CANR Grants Development Office
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to register on the Grants.gov website?
No. Only the AOR (Authorized Organizational Representative) needs to register. OSP is the AOR for the University, and they are already registered.
Why do I need to know about Grants.gov if OSP submits my proposal?
You need to use the Grants.gov website to download your application package and the instructions for completing it, which is done offline on your own computer.
What UConn forms do I need for an electronic proposal?
At a minimum, you will need the Internal Proposal Review form (routing sheet) and Significant Financial Interest Review forms from all senior UConn personnel. Additionally, if you have subawards, you will need a Subrecipient Checklist & Consortium Statement from each of them. If you are a subawardee on another institution’s proposal, you will need a Consortium Statement. See Proposal Development Instructions page for more information.
Who submits my electronic proposal through Grants.gov?
OSP submits all proposals through Grants.gov.
What software do I need to use Grants.gov?
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.0 or higher. You can download the correct version of Adobe Acrobat Reader by clicking on the link below and following the instructions.
http://www.grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp#adobe811
IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ARE USING THE CORRECT VERSION OF ADOBE ACROBAT. USING AN OUT-OF-DATE VERSION OF THIS SOFTWARE WILL CAUSE YOUR PROPOSAL TO KICK OUT OF THE GRANTS.GOV SYSTEM.
Who fills out the electronic forms for Grants.gov applications?
The Principal Investigator is responsible for completing their own proposal, including all forms and application packages. However, the GDO will assist with completing the standard elements of application packages provided sufficient time has been given in which to do so.
Who can help me put together a budget?
The Grants Development Officer within CANR is responsible for assisting with budgets for grants and contracts.
Do you have budget templates?
When do I need a PSA (Personal Service Agreement) and who can help me put it together?
Whenever there is a subaward to another university or a subcontract to a consultant, a contract must be drawn up between the University of Connecticut and the subawardee/consultant. This is handled by the PI with assistance from their department staff and the Contracts Specialist at OSP. All contracts and PSAs must be reviewed and approved by the Contracts office and signed by the Executive Director (Michael Crouch) at OSP before they are sent to the subawardee or consulting organization for countersignature.
The Office for Sponsored Programs website has blank forms (PSAs and Subgrant Agreements) and instructions for completing and processing them:
http://www.osp.uconn.edu/gfpsa_manual.php
Gianfranco Barbato, the Contracts Specialist at OSP at 486-4336, will be able to explain how to complete the forms if you have any problems understanding the written instructions.
What is our Employer Identification number (EIN) or tax ID number (TIN)?
UConn’s Employer Identification number is 06-0772160
What is our DUNS number?
The Organizational DUNS number for the University of Connecticut is 614209054
Who submits my electronic proposal if it is not through Grants.gov?
The PI is responsible for submitting their own proposal unless OSP is required to do so by the sponsor (which is the case with most, but not all, federal agencies).
Who mails out hard (paper) copies of my proposal?
The PI is responsible for mailing or delivering their own hard copy proposals to the sponsor.
Who gets the department head signature on my routing sheet?
The PI.
Who gets the Dean’s signature on my routing sheet for Co-PIs from other colleges?
The Internal Proposal Review form should arrive at the CANR GDO with all required signatures already on it.
How will I know when my proposal has been approved by OSP?
The GDO will contact you by email to let you know as soon as your proposal has been approved at OSP.
Do I have to go to OSP to pick up my proposal once it has been approved?
No. The GDO takes care of delivering proposals to OSP and picking up approval pages and getting them to PIs.
What indirect rate should I use?
Unless the sponsor has a written policy prohibiting or limiting the charging of indirects, you must charge indirects (also called overhead or facilities & administrative costs) at the University’s federally-negotiated rate. Current rates can be found at OSP’s Budgeting and Costing Guide
I would like to apply to a private foundation. Can I submit my proposal through the UConn Foundation?
All sponsored project proposals are submitted through OSP, unless the sponsor will not accept submissions from a 501(c)(1) organization (UConn’s tax classification) but only from a 501(c)(3) organization (such as the UConn Foundation). There are very limited times when that is the case, and each case needs to be discussed with, and approved by, the UConn Foundation prior to proposal preparation. Please see Indicators for Distinguishing Gifts and Sponsored Activity for a detailed explanation of which proposals are allowed to be put through the UConn Foundation and which have to be submitted through OSP.
In the Internal Proposal Review Form (or routing sheet), what is meant to be entered on the ‘Cost Share Approval Form’ page?
When a Principal Investigator or UConn Co-PI commits a portion of their Academic Year time to the project without recovering salary for that time in the budget, that percentage of their time that they have committed needs to be entered on the routing sheet and the associated salary and fringe amount tracked. On the Cost Share Approval Form page, you would enter the time percentage as a decimal (for example, 5% needs to be entered as .05) and the total amount of salary and fringe for all years of the project combined. Please note that Department Head signature is required on this page and on the Certifications page when there is Cost Share. The GDO can calculate this for you, but the PI will need to secure the appropriate signatures.
