Managing Your Grants

Managing Your Grants

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How Do I Manage My Grant Funds? 

Receive & Manage Funding

After securing funding and notifying Research Services Office (RSO), researchers can set up their research project account. Once established, they can access funds and initiate their research. Subsequently, research administration activities mainly revolve around financial management and progress reporting.

Throughout the process, researchers can rely on Research Administrative Services for support in:

 

Watch Managing Research Projects.

 

Review of Expenditures

Eligible Spending & Sponsor Audits

Refer to the Guide to Financial Management - Expenditure Approvals, Expenditure Transaction Processing: Research and Special Purpose Projects regarding the University's framework for electronic approvals.

Watch Reviewing & Verifying Research Grant Expenditures.

Over-expenditures

When a research project has an unauthorized over-expenditure, the RSA will deactivate the project within approximately nine days after month-end to prevent further over-expenditure. 

Watch Creating a Request for Authorization of a Temporary Over Expenditure.

Watch Understanding Research Expenditure Testing.

 

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Delegation of Signing Authority

Authorization is granted to the Principal Investigator/Trust Holder (account holder) to make expenditures that are in accordance with University policy and procedures and are compliant with granting agency/donor terms and conditions. 

Authorization to expend funds can be delegated (refer to Delegation of Signing Authority Procedure). Delegation must be in writing and on file at the Unit.

Delegation of Signing Authority (Sponsored Research Funds) Form

Many sponsors require that research funding terms be set out in a contract. The University is committed to entering into research contracts that embody principles of fairness, accountability, open disclosure of research results, and research carried out with the highest possible standards.

Signing Authority. RAS is the signing authority for research contracts, not researchers.

Contracts are reviewed and approved in accordance with the University's Contract Review and Signing Authority Policy found on UAPPOL. The Research Administrative Services (RAS) coordinates the review and signing of all research contracts. This includes:

  • research contracts with single or multiple sponsors
  • technical service contracts
  • subcontracts for research involving other institutions
  • master agreements
  • research network and inter-institutional agreements
  • memoranda of understanding for research projects

RSA has template contracts available for these situations, or can review contracts provided by sponsors.

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More Information on Managing Your Grants Funds

  • Account Terms of Reference
  • Subgrants
  • Amendments. When project terms and conditions change, amendments are required to the award or agreement.
  • Research Contracts. RSO is the signing authority for research contracts, not researchers. Read more on steps to obtaining a signed research contract.
  • Tri-agency Renewal. The Tri-Agency streamlined and simplified the administration and use of grant funds by launching the new Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration (TAGFA) which strives to promote efficiencies and provide greater flexibility to both administering institutions and grant recipients in ensuring the appropriate accountability and use of grant funds.
  • ConsignO Memo. ConsignO is a user-friendly electronic signature cloud platform that enables recipients to sign documents from anywhere using desktops, smartphones and tablets. ConsignO provides a reliable audit of signature authenticity in accordance with industry standards.

 

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Purchasing Goods/Services

How do I purchase goods/services using grant funds?

SupplyNet is the university's web application (e-procurement platform) for purchasing and paying for goods and services. A variety of goods and services are available and include office supplies, lab equipment, and shredding services. The table below provides a sampling of commodities available through our Preferred Suppliers in SupplyNet. For a comprehensive list of our preferred suppliers and available commodities, visit the SupplyNet.

A Corporate Purchasing Card is available for employees who regularly purchase low dollar goods or services that are not available from Preferred Suppliers and that do not require a SupplyNet PO.

For more information, read Purchasing goods and services at the U of A: An overview of the four different purchasing methods available.

 

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