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Frequently Asked Questions

 


Searching for Funding


How can ORSP help me find funding for my project?

ORSP offers a variety of resources for identifying sponsorship for your projects, including searchable databases, funding alerts via email, and links to current funding opportunities from Federal Agencies.


What funding database is available for me to search, and how comprehensive is it?

SPIN (Sponsored Programs Information Network) is the funding opportunities database that ORSP makes available to SF State faculty and administrative directors. Designed to provide up-to-date information on both government and private funding sources, SPIN contains information from more than 2,500 different agencies about thousands of separate funding opportunities. All of the data in SPIN come directly from the sponsoring agencies to ensure the integrity of the information.
Getting Started: Download SPIN Quick Start-up Guide

Go to our SPIN Database page

 

Can I search SPIN from off campus?

The SPIN database is automatically available from every on-campus computer. SF State faculty and administrative directors are eligible to set up a user account in the GENIUS/SMARTS email alert system, which also allows off-campus access to SPIN.


How can I sign up for automatic email alerts of funding opportunities related to my project(s)?

Available to SFSU faculty and administrative directors, GENIUS/SMARTS is a comprehensive, electronic funding opportunity notification system. Users set up detailed individual profiles by selecting keywords relating to their disciplines and projects, which are then matched on a daily basis with government and private funding opportunities in the "SPIN" database. Matching opportunities are then automatically emailed to individual researchers.
Getting Started: Download Quick Profile Set-up Guide
Editing an Exisiting Profile: Download Quick Edit Guide

Go to our GENIUS/SMARTS page

 

I'm not sure whether the funding source I identified in my search is really the right one for my project — what should I do?

Every funding program has a "Program Officer" or "Program Contact" identified in its program guidelines and in its SPIN database program description. We strongly recommend that you always email or telephone this individual prior to spending your time writing a grant proposal. The Program Officer's role is to answer your questions, and to assess whether your project is an appropriate fit for the funding program in question. If the Program Officer encourages you to submit a grant proposal, he or she can suggest how to make your proposal its most competitive. If the Program Officer does not encourage you to submit, he or she might have ideas about other funding programs within the agency that would be a better fit.


Applying for a Grant


Who is eligible to submit grant proposals?

Tenured/tenure-track faculty members and MPP Directors are eligible to submit proposals for extra-mural funding through ORSP, and serve as Project Investigators. If you are interested in applying for a grant but are not a tenured/tenure-track faculty member or MPP Director, you may apply for Project Investigator eligibility status.


How far in advance of the proposal deadline should I contact ORSP?

Please contact ORSP as soon as you know you are going to submit a grant proposal. Ideally, you should contact us at least 3 weeks before your deadline, so that we can ensure we will have the staffing resources available to work with you. (For all Grants.gov submissions, an additional week is needed). Your first step is to complete our on-line PI Checklist — then a specialist will contact you immediately to schedule a meeting about your proposal. An HR specialist also will attend, to help with staffing classifications, salary and benefits information. Please make every effort to attend this meeting whether at ORSP or at your office. Identifying your proposal needs early on will avoid many problems down the road.


Are ORSP and SFSU registered with Grants.gov for electronic proposal submissions?

Yes, ORSP and SFSU are fully registered with Grants.gov.


Whom do I contact about my proposal budget?

After you submit your PI Checklist, you will be contacted by a specialist who will help you with your budget and all agency forms.


What is SFSU's multi-year Facilities and Administrative (indirect cost) rate agreement?

San Francisco State University has a multi-year Facilities and Administrative (indirect cost) rate agreement with the federal government. This agreement specifies the F&A cost rates to be applied to awards from federal and non-federal sponsors. The agreement is dated November 3, 2005, and is effective through June 30, 2010.

The rates specified in the agreement are as follows:

The rate for on-campus research is 53.5%; for on-campus instruction, 53.6%; for other on-campus sponsored activities, 28.6%.

The rate for off-campus research, instruction, or other sponsored activities is 26.0 percent.

Exceptions to these rates occur when a funding agency places a cap on the F&A rate. In this case, ORSP must have written guidelines from the funding agency stating that there is a limit on F&A costs.

If you would like to discuss any variance from the above rates, you must speak directly with Alison Sanders, Director for Research and Sponsored Programs (asanders@sfsu.edu or 415-405-3943).

Read SFSU Indirect Cost Agreement (pdf format)


Do I need to contact the Dean or Chair of my department?

We strongly advise that you contact both. If there is any costsharing or costmatching required in your grant, you will need approval from the Dean. In addition, release time must also be approved by your Dean.


When does my budget have to be completed?

Budgets should be completed one week before the submission deadline. At this time, we should also have all supporting documents, such as biosketches, C.V.s, resources, etc.


When does the narrative of my proposal have to be completed?

The narrative should be submitted in final form to the Proposal Preparation Specialist no later than two days before the submission deadline.


Can I receive help writing and editing my proposal?

Grant writers and editors are available to help you with your grant proposal. In addition, we maintain a library of text about San Francisco State University that you can adopt or rewrite as needed for your grant proposal.



Compliance

Why did I receive a time and effort report?

You should receive a time and effort report from ORSP if you fall into the following categories:

  • You are a PI and supervised salaried staff who were paid from a grant during the specific time and effort reporting time period
  • You submitted a request for and charged Reimbursed Release Time to your grant for the specific effort reporting time period
  • You submitted a request for and received Additional Pay during Winter Intersession, Spring Break, or Summer
  • You received any part of your salary from a sponsored project (i.e. overload, calendar year appointments)


My staff member was only hired at 50% time base — why does it say that 100% of her salary came from the grant?

Total time and effort should always equal 100%. If your employee was paid from a project at a 50% time base and this was her only appointment, then 100% of her salary and time and effort would have been on that project.


Is time and effort the same as time base?

Sometimes, but not necessarily- see example above. If a staff member was appointed to one grant for a time and effort reporting time period and was hired 100% time, then yes time and effort base will be 100%.


I received RRT for this past semester but I don't see the project on the time and effort report — what should I do?

If your time and effort report is not accurate, you should make the appropriate corrections, sign it, and return it to ORSP.


What do I do if my staff member was paid off the wrong project?

If the project number is incorrect, correct the time and effort report, sign it and return to ORSP. However, since all PI's receive detailed financial reports each month, this should not occur. If more than one month of salary needs to be moved from one grant to another, an acceptable justification must be provided.


I requested an RRT — why didn't I receive an effort report?

This means that the RRT that was requested was not processed. If ORSP does not receive a signed RRT agreement by the deadline for the specific time period, the RRT will not be processed.


Why did I receive a time and effort report when I don't remember asking for RRT?

If you received a time and effort report, a request was submitted, an agreement was emailed to you, and a signed copy was returned to ORSP before a financial transaction was initiated. If you still feel that this was sent in error, please contact the Compliance Officer in ORSP.


What should I do about a time and effort report for a staff member who no longer works at SFSU?

Verify that the information is correct, sign as the supervisor, and note on the time and effort report that this person is no longer employed by SFSU.


I am on sabbatical and out of the country, can someone else sign my time and effort report?

In cases when faculty are either on sabbatical, or some other form of leave from the University, the Department Chair, or the Dean of the College can sign and certify the time and effort reports for the faculty member.


What will happen of I don't turn these back to ORSP?

Since these are federal regulations and SFSU is required to comply with them, if a PI does not return certified time and effort reports to ORSP, or does not contact the Compliance Officer about the time and effort reports, ORSP will have no choice but to suspend activity on that PIs' grants until the issue is resolved.


Managing & Spending Grant Funds


Who is my Grant Administrator?

In an effort to provide uninterrupted customer support throughout the lifecycle of an award, ORSP assigns PIs to a "Pod" or "Cluster" of staff according to their home College. Each Pod is staffed with staff that can assist the PI in submitting a proposal, setting up an award, processing Personnel transactions, and spending and otherwise administering their project(s). If you are unsure who the Grant Administrator, Grant Support Coordinator, Proposal Specialist , and Personnel Specialist are for your project, please refer to this list of ORSP Staff by College.

 

What types of changes require prior approval from the agency for Federally-funded projects?

OMB Circular A-110, Section .25 (c) (1-8) requires that Universities obtain prior approval for the following program- or budget-related reasons:

  • Change in project / program scope or objectives (even if there is no budget revision requiring prior written approval)
  • Change in a key person specified in the application or award document
  • An absence exceeding three months, or a 25% (or more) reduction in time devoted to the project, by the agency-approved Project Director or PI
  • The need for additional Federal funding
  • The transfer of amounts budgeted for facilities and administrative (F & A) costs to absorb increases in direct costs, or vice versa, if approval is required by the awarding agency
  • Inclusion of costs that require prior approval in accordance with OMB Circular A-21 "Cost Principles for Institutions of Higher Education" (unless waived by the awarding agency)
  • Transfer of funds allotted for training (e.g. stipends) to other categories of expense Subawarding, transferring, or subcontracting out any work under an award unless described in the application and funded in the approved award(s). This provision does not apply to the purchase of supplies, material, equipment or general support services.

 

What administrative costs are charged to Federal Awards?

All purchases charged to federal grants must conform to allowability requirements, as described in the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Circular A21, and must be:

  • Reasonable and necessary
  • Allocable
  • Consistently treated in like circumstances
  • Conform to the requirements of A21 and sponsor terms and conditions
Item Appropriate direct charge to grant Inappropriate direct charge to grant
Administrative/Clerical Salaries Nature of the work performed requires an extensive amount of clerical or administrative support General administrative support not specific to the project; support of administrative or clerical efforts is included in negotiated Indirect Cost Agreement.
General Purpose Equipment (including computers, printers) A computer used only to store and access large databases, a laptop to collect data in the field, a specialized computer for data analysis, specialized equipment used specifically for the project. A computer to process reports, correspondence, publications, copiers, printers, printer cartridges, general purpose equipment; this would be included in the negotiated Indirect Cost Agreement.
Office Supplies Paper, envelopes, computer paper, copies to support a project with a large mailing survey, or other project with “above normal” office supply use; Supplies must be used specifically for the technical purposes of the project; Workshop materials (only if part of the project). General office supplies used for general project support, correspondence, and publication, such as pens, tape, paper, copying costs, binders, notebooks, etc.; this would be included in the negotiated Indirect Cost Agreement.
Membership dues If required as part of the agreement, required as a part of registration for a conference, or authorized for a trainee/fellow on the grant. Renewal or new membership for general professional development.
Postage For special or unique needs only (e.g. shipping samples for analysis); must be significantly greater than routine usage. General postage costs, mailing documents; this would be included in the negotiated Indirect Cost Agreement.
Telephone (cell and landlines) Dedicated landlines or cell phones for surveys. Telephone hotline. General use cell phone.  Phone charges in SFSU office.

 

What is a “Chartfield”? How do I know which Account Code to use for my request?

A Chartfield is a set of numbers that lets Accounts Payable know where to post charges. It consists of Account Code, Fund Code (SG001 for non-revenue ORSP projects), Department ID (3080 for ORSP projects; 3138 for Head Start projects), and the Project Number for your award. There are also some situations (usually involving Hospitality) in which you would include a Program Number as well.

This list includes the most commonly used Account Codes for ORSP projects:

Description FMS Account Code
Travel – In State 606001
Travel – Out of State 606002
Participants Travel 606800
Contractual Services 613001
Contractual Services – Waived 613800
Independent Contractors 613801
Equipment 619001
Supplies, Service, and Hospitality 660003
Staff Training 660009
Stipends 660804
Overhead – Admin (Indirect Costs) 660815
Honorarium 660816
Participant Supplies & Services 660819
SFSU Foundation Work Order 660821
Tuition & Fees 660822


I have a Procurement Card for my ORSP project(s). I would like to change my default* project number and/or add/delete a project number to the GE P-Card online system. How do I do this?

SF State's procurement card office requires that all requests to change the default project number and to add or delete project numbers from the GE systems be approved by the ORSP Grants Administrator for the project. Please send all requests for changes in the GE system to the GA assigned to your project. Once the GA has reviewed and approved the request, s/he will forward the request to SFSU's p-card office in Fiscal Affairs. These types of requests generally take 3-5 business days to process.

*A default project number is assigned to the P-Card when the PI applies for the card. To assign charges to an alternate project, the cardholder must login to the GE online system to code the purchase to the intended project.


Requesting RRT & Additional Pay

Coming soon...


Hiring Staff & Students


What is the difference between a vendor, sub-recipient (sub-contract or sub-award), independent contractor and special consultant?

OMB Circular A-133 provides the following definitions to distinguish vendors from sub-recipients. The information on independent contractors and special consultants is taken from SF State's Special Consultant-Independent Contractor Hiring Procedures Practice Directive 156.

A vendor:

  • Provides goods and services within their normal business operations
  • Provides similar goods and services to many different purchasers
  • Operates in a competitive environment
  • Provides goods and services that are ancillary to the Federal Program

A sub-recipient:

  • Has its performance measured against whether the objectives of the federal program are met
  • Has responsibility for programmatic decision-making
  • Has responsibility for adherence to applicable federal program compliance requirements
  • Uses the Federal funds to carry out a program of the organization, as compared to providing goods and services for a program of the pass-through entity
  • Determines who is eligible to receive what Federal financial assistance within the program

An independent contractor:

  • Is not a current CSU or State employee
  • Is engaged in a distinct occupation, profession, business, or trade not regularly a part of University business
  • Agrees to do a specific piece of work for an agreed upon fee
  • Provides services to non-University clients
  • Supplies his/her own tools, materials and work space
  • Is not hired as an employee of SF State
  • Is not subject to the compliance requirements of the Federal Program

A special consultant:

  • Is an individual hired as an employee of SF State to work under general direction to complete a professional assignment which requires the consultant's particular knowledge, ability or expertise
  • Is paid based on a daily rate (SF State minimum $88 per day; maximum $1,042 per day. Refer to the CSU Salary Schedule, Class Code 4660)
  • Is appointed when no other appropriate CSU classification is available

Do I have to post a position for my project?

Not necessarily. Because there are requirements vary by classification and what was submitted to the funding agency in your grant proposal, please check with your Personnel Specialist to determine whether you will need to follow posting procedures.

  • Note that the formal recruitment process for a posted position takes a minimum of 6-8 weeks to complete. Note that salaried staff positions shall be posted a minimum of 14 calendar days; PIs may extend posting on a week-to-week basis by contacting their Personnel Specialist by noon of the Thursday prior to the closing date.
  • For special recruiting, a flyer may be placed in the SF State Careers system for unique positions.Fill vacancies from among qualified SFSU employee applicants, if possible.


Grant-Related Furlough Information

Staff related questions:

 

 

I am a full-time Academic Year faculty member with grant funding. Will I still be eligible for Faculty Additional Pay (3 days during Thanksgiving Break, 11 days during January Intersession, 5 days during Spring Break, 59 days during Summer)?

Yes, if the intersession salary has been budgeted and is allowed by the grant. Since the faculty member’s base salary will not change as a result of furloughs, there should be no change in how compensation for Additional Pay is calculated (i.e. Additional Pay will be calculated based on pre-furlough salary).


I am a full-time Academic Year faculty member with grant funding. Can I charge the 9.23 % salary reduction to my grant?

If you have grant funding with Reimbursed Release Time in the budget, and your time will be charged directly to the grant, that portion of your salary will be exempt from furlough. Please note that you cannot directly charge faculty salary to your grant.

For example, if you have 20% RRT budgeted in your grant or contract, you will still be required to take the same number of furlough days (18 per academic year), but on those furlough days, the proportion funded by grants (in this case 20%) will be exempt from furlough and you may work on your grant for that time.


I am a full-time Calendar Year (12- month) Faculty member with grant funding. Can I charge the 10.07% salary reduction to my grant?

If you have grant funding with Reimbursed Release Time in the budget, and your time will be charged directly to the grant, that portion of your salary will be exempt from furlough. Please note that you cannot directly charge faculty salary to your grant.

For example, if you have 20% RRT budgeted in your grant or contract, you will still be required to take the same number of furlough days (24 per calendar year), but on those furlough days, the proportion funded by grants (in this case 20%) will be exempt from furlough and you may work on your grant for that time.


If RRT from my grant or contract is at less than full salary (“replacement rate”), is there still a reduction in my furlough?

The reduction in your furlough will be proportional to the actual amount of reimbursement based on your salary. For example, suppose a sponsored program reimburses the general fund $4,000 for the cost of a replacement lecturer teaching one of your courses, but the cost of your full salary for this time would have been $7,000. In this example, rather than the 20%RRT being exempt from the furlough, only 10% RRT will be exempt from the furlough.


What if the University has agreed to provide a cost match for additional assigned time for the faculty member? Is the cost match portion of effort subject to furlough?

If the university has a formal, written agreement (i.e. committed cost-share) with the sponsor to provide the cost match, in order to maintain the effort commitment, both the portion of your time directly reimbursed by the grant and the portion provided by the cost match should be exempted from furlough.


What about grant-funded lecture classes (i.e. the course is part of the grant’s objectives)?

If the teaching is directly grant-related work, and the course is part of the grant or contract objectives, then the lecturer hired to teach that course would be exempt from furlough. The reimbursement of salary must be charged to a grant via RRT.

 

How will we calculate overload (the 125% allowable in the faculty collective bargaining agreement and CSU policy) in a furlough situation?

a. Since the faculty member’s base salary will not change as a result of furloughs, there should be no change in how compensation for additional employment is calculated. In other words, faculty can receive overload pay on sponsored programs up to 125% of their pre-furlough base salary. You may review the University’s established policies and practices related to overload at http://www.sfsu.edu/~hrwww/emp_relations/hr_Directives/P211.html


Are Grant-Related Instructional Faculty (GRIF) subject to furlough?

Yes. GRIF provides a salary enhancement of up to 35%, not a reimbursement of time. Note that if a faculty member receiving a GRIF supplement and has a portion of his or her effort being reimbursed by a grant, that portion would be exempt from furlough. You may review the University’s related established policies and practices at http://www.sfsu.edu/~hrwww/emp_relations/hr_Directives/PD153.html


How does the furlough affect faculty on the Faculty Early Retirement Program?

Faculty participating in the FERP program are subject to furlough. If the faculty member has RRT, the percentage of RRT will reduce the furlough at a proportional rate. Please contact ORSP if you have any questions.

 

How does the furlough affect faculty on sabbatical leave?

Faculty on sabbatical leave are subject to furlough. If the faculty member is on a half-pay/one academic year sabbatical leave, and grant funds are used to reimburse the college for the non-sabbatical salary, then the grant-funded portion of salary will be exempt from furlough.

 

How does the furlough affect faculty on “Difference in Pay” leave?

Difference in pay leave is subject to furlough. When the faculty member uses grant funds to make up the difference in pay, that portion of salary is exempt from furlough. You may review the University’s related established policies and practices at http://academic.sfsu.edu/facaffairs/prof_dev/guides_profdev/diff_pay.php


I requested RRT through ORSP but my academic salary was cut by 9.23% this pay period. I thought that I was supposed to get an exemption from furlough for my grant-related time.

The furlough agreement with CFA outlines a provision for granting exemptions from furlough for those faculty members who have some portion of their time funded from a grant or contract. ORSP had originally requested that faculty submit their requests for RRT for Fall 2009 by September 11th so that appropriate adjustments could be made in the payroll system. Unfortunately, we were unable to ensure the accuracy of the data we needed to submit in order to make the deadline.

As a result, October 1 paychecks for academic year faculty will show the 9.23% reduction in gross salary, while calendar year faculty have already seen the 10.07% reduction in gross salary, as of their September 1 paycheck.

Once the RRT and cost-share commitments have been compiled and verified, an adjustment check will be issued to those faculty members for the exemption related to grant funded RRT.

ORSP’s deadline for requesting RRT is October 26th, 2009


Staff related questions:


I am a PI with grant-funded staff and students working on my externally-funded projects. Will my staff be subject to the furlough?

SF State staff members whose salary is directly charged (100%) to a grant or contract are exempt from the furlough

Students and hourly staff paid from grants or contracts are exempt from the furlough

 

How will the furlough plan affect employees who are paid from two funding sources (employees paid from both a grant or contract and general fund/trust fund account?

Employees paid from non-grant funds will be furloughed proportionately to their appointments (e.g. 50% non-grant funds=50% furlough)

The portion of their salary that is grant funded will be exempt from furlough

 

What procedures will be implemented for grant funded employees who work on days that the campus is closed?

On furlough days when the campus is closed, access to buildings will require either a key or a request to University Police. Campus will operate as it does on a weekend.

 

How are PIs expected to handle supervision of non-furloughed employees (i.e. grant funded) on campus closure days when the PI may be on furlough?

Several options are available: the employee may be provided work assignments that can be carried out on those days without supervision; the employee’s work schedule may be adjusted; or the employee may use vacation, Compensatory Time Off (CTO), or personal holiday.

 

Do furloughs affect employees of CSU auxiliaries (i.e. University Corporation at SF State)?

Auxiliaries establish their own employment policies. The CSU furlough program applies only to CSU employees. SF State Auxiliaries will follow established campus practices and policies related to Additional Pay and RRT.


Furlough Status Based on Full or Partial Grant Reimbursement

Situation Status
100% reimbursed (full salary and benefits) Exempt from furlough
Partially reimbursed, n% of effort, full salary and benefits Exempt from n% of furlough
University cost match Exempted from furlough if written agreement with sponsoring agency in place. Note: cost match can be greater than 1:1. Otherwise, not exempt from furlough

 

Please check back frequently as this document will be updated as new information becomes available.


Please direct any furlough related questions to hrinfo@sfsu.edu

Additional furlough information is posted on the following websites: SF State Human Resources: http://www.sfsu.edu/~hrwww/

SF State Faculty Affairs: http://academic.sfsu.edu/facaffairs/

 

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