Post-Award Reporting Requirement

Upon receipt of your grant award, there are a few factors to keep in mind, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs is here to assist you as you complete any post-award process requirements.

After confirming an award, sponsoring agencies typically require three reports to further the post-award process:

Financial reports -this includes the time and effort reports for key research personnel
Narrative progress reports
Final reports -this includes professional scientific journal publications and/or any deliverables

Additionally, the federal auditing requirements regarding financial reports are very specific:

Funding amounts received and expended - per the accepted accounting practices
Purchases of equipment over $5,000
Indirect costs collected
All expended time and effort (including uncompensated effort) - for the key research personnel on all research projects (including unfunded projects).

To comply with the various post-award requirements, the Research Foundation (RF) uses several tools including E-payment Request Systems, Purchase Requisition Form (RF-208), and other personnel forms including the Staff Effort Notice and the Personnel Activity Report (PAR). These tools and e-system programs enable the RF to make accurate reports on the financial status of your grant.

Please note: all time and effort committed to the project during the application phase must be documented - and, if any key personnel reduce their effort during the project period, please contact the ORSP (x2061).

Generally, the responsibility for completing and conveying all financial reports belongs to RF CUNY. Exceptions to this rule: private foundations and some state and city programs.

General Timelines

Narrative progress reports are required by all federal agencies - due at least two months before the end of each year.

The Final report - is due 90 days after the grant ends.

Who requires a progress report/final report? - Most state agencies and some private sponsors
The project director (PI) is responsible for completing these reports. The ORSP will assist in the completion of these reports

Sponsoring agencies may have other reporting requirements, as such, we are here to assist the YC faculty with any questions or concerns regarding any post-award sponsor request, please call our office at x2061.

Managing Awards

The Research Foundation of CUNY offers the post-award support principal investigators (PIs) need to manage their sponsored projects throughout the award cycle successfully.

Requests for PI grant account establishment are to be submitted to the RF Grants and Contracts department, these requests should include a completed Account Establishment Form.
For accounts established for funds not derived from sponsored-program funding, e.g., CUNY’s non-profit organizations, PIs must complete the Grant Award Agreement Form - these agreements must also be completed and signed by an authorized official of the CUNY non-profit entity.
For accounts established under funds from CUNY Miscellaneous or Various Private Sponsors’ Projects, please include a completed Funds Identification Form.
For more information on post-award support to principal investigators (PIs) please visit the Manage An Award webpage.

Other Award Information

Calculating Fringe Benefits Rates

Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) Students - Reimbursement

The City University of New York (not the RF) offers GRA student employees a FICA exemption. As such, CUNY will pay GRA students from tax levy funds and, thereafter, request restitution of costs from an RF project.

To begin the process of GRA costs reimbursement the CUNY institution must send the RF a list of all GRA students appointed to their tax levy fund, utilizing the GRA spreadsheet.

The complete procedure for reimbursement of GRA costs may be accessed by visiting the RF CUNY GRA webpage; please also see the GRA Reimbursement Request Form.

Closing Out A Sponsored Award

Closing out an award comprises the awarding agency determining that the awardee's actions and the research work required by the project's guidelines have been completed by the grant awardee.
The PI or the university GO is responsible for completing the final review of the Project-Sub-Year (PRSY) account “Project Budget and Expense” Report and other RFCUNY web reports.
For more information regarding closing out an award please visit the RF CUNY Closing Out An Award webpage.