Step 5: Initiate the Project

When a sponsor decides to fund your project, ORSP receives, reviews, and negotiates the award, and interprets the sponsor’s guidelines for administering it. The account is then set up so that work and spending can begin. Financial post-award is managed in Financial Services.

Review and acceptance

Curious what happens after your Notice of Award arrives? Expand this section to see how ORSP reviews and accepts the award on the University’s behalf.

• The award arrives at ORSP. The sponsor’s Notice of Award (NoA) — the official document that funds the project and sets its terms — usually comes to ORSP, not to you directly. If it lands in your inbox first, forward it to ORSP () right away.
• ORSP receives, reviews, and negotiates the award with the sponsor. ORSP reads the terms and conditions, reconciles the awarded budget against your proposal, and negotiates any problematic terms with the sponsor. 
• Because the award is made to the University, only ORSP — not the PI — can accept it on WFU’s behalf.

Confirm compliance approvals before set-up

If your project involves human subjects, animals, or hazardous materials, expand this section to see which approvals must be in place before your account can be set up.

• Projects involving human participants), animals, biological or hazardous materials, or international collaborators, the relevant approvals (IRB, IACUC, biosafety, or compliance) and required training must be in place before the account is set up. 
• Build in time for these approvals so they do not delay your start.

From notice of award to a spendable account

Wondering how long it takes to actually start spending, or what might hold up your account? Expand this section for the steps between award notice and a working Workday account.

• A sponsor’s decision to fund you doesn’t mean you can start charging the grant the next day. Between the notice of award and a working account, the award has to be accepted by the University, your compliance approvals confirmed, and an account built in Workday.
• Compliance is cleared. Before an account can be set up or any spending begins, your required approvals must be in place — IRB for human subjects, IACUC for animals, biosafety where applicable — and any required training (RCR, research security) complete. Pending approvals are the most common thing that holds up an account, so close them out early. (See Research Compliance page.)
• The account is built in Workday. Once the award is accepted and compliance is confirmed, the Post-Award team creates the award and grant records in Workday — including the grant “worktag” that lets charges post to the project — and loads your budget.
• You’re notified, and you can spend. When setup is complete, you and your GCM are notified of the grant number/worktag. That notification is your green light: salaries, supplies, travel, and services can now post to the account.

Starting before the award arrives

Need to begin work before your award is finalized? Expand this section for how to request pre-award approval and the risks involved.

• Sometimes work needs to begin before the award is fully in place. On federal grants, you can request approval to incur certain costs in advance.
• Pre-award spending on federal grants requires prior approval from your department chair and ORSP, and any human- or animal-subjects work must have IRB or IACUC approval in place first.
•  If approved, a pre-award account is set up so costs can be tracked. Spending before an award is finalized carries risk — if the project isn’t ultimately funded, the costs fall to you or your department.
• Talk with your GCM before incurring any pre-award costs.

Account set-up

Want to know how and when your award funds become available to spend? Expand this section for the three funding methods WFU uses and how each affects timing.

• Once the award is received and the account is established in the university’s financial system, you can begin spending. 
• Awards are funded in one of three ways, and the method affects the timing of when the funds are authorized to be spent.
  • Cost-reimbursable awards reimburse actual costs as they post (usually invoiced or drawn quarterly)
  • Fixed-price awards pay set amounts on a schedule or as milestones are met
  • Prepaid awards are paid up front at the start. 
  • Your GCM can tell you which applies to your award.

Hiring

Ready to bring on graduate students, postdocs, or lab staff? Expand this section for who to contact, sample position descriptions, and realistic hiring timelines.

• For graduate student hiring, please work with your GCM who will partner with GSAS to set up the appointment on your grant following this process.
• For hiring undergraduate students, please see the process described in the Develop Proposal section and explore the policy and guide for more details.
• For postdocs and all other laboratory staff, hiring is coordinated through the Human Resources (HR) Talent Liaison, Melissa Mickles (). Additional information on the process and relevant policies is available here.
• Work with our Human Resources (HR) Talent Liaison to develop the position description. Sample position descriptions for postdoctoral fellows and lab technicians are available here.
• Staff hiring requests may be prepared and submitted to Human Resources (HR) prior to an award receipt, however, positions cannot be posted until the award has been received and the associated account has been established.  Once the award is set up, please notify the Talent Liaison, Melissa Mickles (), and provide the associated Workday code.
• Plan hiring timelines accordingly. It typically takes 6 to 8 weeks from submitting the request to completing the search, making an offer, and setting a start date.
• Once the job description has been submitted, HR will determine the appropriate salary range using market data and position-specific factors, including required education, years of experience, and other details outlined in the job description. They will also help you to consider departmental and university-wide equity guidelines. If a suitable match is not available, the HR Talent Liaison will submit a market data request to HR Compensation for further review.

Training research personnel

Need to confirm your team has the right training in place? Expand this section for the compliance training tied to your project’s specific requirements.

• Make sure everyone on your team has the training their role requires — including any compliance training tied to human subjects, animal care, biosafety, or responsible conduct of research.