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News & Updates

Researcher Toolbox

Support During the Federal Government Reopening

On November 13, the federal government reopened after a 43-day shutdown that began on October 1. There may continue to be impacts on federally sponsored programs, services, and research as federal agencies gradually return to normal operations and work through a significant backlog in processing.

Key Information and Actionable Steps

  • Resumption of Normal Operations: All previously paused federal research activities can now continue as planned unless you received a specific "stop work" order directly from your sponsor.
  • Expect Delays: Please plan for processing delays in all agency actions, including new award negotiations, no-cost extensions, and payment reimbursements, as agencies work through the backlog.
  • Monitor Agency Communications: We encourage you to monitor official agency websites (e.g., NIH, NSF, Grants.gov, Research.gov) for specific updates on grant cycles, application timelines, and operational changes.
  • Proposal Deadlines: Published proposal submission deadlines remain in effect unless an agency formally announces an extension. Please continue to coordinate with your SPARC representative to ensure all submissions are completed on time.
  • Communicate with SPARC: If you receive any direct communication from a sponsor regarding an award, "stop work" notice, or significant project changes resulting from the shutdown, please forward it to AOR@uncw.edu immediately. Please contact your dedicated SPARC representative if you have any general questions or require assistance.

SPARC is actively re-engaging with agency contacts and monitoring federal announcements to provide the most current information. The university is closely monitoring developments and working with the UNC System, our congressional delegation, and other campus partners.

Mandated Research Security Training

New Federal Requirement for Sponsored Programs - Mandated Research Security Training

Federal research funding agencies continue to implement research security requirements in accordance with federal regulations (CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 and NSPM-33). This includes a new research security training requirement for all Senior/Key Personnel listed on applications to be completed within 12 months prior to proposal submission.

Additional agencies are expected to implement the training requirement in the coming months.

SPARC and RIO encourage all covered individuals to take advantage of the 1-hour training module available through the SECURE Center, which meets the government-wide requirement. Provide a copy of the downloadable completion certificate to your Sponsored Programs Officer to associate with the proposal’s OSPREY file. Lack of training certification will prevent application submission.

Contact SPARC or the Research Integrity Office with questions or for assistance.

SPARC Virtual Office Hours

Join us for Virtual Office Hours - We're here to answer your questions!

Every Tuesday and Thursday from 1-2 p.m. at least one SPARC staff member will be available via Zoom to provide faculty and staff the opportunity to ask questions, discuss current events, and consider sponsored project opportunities. Click the link below to join.

SPARC Virtual Office Hours T, Th from 1-2 p.m.

  • Meeting ID: 853 6413 2964
  • Passcode: 109119

PUI Status

With UNCW's success in graduating more than 20 Ph.D. students in the last two years in areas supported by the National Science Foundation, the institution is no longer considered a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) by NSF.

WHY IT MATTERS

With this change, effectively immediately, UNCW is no longer eligible to apply for funding from the "Research in Undergraduate Institutions" (RUI) program. Further, the standard 30% cost-share for non-PUI eligible institutions on awards from the NSF Major Research Instrumentation program will be waived by NSF for five-years starting in FY2023, due to the CHIPS and Science act of 2022.

UNCW currently remains eligible for the NIH Academic Research Enhancement Awards ("AREA") for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15) opportunities, as this change does not impact these opportunities.

NEXT STEPS

If you are currently writing an NSF proposal to submit using the RUI mechanism, NSF recommends submitting directly to the most relevant research program. If you are unsure about the best program, NSF further recommends conducting a keyword search in the NSF awards database to identify previous funding for similar research efforts. The SPARC pre-award team is available to assist (proposals@uncw.edu ).