Carryforward Procedure
Principal Investigators (PIs) are responsible for monitoring the spending on their grants and familiarizing themselves with the award terms and carry forward policies of their sponsoring agencies. PIs are encouraged to spend their grant to zero each budget period. However if a balance remains, OSPA will assist PIs in complying with the specific sponsors’ guidelines regarding carryforward of unobligated (or ‘unused’ funds depending on the sponsor) balances. Carryforward requests of prior budget period unobligated funds (or ‘unused’, depending on the sponsor) on awards and sub-awards must follow sponsor and OSPA policies and procedures.
Requests to carryover unobligated funds (or ‘unused’ funds, depending on the sponsor) to the next budget period that require sponsor’s prior approval, must always be carefully written and justified. Since the sponsor will analyze the financial status, spending history of the grantee, and review the scientific need, the request must include a compelling scientific justification, a clear plan for the use of funds, and a detailed categorical budget breakdown, (including applicable F&A costs if required). The scope of the request should be limited to the approved goals of project, or clearly delineate where the request goes beyond the approved goals of the research. Address only the immediate needs in the budget period in question to justify the need for the carryover, and present the implications for the project if the request is denied. Thus, requests must
1. Explain BY LINE ITEM why funds were not obligated (or used, depending on the sponsor) within the budget periods; and
2. Describe how the carried forward funds will be used in the subsequent budget period, BY LINE ITEM, and why they are critical for the success of the project.
Requests will be coordinated by the OSPA SPO assigned to the laboratory requesting the carryforward, and will be reviewed and finalized by the OSPA Sr. Manager, Post-Award. Once a request is ready, the Sr. Manager, Post-Award, will ask the Institutional Business Official to approve and submit the request to the sponsor within the required time frame.
In addition to the above, the request must include the following information: Grant number in the subject line, PI name, title, organization, telephone and fax number, and email address, Institutional Business Official’s name and title, telephone and fax number, and email address.
If prior approval is required for spending unobligated/unused funds and it is NOT submitted according to the above, these funds would normally be lost.
Sponsors may request additional information from the grantee, including a revised budget, as part of the review process.
NIH Guidelines
NSF Guidelines
Research Terms and Conditions for Federal Awards
NYSTEM Guidelines
A Sample Letter
Dear [Grant/Contract Official]:
This letter is a request to carry forward funds for the Contract/Grant [#] between [Sponsor Name] and the Rockefeller University for [Project Title].
The University requests carryforward of remaining funds in the amount of $[], making these funds available to the project through the period ending [Date]. The unused/unobligated funds were originally alocated to line items [specify]; the funds were not used as planned due to [specify]. The funds will be used in the next budget years as follows [specify]. This rebudgeting is critical in order to [detailed justification]. ……
Please contact me if additional information is required. We recognize that it may be necessary to issue a formal modification to approve this request.
Sincerely,
Signatories (PI, AOR, Business Official, etc.) with titles and contact information
Requests to carryover unobligated funds (or ‘unused’ funds, depending on the sponsor) to the next budget period that require sponsor’s prior approval, must always be carefully written and justified. Since the sponsor will analyze the financial status, spending history of the grantee, and review the scientific need, the request must include a compelling scientific justification, a clear plan for the use of funds, and a detailed categorical budget breakdown, (including applicable F&A costs if required). The scope of the request should be limited to the approved goals of project, or clearly delineate where the request goes beyond the approved goals of the research. Address only the immediate needs in the budget period in question to justify the need for the carryover, and present the implications for the project if the request is denied. Thus, requests must
1. Explain BY LINE ITEM why funds were not obligated (or used, depending on the sponsor) within the budget periods; and
2. Describe how the carried forward funds will be used in the subsequent budget period, BY LINE ITEM, and why they are critical for the success of the project.
Requests will be coordinated by the OSPA SPO assigned to the laboratory requesting the carryforward, and will be reviewed and finalized by the OSPA Sr. Manager, Post-Award. Once a request is ready, the Sr. Manager, Post-Award, will ask the Institutional Business Official to approve and submit the request to the sponsor within the required time frame.
In addition to the above, the request must include the following information: Grant number in the subject line, PI name, title, organization, telephone and fax number, and email address, Institutional Business Official’s name and title, telephone and fax number, and email address.
If prior approval is required for spending unobligated/unused funds and it is NOT submitted according to the above, these funds would normally be lost.
Sponsors may request additional information from the grantee, including a revised budget, as part of the review process.
NIH Guidelines
NSF Guidelines
Research Terms and Conditions for Federal Awards
NYSTEM Guidelines
A Sample Letter
Dear [Grant/Contract Official]:
This letter is a request to carry forward funds for the Contract/Grant [#] between [Sponsor Name] and the Rockefeller University for [Project Title].
The University requests carryforward of remaining funds in the amount of $[], making these funds available to the project through the period ending [Date]. The unused/unobligated funds were originally alocated to line items [specify]; the funds were not used as planned due to [specify]. The funds will be used in the next budget years as follows [specify]. This rebudgeting is critical in order to [detailed justification]. ……
Please contact me if additional information is required. We recognize that it may be necessary to issue a formal modification to approve this request.
Sincerely,
Signatories (PI, AOR, Business Official, etc.) with titles and contact information
