Grant Life Cycle

A grant moves through eight stages in three phases. In the Pre-Award phase you develop the project, identify a funding opportunity, prepare the proposal, and finalize and submit it. In the Award phase you wait for the award notification and then negotiate or accept the award. In the Post-Award phase the award is managed through to close-out.

• Project Development
• Identify Funding Opportunities
• Proposal Preparation
• Finalize and Submit the Grant Proposal
• Grant Award Notification
• Negotiate or Accept Award
• Grant Award Management
• Grant Award Close-Out

• Project Development: Develop a research project idea, aligned with IVAN Research Institute and federal policies, that is a distinctive and fundable concept.
• Identify Funding Opportunities: Once you have developed your unique research project concept, explore the funding available from federal and non-federal sources, national databases, private foundations, nonprofit institutions, and other funding corporations.
• Proposal Preparation: As you begin to prepare your grant proposal, read the funder's application guidelines, processes, and requirements carefully — and then read them again. Their importance cannot be overemphasized.
• Finalize and Submit the Grant Proposal: Create a checklist from the proposal guidelines and make sure every formatting requirement is met even before the pre-award review. ORSPA is available to assist you, but you are responsible for your proposal. The Pre-Award team helps enhance the chances of your proposal being funded, and plays a key role when you submit it.

• Grant Award Notification: Funding agencies need time to review and evaluate proposals. Typically, expect a wait of four to ten months between submitting your proposal and the start of a funding opportunity.
• Negotiate or Accept Award: When an award is confirmed, IVAN Research Institute manages the fiscal administration of grants and contracts. ORSPA reviews the terms and conditions of the award, then negotiates and accepts it on your behalf.

• Grant Award Management: ORSPA helps you set up the grant account, facilitates all grant-related transactions, and sets up subcontracts or sub-awards. You will have access to view and allocate your grant award as appropriate.
• Financial and Programmatic Reporting: ORSPA assists the PI in developing the routine reports the funder requires.
• Grant Award Close-Out: ORSPA helps complete any final reports, create invention statements, detail invoices, and outline the financial reports needed to close out the award.

The required CITI certifications and the Conflict of Interest form must be completed by all personnel working on a sponsored research project. If the PI or associated research personnel are involved with human subjects or animals in their research, they must also complete the required training modules.

Required certifications:

• Human Research for Investigators
• Condensed Research Security Training Module
• Nigerian National Code for Health Research Ethics
• Responsible Conduct of Research
• Social and Behavioral Research for Investigators

Other requirements across the life of a project:

• Before submitting a grant proposal, PIs must file a Disclosure of Significant Financial Interests form and send it to ORSPA.
• All investigators on a research project must complete and submit a monthly effort certificate form.
• Before closing out a project, PIs must file a completion report.

ORSPA considers the policies, regulations, and requirements issued by State, University, and Federal offices for every individual sponsored project. A sponsored project is an activity sponsored, or funded, by an external organization, such as a federal, state, or private organization or agency.

Characteristics of a sponsored project include:

• A specific scope of work or set of specific aims.
• Financial accountability and/or reporting; the funds must be separately budgeted and accounted for.
• A specific period of performance.
• Deliverables, including a final technical report.

The life cycle of a sponsored project spans the project from proposal stage to closeout:

• Proposal Preparation
• Proposal Approval and Submission to Sponsor
• Award Review, Negotiation, Hold Resolution
• Account Setup
• Award Management
• Award Closeout

ORSPA is responsible for award establishment, financial administration, and ensuring compliance with IVAN Research Institute policies, government regulatory requirements, and sponsor-specific policies.

After an award has been issued and both parties have agreed to its terms and conditions, it is the Institute's Post-Award team's responsibility to make sure those requirements are followed. A variety of issues can arise during this phase of a sponsored project, so review the notice of award to see what specifications it lists, and encourage compliance in both the award set-up and its management.

Contact the ORSPA team (Research Administrators, or RAs) if you are unsure about any of the following guidelines or terms and conditions of an award:

• Changes to programs during the life of an award
• Cost transfers and cost sharing
• Equipment threshold
• Federal terms and conditions
• Key personnel
• Managing salary costs
• Monitoring project budgets
• Monthly effort reporting
• No-cost extensions
• Reporting requirements
• Subawards