Award Notice & Kick-off

Award Notice Process

Receiving a grant award is exciting and comes with a range of responsibilities, including a complete understanding of all of the terms of the agreement and required reporting.

Grant Award Notice

The grant award notice involves several key steps to ensure compliance and successful project execution. Here’s an overview of the process:

Receipt of Notice of Award (NOA): Once the funding agency makes its final decision, they issue a Notice of Award (NOA) to the grant recipient (generally the PI). This document is legally binding and outlines the terms and conditions of the grant.
- The PI is to notify the following administration immediately upon receiving the NOA:

- Director of Office of Sponsored Programs & Research Activities (OSPRA)
- Post-Award Grants & Contracts Administrator (Finance)
Institutional Approval: The grants office or sponsored programs office typically needs to formally accept the award. This may involve review by legal counsel and formal signature by the AOR.
Award Fund Project Setup: Once the award is accepted, the project is set up within finance by the Post-Award manager. This includes establishing accounts for managing the grant funds and setting up any necessary compliance protocols.

Award Kick-off

Kick-off Meeting: The PI, OSPRA and Finance will schedule a Kick-off meeting to review the budget, project timeline, and any specific conditions set by the funding agency.

Grant Award Kick-Off Meeting Checklist

1. Award Overview

Sponsor details (agency, program, contact)
Award amount and period of performance
Purpose and scope of the project
Key deliverables and milestones

2. Budget and Spending

Approved budget categories
Allowable vs. unallowable costs
Cost-sharing or matching requirements
Subawards or consultants (if applicable)
Effort commitments and salary allocations

3. Compliance Requirements

Human subjects (IRB), animal use (IACUC), biosafety
Conflict of interest disclosures
Export control considerations
Data management and sharing policies
Responsible conduct of research (RCR) training

4. Financial Management

Account setup and access
Procurement and travel policies
Reimbursement procedures
Monthly financial reviews and reconciliation
Role of finance/OSPRA in monitoring

5. Reporting Obligations

Technical/scientific progress reports (frequency and deadlines)
Financial reports (frequency and deadlines)
Final reports and closeout procedures

6. Subrecipient Monitoring (if applicable)

Subaward agreements
Monitoring responsibilities
Invoice review and approval

7. Communication and Support

Point of contact in OSPRA/Finance
Process for amendments (e.g., no-cost extensions, rebudgeting)
Audit readiness and documentation best practices

8. Institutional Policies

PI responsibilities
Record retention
Intellectual property and publication rights (if applicable)

Post-Award

Jessica Gustke
Post Award Grants & Contracts Administrator
gustkeje@udmercy.edu
(313) 993-1297

Forms

Required Forms/Templates

Helpful Links

Working with OSPRA from project concept through award has significantly increased my awareness and understanding of the processes and UDM policies.

OSPRA Workshops

OSPRA offers a series of workshops throughout the academic year. Browse the workshop schedule and register today.

NEW Faculty Members

OSPRA Workshops offer the perfect opportunity to lean more about the sponsored research activities at UDM and gain an understanding of the process and policies. Register today.