Depending on the type of grant or contract, the University receives the "notice of award" from the various funding agencies as follows:
- Tri-council Grant/Contracts are forwarded to Research Accounting
- Provincial/Federal/Other Grant/Contracts are forwarded to the Office of Research Services (ORS)
Once Research Financial Services receives a "Notice of Award" from a funding agency the grant or contract then enters into the post-award administration cycle. The following steps must occur before a Principal Investigator (PI) can spend funds on a research grant/contract.
Steps for Receiving Research Funding
- Research Accounting e-mails an Accountability Document (AD) (PDF) to the PI for signature
- PI assigns delegated signing authority (if applicable) and has delegates(s) sign the AD
- PI returns AD to Research Accounting
- Research Accounting confirms ethics approval
- Cost centre is set-up and funds are transferred (Note: only one year of funding at a time is set-up)
- If applicable, all overhead expenses are charged up front so that funds are not accidentally spent
- E-mail sent to PI notifying them of access to their funds
- Access to eReports is provided and training is arranged, if required
Grant Set-up Resources
The AD outlines the responsibilities of all relevant parties involved in the financial administration of research grants/contracts...
For operational efficiency the PI may choose to delegate signing authority to other full-time University staff to approve expenditures against a grant or contract...
An explanation and breakdown of what forms a cost centre/budget number.