Sponsored Projects Training for Administrators in Research (STAR)

Business Contracts and Subawards

This course focuses on how to determine the difference between subawards and business contracts, the process for establishing both types of agreements. Sponsored Projects will cover the process of how to propose, establish, maintain, modify and close a subaward. Business Services will present on topics pertinent to planning conferences and events, business contracts, personal service agreement, facility use permits, and university insurance requirements.

Cost Principles and Cost Accounting Standards

This course covers the primary federal regulation governing what costs may be included in proposal budgets and charged to contracts and grants: OMB Circulars A-21 and A-110.

Financial Management

This course addresses the financial aspects of administering an extramural award. Financial topics reviewed are direct costing, re-budgeting, cost transfers, overdrafts and balances, close-out procedures and reports, and Personnel Activity Reporting.

Introduction to Proposal Submission

This course provides basic instruction on preparing a proposal, securing the appropriate approvals, and submitting to the funding agency. Topics covered are eligibility to serve as principal investigator, types of proposals, interpretation of sponsor guidelines, completion of both sponsor application forms and internal campus forms, including appropriate use of various research titles and pay rates for employees, and proposal revisions. This course will also include an overview on the use of the ORBiT Database.

Negotiation and Acceptance of Awards and Gifts

This course focuses on the various actions and issues that arise during the period between the submission of a proposal and the award of a contract or grant, and covers the roles of the key players of the University and the Sponsors. Denial and withdrawal of proposals, pre-award costs, revised budgets, requests for approvals to spend (RAS), content of award terms, campus award processing, and the UCSB award synopsis are all topics explored in this course. Identifying the differences between gifts and grants will also be discussed.