1) Guide for PI's. This is a good resource for those who assist faculty with grant or proposal preparation. The guide is located on the Office of Research's publications page.

 2) Forms you'll need (these can be found on the OVPR's electronic forms web page):

a) PDS (Proposal Data Sheet) - Double sided form on light blue paper

b) Conflict of Interest (COI) cover sheet

c) Conflict of Interest (COI) form       

d) Cost Sharing Commitment form (use only if you have cost sharing, which is a promise to contribute to the total proposed dollar amount by the PI or the department or an entity other than the agency receiving the proposal)

More info on cost sharing is in Cost Sharing on Sponsored Projects Policy #2430.

3) Other forms you might need (examples: NSF; DARPA; ONR; NIH)

4) Budget templates

a) Excel Templates ( 1 YEAR BUDGET, 5 YEAR BUDGET)
b) Fringe Benefit rates
c) Facility & Administration (F&A) rates

 5) Signature routing (If multiple departments are involved, you must get a signature from each department.)

a) PI (PDS & COI)
b) Co-PI's (COI's)
c) Chairman/director
d) Dean
e) ORS (Office of Research Services)

6) Information that funding agencies frequently require

7) Proposal Tracking System. Need to find information on a proposal submitted, awarded, denied, or cancelled in your department? Check out the proposal tracking system. You can obtain access and a password from ORS.         

8) Suggestions:

a) Keep a database of grant/proposal submissions and awards for each fiscal year (July 1-June 30). Check those awards and dollar amounts awarded every FY against reports sent to you from ORS. This information is also often used in annual reports by many departments.

b) Keep a separate folder for each contract/grant proposal and for each contract/grant awarded.

c) Keep separate accounting records (with spreadsheets or accounting software) for each award, and reconcile to Hyperion finance reports monthly.

d) Archive records once contract/grant is closed. Contact Records Management on how long you should keep records.

Make sure to check out all UNM Policies and Procedures on Accounting, especially sections 4000 and 7000!

Budget Revisions Form used to move dollar amounts between account codes in and between indexes.

Faculty (not research faculty) often do not teach in the summer semesters. They choose instead to concentrate on their research and often are paid for their research time from their contracts or grants. In order for them to receive these payments, you must process Summer Research Forms.

a) Here is what the form looks like (coming soon). It is a multi-part form available from Faculty Contracts on main campus.

b) The maximum number of days a faculty member can be paid for summer research is 65. These days run from mid-May through mid-August.

c) National Science Foundation (NSF) limits the number of summer research days paid from NSF funding to 43.33.

d) Summer days are paid at the faculty member's daily pay rate. To figure the daily rate for a 9-month faculty member, take the base salary and divide by 195. Example: $60,000 base salary/195 = $307.69 per day.

e) Since UNM's fiscal year starts July 1st, faculty daily rates may need to be adjusted to account for salary increases. Thus, you will need one form for May-June summer research at the old pay rate, and another form for July-August summer research at the increased pay rate.

f) Signatures/approvals required:

• Principal Investigator (P.I./faculty member).
  
• Authorized signature for account being charged.
  
• Chair/director of department.
  
• Dean/director.
  
• Contracts & Grants accounting officer.

Always check your funding before paying summer research! Make sure you have the money available before sending in your forms.