Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Where can I find funding sources for my particular research interests?
2. How do I write a proposal?
3. How do I prepare a budget?
4. What rates (fringe benefits, F&A, per diem) do I use in my budget?
5. My proposal contains a subaward/subawards. What documentation do I need to provide?
6. My proposal contains matching/cost sharing (M/CS). What documentation do I need to provide?
7. My proposal involves an F&A reduction/zero F&A. What documentation do I need to provide?
8. I have a pre-proposal/letter of commitment/proposal/revision/continuation. Does it need to be routed through the Office of Sponsored Programs?
9. What is required of OSP for a proposal?
10. Where can I find all these forms I need?
11. My proposal involves human subjects/animals/hazardous materials. What do I need to do?
12. How do I negotiate or accept an award?
13. How do I handle a no-cost extension/PI change/Transfer of award/etc.?
14. How do I prepare an NSF proposal?
15. What is an NIH Modular Research Grant?
16. Is it spelled Principal or Principle Investigator?
17. What is the difference between Alaska and Alaskan?
18. Is UAF a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization?

Answers

1. Funding search resources are located in the Funding Searches section.
   
   
2. A proposal should be written according to a Sponsor's application guidelines. The Sponsor's guidelines will provide information about its priorities in funding; required sections and forms; budgetary considerations; overall proposal format; submission deadlines; and additional requirements. The proposal writing resources section has general proposal writing references.
   
   
3. A budget consists of all costs requested from the Sponsor necessary to complete the project (i.e. salaries & wages, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, student tuition remission, project supplies, subawards, services & consultants, other direct costs, and F&A cost recovery). The Budget Guidelines section has more information about preparing a budget.
   
   
4. What rates (fringe benefits, F&A, per diem) do I use in my budget?
   
   Current fringe benefit rates
   Current F&A rates
   Domestic per diem rates
   Foreign per diem rates
   
   
   For Alaska per diem rates, use the daily lodging rate for the Alaskan city and add $44/day maximum for meals and incidentals per UA Board of Regents policy.
   
   
5. At a minimum, each subrecipient organization must provide OSP with a Subrecipient Commitment Form (Form OSP-007), a statement of work, a budget, and budget justification. The Form OSP-007 must be signed by the subrecipient organization's Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) and PI. Other documentation may be required based on answers given in the Form OSP-007.
   
   
6. UAF only allows mandatory M/CS. In other words M/CS is allowable only when required by the Sponsor. If the M/CS is mandatory, include with the proposal a copy of the Sponsor’s M/CS requirements and the M/CS Form (Form OSP-002) signed by the department dean or institute director authorizing the M/CS commitment from departmental resources. For more information regarding UAF’s M/CS policy, see the M/CS Policy section.
   
   
7. Provide a copy of the Sponsor’s F&A rate with the proposal. For more on UAF’s F&A Policy, see the F&A Cost Recovery section.
   
   
   
8. See Routing Procedures for more information.
   
   
   
9. The Office of Sponsored Programs needs the following: the UAF Proposal Routing Form signed by the PI, Co-Is, fiscal officer, and deans/directors/department chairs; a copy of the final proposal; a copy of the Sponsor’s application guidelines; documentation for subawards; M/CS documentation; Sponsor documentation for reductions in F&A recovery; budget spreadsheet; and budget justification. The Office of Sponsored Programs requires 5 business days to review a proposal. Proposals that request exemptions from University policy, include M/CS, or F&A cost recovery restrictions REQUIRE ADDITIONAL REVIEW TIME. Proposals with incomplete documentation will also REQUIRE ADDITIONAL REVIEW TIME.
   
   
   
10. Check the Forms section. If you can't find the form you need, contact us, and we'll help you find it.
    
    
11. Contact the Office of Research Integrity. ORI will assist you with safety plan development and determine if a research protocol will be needed for the proposed project. Be sure to mark any of these special considerations on the UAF Proposal Routing Form.
    
    
12. Awards are negotiated and accepted through UAF Grant & Contract Services (OGCA) . You or your department may receive a letter of intent to award or a copy of an award notification, but Maggie Griscavage, Director of OGCA officially negotiates and accepts all awards on behalf of the university.
    
    
13. These requests are considered revisions to existing awards, which are handled through OGCA. Contact your department business office or OGCA for assistance with these requests.
    
    
14. Check the NSF Fastlane Proposal Preparation website for more information.
    
    
15. Check the NIH Modular Grants website for more information.
    
    
    
16. Principal Investigator, always. This is a common grammatical mistake. The word "principle" can never be an adjective, it is a noun referring to a fundamental law or belief. The word "principal" can be either a noun or an adjective and is the correct choice in this case, because it refers to the main investigator on a project.
    
    
17. This is also a common grammatical mistake. Alaska is either (1) A noun, as in the U.S. state Alaska or (2) An adjective when describing something from Alaska or of Alaska (i.e., Alaska roads, Alaska Natives, Alaska potatoes, etc.). An Alaskan, on the other hand, is a citizen of the state of Alaska, and should not be used as an adjective.
    
    
    
18. Technically, no. UAF is tax-exempt under Section 115 of the Internal Revenue Service Code, which provides for the exclusion of income for instrumentalities of a state or municipal government. It is a designation assigned to public institutions. Contributions to educational institutions, such as the University of Alaska, are tax-deductible by donors for federal income tax if made exclusively for public purposes as provided for in Section 170(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code. Occasionally, even with the determination letter from the IRS, sponsors may feel more comfortable giving to the UA Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) organization. Contributions from private donors should be directed to the UAF Office of Development (474-6402).

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