Questions and Answers (Q & A)

Principal Investigator (PI)	The individual responsible for conceiving and implementing a project is known as the Principal Investigator (PI) or Program Director (PD). When this individual takes on the task of preparing a proposal for submission to an outside source, he or she agrees to manage the ensuing grant or contract in compliance with the terms and conditions and policies of both the sponsor and the University.
Pre-Award	The pre-award process is the period prior to the university receiving an award from the funding agency. This period covers from the initial idea to submit a proposal for funding through the submission of that proposal to the funding agency/entity. Intent to Write Internal Approval of pre-proposal documents Proposal Development Proposal Submission
Participant Costs	Participant Support Costs are cost paid to (or on behalf of) participants or trainees (but not employees) of a workshop, conference, seminar, symposium or other information sharing activity. These costs include stipends* or subsistence allowances, travel allowances and registration fees paid to the participants or trainees. The participants are not required to provide any service to the University. Participants may include students, national scholars and scientists, private sector representatives, teachers and others who attend and participate in the conference workshop or training activity. *A stipend is not considered compensation for services normally expected of an employee. These funds cannot be used to pay for costs of the project staff to travel to a conference, costs of bringing collaborators together for a meeting, etc. or for the Principal Investigator (PI) to attend a seminar, workshop or training event.
Internal Processing Form (IPF) Package	This is the current process for routing documents for internal review & approval prior to proposal development. Internal Process Form (IPF) Scope of Work or proposal abstract/summary Budget Spreadsheet Budget justification Support or commitment letters Agency documents requiring a live signature
Proposal Development	This is the process taken to develop your proposal application based on the agency announcement/opportunity/request for proposal guidelines. Following these guidelines are critical to your application getting reviewed by the agency proposal review panel and reaching the recommendation to award stage. If the proposal does not meet the requirements as outlined in the announcement, chances are that it will not be reviewed but rejected.
Post-Award	The post-award process is the process after the award notification is received in the Office of Sponsored Programs. During this process, OSP will review the award for compliance with the proposal submitted to the agency and agency terms and conditions. Once the review is final, the award is processed with the office responsible for managing the award financials -Restricted Funds Accounting (RFA). Once the award is established in the university’s financial system (Banner), a post-award meeting is scheduled with the Principle Investigator (PI) to review the terms of the award – this meeting is called the Post-Award Meeting (PAM).
Who do I contact to find funding/funding opportunities?	The Office of Research Development and Services (RDS) can assist with finding funding opportunities. They have a system that allows you to search for funding opportunities based on your areas of interest. For assistance, please contact the Director Mrs. Brittany Maday bmaday [at] desu.edu">bmaday [at] desu.edu.
Where do I go for assistance with proposal development?	The first stop for assistance will be within your college. You can request assistance from your dean’s office; however, the Office of Research Development and Services (RDS) can also assist. For assistance, please contact the Director Mrs. Brittany Maday bmaday [at] desu.edu">bmaday [at] desu.edu.
Can I get paid from a grant if I am currently employed at the university?	Yes, you can receive supplemental pay from grant funds if you are currently employed by the university. You will need to follow the university’s Supplemental Compensation Policy.
How is Indirect Costs calculated in a proposal budget?	The calculations for the IDC can be found on page 3 of the Institutional Fact Sheet.
How do I know what is allowed on my grant award?	Once your award is processed through the Office of Sponsored Programs, you will attend a scheduled Post-Award Meeting (PAM) to review the terms and conditions of your award. Your awarded budget will provide you with the expenditures approved by the agency and guidelines to follow during the award performance period. During your PAM, you will also discuss who to contact for assistance in processing your expenditure documents for approval that are compliant with your awarded budget and university policy.
How do I get the budget numbers for my award?	If you have a new award processed through Sponsored Programs, you will receive your award/budget number at the post-award meeting (PAM). If you have a continuation award, a PAM will not be held; however, once the award is processed through OSP, it will be forwarded to the Office of Restricted Funds Accounting (RFA) to assign a new fund number for the current year.
Who do I contact for help with processing expenditure documents (requisitions, travel forms, etc.)?	The first stop for assistance will be within your college. You can request assistance from your dean’s office; however, the Office of Research Development and Services can also assist. For assistance, please contact the Director Mrs. Brittany Maday bmaday [at] desu.edu">(bmaday [at] desu.edu).
What is the process for submitting proposals through Sponsored Programs?	The proposal submission process* is in the Reference Guides & Forms Library on our website along with other presentations on our processes.*
Who is responsible for submitting project related reports?	The PI is responsible for all technical reports and ensuring Sponsored Programs is notified to release to the agency if required by the funded agency and by the agency due date. The Office of Restricted Funds Accounting (RFA) is responsible for processing and submitting the financial reports according to agency requirements and deadlines. The PI should work with both offices to ensure deadlines are met.
Who do I contact if I have questions on IRB/Human Subjects or IACUC/Animal Care?	For assistance with IRB or IACUC, you can first visit our website at https://www.desu.edu/research/sponsored-programs/irb-iacuc. For further information, please email Ms. Chanel Haman at chaman [at] desu.edu">chaman [at] desu.edu.
What is the purpose of the IRB?	The Institutional Review Board is a committee dedicated to reviewing research projects to ensure that the project is ethically conducted. The safety of the participants is key.
Who serves on the IRB?	The IRB is comprised of various faculty and staff members. These members are appointed and have expertise in their individual professions.
Where can I find applications and forms regarding the IRB and the process for approval?	You can find all applications and other helpful documents on the Sponsored Programs web page under the References and Forms Library.
What are the applications available for submission?	A researcher can submit an exemption form* or a full application.*
How long does it take to get a decision on my research?	An exemption application will take 3-7 business days. A full application can take up to 30 business days. There is an IRB calendar, on the Sponsored Programs page, which identifies the submission deadline and monthly meeting dates the IRB will meet.
Is there help available for IRB related matters?	Yes!! Please email either sponsoredprograms [at] desu.edu">sponsoredprograms [at] desu.edu or chaman [at] desu.edu">chaman [at] desu.edu. We will respond to the email and set up a Zoom or Teams meeting to provide assistance. We are here to help!