Extramural Fund Management
All proposals for contracts and grants to outside agencies must be submitted through UC ANR Contracts and Grants
Advisors work with Fiscal officer business partners to ensure their grant projects are aligned with the project proposal and sponsor requirements. UC ANR business partners apply guidance from UC Davis and UCOP Office of the President.
UC Davis Financial Compliance with Extramural Funds
UCOP Research Policy Analysis and Coordination: Contract and Grant Manual
Principal Investigator and Business Partner Responsibilities
The Principal Investigator (PI) is the individual with primary responsibility for:
- The scientific integrity and management of the sponsored project
- Financial management of project funds
- Adherence to all internal university policies
- Adherence to externally imposed sponsor terms and conditions including:
- Reporting
- Record keeping requirements contained in the award document
Financial Management Activities – Supported by Business Partner
- Ensuring the allowability, allocability, and reasonableness of all expenditures.
Only costs which benefit the project may be charged to the project. - Ensuring that expenditures direct-charged to the sponsored project are consistent with the approved budget and not duplicated in the Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Cost Rate
- For example: administrative and clerical salaries (unless the cost is associated with a major project)
- For example: administrative and clerical salaries (unless the cost is associated with a major project)
- Requesting the establishment of an advance account if a delay in receiving an award is expected and project work must begin before the award is executed.
Use the request to expand in advance of receipt of award mechanism.
- Process eliminates necessity of cost transfers
- Provides for expedited reimbursement of expenses incurred once the award is received
- No delays due to cost transfers
- Must guarantee to fund for expenditures incurred if the award is not executed
- If funding period differs from what was expected, pre-award costs may not be allowed.
- PI is responsible for resolving errors on the account in a timely manner
- Monitoring financial status of project
- Are expenditures aligned with project period and progress?
- Are expenditures aligned with project period and progress?
- Reviewing effort reports and certifying effort in a timely manner
- Submitting all required progress & techincal reports on a timely basis
- Ensuring that cost transfers are minimized and when necessary are initiated within 120 days of the original recording of the expense
- Requesting no-cost extensions in accordance with timeframe specified by agency if more time is needed to complete project
- Requesting remaining balances be carried forward if appropriate at budget period end
- Ensuring overdrafts on one sponsored project are not transferred to another sponsored project because of funding availability.
Direct costs charged to project must always benefit/support the project charged. - Preparing for timely financial closeouts — the process begins at the beginning of the award by managing project funds on a continuing basis
- 90 days before award end date, prepare for final report submissions. Most awards require that a financial report be filed 90 days after award end date.
- Ensuring that equipment reporting requirements are fulfilled — know the terms and conditions of the award.
- Ensuring cost sharing commitments are met
- Monitoring subcontracts issued under prime agreement
- Ensuring the appropriateness and accuracy of all effort expended on the sponsored project by certifying direct-charged and committed cost-share effort.
Effort certified on sponsored projects must be reasonable and reflect actual effort in relation to all other university activities that you are engaged in.