CALS Research Division
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- No-Cost Extensions
- Audits
- Effort
No-Cost Extensions
No-cost extensions can be granted by a sponsor to allow project directors more time to meet their objectives. A no-cost extension must be requested in advance of the end date of the award based on agency requirements. It is recommended that the PI submit their request to the CALS Research Division at least one month before the end of the award. If the request is made less than thirty days before the award ends, a Provisional Request for Extension should be filed. The provisional request will enable the account to stay open should the extension not be formally granted before the end of the award.
No-cost extension requests should be routed through CALS and UW-Madison Research and Sponsored Programs for review/approval prior to submission to the sponsor. The request should be prepared on departmental letterhead including the following information:
- agency project number
- principal investigator name
- project title
- UW-Madison fund-account number
- award period (begin and end dates)
- new requested end date
- PI contact information
- signatures from the principal investigator, Dean’s office, and RSP
- clear justification statement
- summary of progress to date
- estimate of funds remaining
- timetable for completion
Additionally, the RSP website provides no-cost extension request procedures.
A letter template is available here.
All questions and no-cost extension requests should be directed to Casey Hillmer, (608) 262-2397, clhillmer@cals.wisc.edu.
Audits
CALS Departments/Center should have a procedure in place on how to proceed when contacted by anyone in regard to "audits." The College recommends that whenever individuals are contacted in regard to an audit, they should immediately refer the request to their Department/Center administrator.
CALS recommends that audits include the project Principle Investigators/Co-PIs, and Department/Center and College representatives. A recommended business practice would be for any faculty/staff contacted in regard to an audit to immediately contact their Department/Center Administrator and RSP for coordination of the audit hearing. Administrators should in turn contact both CALS Research Division (Carol Hillmer, (608) 265-5495, chillmer@cals.wisc.edu) and CALS Business Services (Paul Jelle, (608) 262-1875, pjelle@cals.wisc.edu) who will assure College representation and assistance.
In preparing for any audit, it is recommended that Departments/Centers review fully the project and all aspects of project management including effort reporting, financial reporting, technical reporting, and business practices/procedures. CALS Research Division and CALS Business Services are more than happy to meet with Departments/Centers to assist in review of projects and with audit preparations.
Useful Resources
For more information or assistance regarding audits, please contact Carol Hillmer, (608) 265-5495, chillmer@cals.wisc.edu.
Effort
Effort reporting is a federal requirement, and CALS upholds campus policy in expecting all researchers who work on sponsored projects to comply with regulations regarding the proposing, charging, and reporting of effort on those projects.
In order to maintain requirements, the CALS Research Division is unable to process proposals, agreements, and material transfers for individuals who have not completed training or who have uncertified effort for themselves or their research staff.
Please refer to the UW-Madison Policy on Effort, Commitments, and Effort Certification for a complete statement on University effort regulations and the federal policies behind them.
Key points include:
- Faculty cannot commit 100% of their effort to sponsored programs due to other department duties
- Effort must be certified for individuals who receive salary from a sponsored project or have unpaid effort on a project
- Effort certifiers must complete training
- A PI must devote effort to a project that they manage
The office of Research and Sponsored Programs has specified consequences for individuals who fail to certify or complete effort training.
For guidance on compliance requirements for effort reporting, please see Effort Reporting. For information on how to consider effort during proposal development, see Effort on Proposals.