Manage Your Award

These pages provide helpful information to help manage your grant. Here you will find the "nuts and bolts" of common grant administration functions such as Project Director responsibilities, using your grant account, purchasing supplies, and hiring students. For more information or for help with any questions, please contact Carol Smith, Grants Manager, at x5571.

Grant Management

Here is some helpful information for new grant project directors and PIs--from using your new grant account to requesting stipends. Please contact Carol Smith for help with any grant management questions at x5571.

How Do I......?

...keep track of grant expenses?

...buy project supplies?

...book my conference airline ticket?

...hire summer students?

....request my grant stipend?

...prepare my grant reports?

Using Your Your Grant Account

The SLU Business Office will create assign a new, six-digit restricted grant account for your project (e.g., # 4-12345)
You should use this account for ALL project-related purchases and transactions.
Every project transaction-from purchases to salaries-will be recorded in your grant account with assigned object codes (expense categories)
You should regularly monitor grant financial activity through the FRS accounting system to make sure that your grant spending is on track and within budget.
FRS will display your grant transactions based on the University's fiscal year-July 1 to June 30^-which may be different from your project period

Purchasing Materials and Supplies

You can charge purchases made at the SLU Bookstore directly to your grant by giving the cashier the grant account budget and appropriate object code (e.g., 4-xxxxx-3100 for office supplies).
To purchase major items from a vendor, you should use a departmental or University purchase order to charge the expense to your grant account. For more information, contact the Purchasing Office (x5905).
Departmental purchasing cards can also be used to make project-related purchases. You should write the grant budget code and object code on the receipt and submit to the departmental employee responsible for administering the purchase card.
A Check Request Form can be used for reimbursement for expenses such items as dues, subscriptions, and memberships. Be sure to enter the proper grant budget codes and send the completed form to the Business Office. NOTE: If you are seeking reimbursement for yourself, you must first submit the form to the C&F Office for the authorizing signature.
In certain cases, you may be able to get a special University purchasing card for your grant project. Please contact the C&F Office (x5571) for more information.

Making Travel Arrangements

You can make travel arrangements through Travel Unlimited in Canton (315-386-8525) and request that all related expenses charged directly to your grant account (e.g., 4-xxxxx-4010)
If you use a personal credit card to book airline tickets or make other travel arrangements for your own travel, you can also request reimbursement for any grant-related travel expenses by completing the Travel/Moving Claim Form and then forwarding to the C&F Office for the authorizing signature. .
Requests for travel advances (typically $500 or less) can be made with the Check Request Form; if you need an advance for yourself as PI, forward your form to the C&F Office.
If another project participant is submitting a travel claim form for reimbursement, as Project PI you are authorized to sign her/his form.

Hiring Students

Students can be hired during the academic year and paid at an hourly rate. They are limited to working 20 hours/week under the Work Study Program. The Student Employment Handbook provides a chart with the appropriate hourly rate. Social Security tax (FICA) is not charged on student wages during the academic year.
For summer research on grant projects, students usually work for 8-10 weeks and receive compensation at a standard "flat" rate of $3,500. FICA charges of 7.65% apply if the student is hired to work as a summer employee on a faculty-driven project (vs. a student fellowship).
Arrangements for student summer campus housing are made with Nancy Bovay in the Academic Dean's Office (x 5993). Campus housing is available during the SLU Summerterm, usually from late May until early August (approximately 10 weeks).
To initiate the hiring process, a Student Personnel Action (PA) Form should be filled out with the student's name and your grant account number. Submit the completed form to Carole Jenne in the Financial Aid Office in Payson Hall.
You should also give your departmental secretary with a copy of the student PA form for payroll processing purposes.

Requesting Grant Compensation

Grant compensation is based on the approved budget and payment is requested with Form 5E, Compensation for Faculty/Staff Participant in Grant Project.
The C&F Office will assist you in completing this form, which is submitted to the Academic Dean for review and approval. NOTE: You can submit a signed original or send via email
Once approved, the stipend request is then processed by Human Resources (HR) and the Business Office, and payment is made in the faculty member's paycheck as instructed (i.e., one lump sum, several installments).
Please note that faculty grant stipends are subject to federal and state income taxes and FICA charges.

Preparing Reports

As Project PI, YOU are responsible for drafting all required project reports, usually due on an annual basis. In general, you will need to:

Make careful note of report due dates;
Summarize project activities and accomplishments during the project period;
Demonstrate your success in meeting the goals presented in your proposal;
Discuss challenges encountered and plans for the next phase of the project;
List project expenses incurred during the project period; and
Work with the C&F Office to finalize and submit your report before the deadline.

Project Director/PI Responsibilities

As Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI), you are responsible for managing all aspects of your grant project, and St. Lawrence University will hold you accountable for all grant activity and reporting requirements. It is critical to maintain a positive relationship with your funder—not only to improve the likelihood of securing more support for own your work in the future, but also for other University applicants.

As PD/PI, you will need to ensure that:

· You implement the grant activities and work towards the outcomes as outlined in your proposal;

· You comply with institutional and funder policies;

· You meet all deadlines for narrative and financial reports;

· Charges to the grant do not exceed the approved budget;

· All charges are allowable, allocable, and reasonable;

· Salary and wages charged to the grant are consistent with time and effort expended by grant participants and reported to the SLU Business Office (for federal grants) in compliance with University and federal policies;

· You notify the C&F Office promptly—and at least two months prior to the award expiration date—for any extension requests or changes to project objectives, budget, personnel, or time and effort—to allow time to secure funder approval;

· Scientific research is conducted in a safe, responsible, and ethical manner;

· Student research assistants are properly trained and supervised;

· You monitor the performance of any subcontractors involved in your project; and

· You comply with all grant terms for acknowledgment, publicity, and dissemination of grant activities and outcomes.

Using Your Grant Account

The SLU Business Office will create assign a new, ten-digit restricted grant account for your project (e.g., # 3-02-04-12345)
You should use this account for ALL project-related purchases and transactions.
Every project transaction-from purchases to salaries-will be recorded in your grant account with assigned object codes (expense categories)
You should regularly monitor grant financial activity through the DATATEL accounting system to make sure that your grant spending is on track and within budget.
FRS will display your grant transactions based on the University's fiscal year-July 1 to June 30-which may be different from your project period

Purchasing Project Supplies

You can charge purchases made at the SLU Bookstore directly to your grant by giving the cashier the grant account budget and appropriate object code (e.g., 3-02-04-12345-52520 for office supplies).
To purchase major items from a vendor, you should use a departmental or University purchase order to charge the expense to your grant account. For more information, contact the Purchasing Office (x5905).
Departmental purchasing cards can also be used to make project-related purchases. You should write the grant budget code and object code on the receipt and submit to the departmental employee responsible for administering the purchase card.
You can request a payment via the DATATEL system for expenses such items as dues, subscriptions, and memberships. Be sure to enter the proper grant budget codes on the online form, print the email authorization, obtain the necessary signature, and forward to the Business Office. NOTE: If you are seeking reimbursement for yourself, you must first submit the form to the C&F Office for the authorizing signature.
In certain cases, you may be able to get a special University purchasing card for your grant project. Please contact the C&F Office (x5571) for more information.

Requesting Grant Compensation

· Grant compensation is based on the approved budget and payment is requested with Form 5E, Compensation for Faculty/Staff Participant in Grant Project.

· The C&F Office will assist you in completing this form, which is submitted to the Academic Dean for review and approval. NOTE: You can submit a signed original or send via email (just indicate your endorsement of the form in your cover email).

· Once approved, the stipend request is then processed by Human Resources (HR) and the Business Office, and payment is made in the faculty member’s paycheck as instructed (i.e., one lump sum, several installments) and within the bi-weekly payroll timeframe.

· Please note that faculty grant stipends are subject to federal and state income taxes and FICA charges.

Hiring Students

Students can be hired during the academic year and paid at an hourly rate. They are limited to working 20 hours/week under the Work Study Program. The Student Employment Handbook provides a chart with the appropriate hourly rate. Social Security tax (FICA) is not charged on student wages during the academic year.
For summer research on grant projects, students usually work for 8-10 weeks and receive compensation at a standard "flat" rate of $3,500. FICA charges of 7.65% apply if the student is hired to work as a summer employee on a faculty-driven project (vs. a student fellowship).
Arrangements for student summer campus housing are made with Nancy Bovay in the Academic Dean's Office (x 5993). Campus housing is available during the SLU Summerterm, usually from late May until early August (approximately 10 weeks).
To initiate the hiring process, a Student Personnel Action (PA) Form should be filled out with the student's name and your grant account number. Submit the completed form to Tommiann Olmstead in the Financial Aid Office in Payson Hall.
You should also give your departmental secretary with a copy of the student PA form for payroll processing purposes.

Making Travel Arrangements

St. Lawrence University has contracted with MARATHON TRAVEL to facilitate online arrangements for University and personal business.
If you use a personal credit card to book airline tickets or make other travel arrangements for your own travel, you can also request reimbursement for any grant-related travel expenses by completing the Travel/Moving Claim Form and then forwarding to the C&F Office for the authorizing signature. .
Requests for travel advances (typically $500 or less) can be made by requesting a payment through DATATEL; if you need an advance for yourself as PI, forward your form to the C&F Office.
If another project participant is submitting a travel claim form for reimbursement, as Project PI you are authorized to sign her/his form.