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Award Acceptance & Setup

Grant award acceptance involves formalizing the agreement with the funding agency, while setup focuses on the administrative and financial steps to prepare for the project's implementation.

All award letters must be reviewed by an authorized organizational official (AOR) prior to being processed, whether negotiation and/or signature are required or not. 

Award Negotiation

Award Negotiation occurs during the period between the submission of a proposal and the start of a project. The sponsor acknowledges that they intend to fund the project, but an agreement with the university to meet their requirements must happen first. This agreement or award is a legally binding document that requires review by an authorized representative of the university. SPARC serves in this capacity. Please send all award notifications (email, PDF, etc.) to AOR@uncw.edu.  

During this period, SPARC reviews the sponsored agreement, terms and conditions, and other obligations to confirm that the University can accept and comply with all requirements. 

Some agreements require minimal to no negotiation, especially if they are unilateral. However, those that do require negotiation (bilateral, etc.) may require significant attention and review. Any changes must be made and agreed to by both the university and the sponsor/other signing parties. This process can be very time-intensive. It is important to remember that proper negotiations safeguard the rights of both the university and the researchers undertaking the project. 

Funding Mechanisms

Sponsored projects are issued to the University through various types of funding mechanisms. Each type dictates the manner of funding and the control the sponsor has over the project.

There are many interchangeable terms used when referring to grants and contracts, but there are specific definitions that make them unique. It is important to recognize the type of funding mechanism when assessing the need for negotiation. Some may require negotiation while others are not open to negotiation.

Funding Mechanism Types

A grant is a flexible method of financial assistance provided to support a project and its set goals in support of a public purpose with no substantial programmatic involvement from the sponsor. 
A contract is a legal instrument for procuring goods or services where the purchaser has significant programmatic and administrative control over the completion of the project. 

A formalized agreement where a project is carried out between a recipient of an agreement and subsequent organization(s) that is a separate legal entity. Subrecipient agreements are required when the subsequent organization is collaborating on the completion and direction of the project’s goals. The University regularly receives funding as a subrecipient to other institution’s funding, as well as providing funding to sub-recipients on projects held by UNCW. 

A method of financial assistance between a sponsor and recipient(s) that involves a substantial amount of programmatic involvement by both the sponsor and the recipient(s) in completing the awarded activities. 

Funds provided to the University for a non-generalized or specific purpose are considered a gift if they: 

  • Do not require deliverables or reports on the progress completed
  • No specified period of performance
  • No fiscal accountability to the donor

This type of funding mechanism is not administered by SPARC; it is administered by the University Advancement.  

Generally, the University recommends use of a professional service agreement when collaborating with individuals. These are handled through SPARC. A consultant may provide advisory services related to a sponsored research project. UNCW personnel may not receive consulting or professional services agreements when the prime award is received directly to the University, those personnel should be included on the main project budget with their effort allocated as appropriate to the project.  
A research service agreement is a contract between UNCW and a sponsor for the purposes of funding and conducting research at UNCW for a limited period. An RSA may be supported by for-profit (e.g., private industry) or non-profit (e.g., state or federal government, foundations, peer institutions, etc.) sponsors. 
An award to develop or enhance research training opportunities for individuals who are training for careers in specified areas of biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research.  
An agreement for the primary purpose of developing infrastructure. 

Fellowships and scholarships are grants that support the educational experience of the recipient. They may be research related or non-research activities. These funds are not considered compensation for performance. The purposes of these grants are to enhance the academic experience and career growth.  

Some Sponsors use the term fellowship to support individuals who are actually participating in a defined research project in which deliverables are expected. The funds are considered compensation for performance and usually includes stipend payments. This type of fellowship represents an employment relationship. It is important to carefully read the sponsor’s guidelines to determine which type of fellowship the sponsor is offering and the implications for proposal processing, budgeting, deliverables, award acceptance, and award management. 

Many sponsors fund fellowships; however, the most common are foundations, NSF and NIH. 

A research consulting agreement is required when an individual not affiliated with UNCW serves as a consultant and provides a highly technical or specialized service on a University research project. The consultant is considered to be an independent contractor (IC) and the agreement must be in place before any professional service is provided in support of the project. 

If the individual is employed at another university, UNCW will need written documentation from the principal investigator stating that the consultant will not be doing the work at their university (i.e., not using their university office or lab space, resources, etc.).