Budget Modification

Supporting agencies have specific guidelines and restrictions regarding any deviation from an approved budget. The principal investigator is responsible for complying with such regulations. When prior approval for budget modifications is required, a written request should be sent to the supporting agency with copies to the appropriate Dean, the Controller, and the Office of Grants and Research.

• Carryover of Funding

  Individual sponsoring agencies have varying policies regarding funds that are unspent at the end of a budget period within a multi-year grant. You should find out what your granting agency requires so as not to jeopardize the use of these funds. (For example, NIH requires that unobligated funds be returned or subtracted from the next year's award unless the principal investigator submits an official request for carryover which is then approved by NIH.) A request for carryover funds is usually submitted with the renewal proposal for a subsequent year in a multi-year grant. However, some agencies require that requests for carryover funds be submitted prior to the due date for a renewal proposal. Either way, the request should include the amount to be carried over and an explanation of why the residual exists and how it will be used during the next budget period.

• No-Cost Extensions

  Occasionally, you may want to request a no-cost time extension to complete unfinished work on a grant project or to conduct follow-up or evaluation activities. This situation will generally occur at the end of a single-year project or at the end of the last year in a multi-year project. Requests to extend the project termination date without the allocation of additional funds should be sent to the sponsoring agency, with copies going to the appropriate Dean, the Controller, and the Office of Grants and Research. The request should include an explanation of the need for a time extension and a statement of how any remaining funds will be used during the requested period of extension. At the minimum, the request must be received by the sponsor prior to the termination date; however, substantially longer lead time (45 days or more) may be required by some agencies.

• Supplemental Funds

  A request to supplement awarded funds should be treated as a "mini-proposal". The request should include an explanation of why the extra funds are necessary, precisely how the funds will be used, and how these activities are directly related to achieving the goals and objectives of the original proposal. A detailed budget must also accompany the request. The appropriate Dean and the Controller must review and approve supplemental budget requests before they are sent to the sponsoring agency. A copy of the request should be filed with the Office of Grants and Research.