TDC?
When should I expect to get a grant fund/account?
What is cost-sharing?
Can a PI request more than two months salary for the summer from NSF?
What is the definition of “person-months”?
How do I calculate the person-months per year committed to the project for completion of the current and pending support section of the proposal?
Awards
My program officer called and told me my proposal was funded. May I begin my project now?
How do I find out who my Grants Manager is?
Why can’t I spend my grant money any way I want?
When should I request a no-cost extension?
Other Questions
What is UALR’s tax exempt status? Can I receive funding from a sponsor who requires a 501(c)(3) status?
What is the difference between a grant and a gift?
What is Research Compliance and why is it important?
Submission Process
What documents do I need to submit to ORSP as part of a
complete proposal package?
complete proposal package?
Please submit the UALR Internal Review and Coversheet. Also, please submit a
complete copy of your project (narrative, budget and budget justification,
appendices, letters of support, etc.).
Is ORSP available to help me prepare my proposal?
ORSP will review your proposal per
agency guidelines and help you prepare your budget during the development of
your proposal
Do all proposals need to be submitted through ORSP
instead of directly to the sponsor? If so, why?
UALR sponsored projects must be reviewed and signed by University administration prior to submission. It is the University’s policy that all proposals go through our office for administrative and academic approvals regardless of the amount of the request. All proposals must be reviewed and signed by officials at the university prior to submission whether the sponsor requires it or not. Sponsors are aware of this.
Can I charge administrative and clerical costs to my
sponsored project?
For federally sponsored projects, UALR must adhere to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-21, “Cost Principles for Educational
Institutions.” Therefore, the salaries of administrative and clerical staff,
office supplies, postage, local telephone costs, and memberships should normally
be treated as indirect costs. Direct charging of these types of costs may be
appropriate in some circumstances.
What is UALR’s fringe benefits rate?
The fringe benefit rate suggested is 26%. Not all faculty and professional
staff members will have the same rate, but this will assure that all fringes
will be covered if their rate is higher than 26%.
Who do I need to talk to about my proposal/contract or
future projects?
You can contact the Associate Director (Tammie Cash)
concerning your proposal/contract or future projects.
Can I sign as Authorizing Official on any projects?
UALR’s Authorizing Officials are Barbara Rodela , Tammie Cash, or Sharon Kaufman for proposals and Robert Adams for contracts.
How long does it take to get a proposal
reviewed/approved?
The time required for review of a proposal varies with its length,
complexity, accuracy, and the care taken in its preparation and prior review. It
also depends upon the present workload in ORSP. To allow for necessary
corrections, revisions, and for greater assurance that we will meet the sponsor
deadline, allow at least five full working days for to review and submit your
proposal. Some proposals that contain cost-sharing commitments, legal
conditions, or compliance, may require additional lead-time.
How do I get an NSF PIN#?
We will generate a PIN number for faculty or professional staff members who
wish to apply for an NSF grant. After accessing Fastlane for the first time, the
faculty or professional staff may then sign on to Fastlane after that.
How do I handle having subcontracts in my
proposal?
Each subcontract should be properly identified in your prime budget (usually
under the line contractual). In addition, you should have a separate
institutional approved, itemized budget and scope of work for each subcontract
reflecting the approved overhead. We will help you with the appropriate
subcontract. You should be aware that the federal agencies will require the same
information of the subcontract’s Principal Investigator as is required of
yourself. Please note that UALR will access overhead on the first $25,000 of
each subcontract. It is important when involving subcontracts in your budgets
that you allow additional time for the paperwork to be processed at the
subrecipient’s home institution.
I am in the process of submitting a proposal through
Grants.gov. It states that I am required to register. What do I need to do to
get registered?
You don’t need to worry about registering. The University is already registered.(so that you can view the
forms on Grants.gov), and then find and download the application package that
you are submitting.
In addition to submitting my proposal, can I search for
funding on Grants.gov?
Yes. Grants.gov is designed to not only be a ‘one-stop’ submission system for federal agencies, but also a repository for federal funding announcements and grant opportunities. Simply click the Find Grant Opportunities tab and use the search parameters of your choosing. You can even subscribe to emails that will alert you to potential funding.
Can I submit my own proposal in Grants.gov?
No. Like NSF’s Fastlane system you will upload the documents into Grants.gov, but ORSP will be responsible for ‘pushing the
button’, or the actual submitting of your proposal.
How long does the Grants.gov submission process
take?
ORSP needs 3 days prior to the due date to review your proposal. Once review
is complete and accurate document(s) are uploaded into Grants.gov the submission
process usually takes 1-2 hours.
Who should I talk to if I need assistance or to submit
with Grants.gov?
Ahmed Abuhalimeh .
Kaitlyn Simpson
How can I create PDF files to include in my
application?
DoPDF is an easy to use PDF
converter. It is free for both personal and commercial use. Once downloaded
and installed, you may create PDF files by selecting the “Print” command from
within your application text or spreadsheet application.
Budget
What are F&A costs, also known as indirect
costs?
costs?
Facilities and Administrative costs are funds paid by the sponsor to the
university to cover overhead costs such as utilities, facilities, maintenance,
etc. Proposals should include the maximum allowable F&A rate. Only ORSP may
negotiate F&A costs if necessary.
Can I charge rent for office space to the university?
Indirect costs (also known as Facilities and Administration costs) are funds that come back to the university to cover overhead costs such as utilities, facilities, maintenance, etc. Sponsors generally recognize these costs. Only ORSP can negotiate F&A rates with the sponsors. The chancellor may return a portion of these funds to your college or department for discretionary uses.
What is the F&A negotiated rate and will this vary
by sponsor?
UALR’s negotiated rate is 39% of the modified total direct cost (MTDC). The
off-campus rate is 12%. Be careful not to get the new rate confused with the old
rate which was based on salaries and wages.
What is MTDC?
Modified Total Direct Cost is the base on which F&A is applied which includes salary/wage costs, plus fringe benefits, materials, travel, other direct expenses (such as services), and the first $25,000 of a subcontract. However, it excludes equipment, tuition remission, scholarships, fellowship, and any part of a subcontract over $25,000.
Awards
My program officer called and told me my proposal was funded. May I begin my project now?
After you receive electronic or written notification of your award, you must contact ORSP prior to beginning your project. ORSP will assure all awards and compliance issues have been addressed. We will then set up your account so that you can begin your project.
How do I find out who my Grants Manager is?
Please go to the Staff Directory to see which grants manager is assigned to your department of academic unit.
Why can’t I spend my grant money any way I want?
Sponsored funds may be subject to specific federal, state, or agency restrictions and they are subject to UALR purchasing restrictions. Always check with your Grants Manager and the Purchasing Office in advance to make sure that you can be reimbursed for your purchases.
When should I request a no-cost extension?
Individual sponsor requirements vary. First-time requests are generally due to the sponsor thirty (30) days prior to the current end date of the project. Any subsequent extension requests, if permitted, are due to the sponsor sixty (60) days prior to the extended end date of the project. Please allow a feasible amount of time for us to review and process your request.
Other Questions
What is UALR’s tax exempt status? Can I receive funding from a sponsor who requires a 501(c)(3) status?
UALR is classified with an IRS coded tax exempt status of 170(c)(1), not 501(c)(3). If sponsors specifically require the organization to have a 501(c)(3) status, we may not be eligible to receive funding from them.
What is the difference between a grant and a gift?
Grants generally carry obligations for reporting of technical or financial activity the sponsor may require. They are intended to support specific projects and set objectives; periodic written reports are required; the accounting of funds received are separate from other award; and you must apply for and receive the award through ORSP to assure compliance with university and agency policies.A gift normally requires no formal proposal or reporting; these funds can be combined with gifts of a similar nature for similar purposes and does not have to be in a separate fund (account)—and may be for a specific project or unrestricted institutional purposes.
What is Research Compliance and why is it important?
Federal regulations require institutions to review and approve research projects using human participants, animals, bio-agents, etc. prior to accepting an award. Also, other issues such as potential conflicts of interest, export control issues, and effort commitments need to be reviewed and addressed.