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Grant Development & Strategy

I Have a Question! Insights from a New Pre-Award Research Administrator

When I accepted a position as a new pre-award research administrator, I quickly discovered that I had a lot to learn. I had a plethora of questions that were foundational for success on this career path. These are some of the things I noted in my first few months.

I started my career in the research world by collecting data for a research center. Then, I moved to financial administration in a research-focused department, so I hovered on the edges of research administration, gaining cursory knowledge of terms and concepts. I became intrigued with research administration, so when the opportunity arose to move into a pre-award role in the same department, I took it.

I quickly discovered that I had a lot to learn. As a new pre-award research administrator, I had a plethora of questions that were foundational for my success on this career path. For those who’ve worked in pre-award for any length of time, you may not even remember when you learned these concepts; they are just part of your everyday work life, but every new pre-award administrator has to ask these questions at least once. Here are some things I noted in my first few months.

1. What is the difference between the budget and project period? I learned an easy way to decipher the two in a training class. The budget period is brief (budget = brief). It is the shorter period, typically a year. The project period is the full gamut of years.
2. Who are the key personnel? The key personnel are those who are integral to the research and who can’t readily be replaced. These people are the principal investigators (PIs), co-principal investigators (co-PIs), and in some situations, it could be a senior lead person.
3. Who is the signatory? The signatory is the person who has the legal authority to sign contracts and agreements for your institution. The authorized signer is usually someone in executive leadership or their designee, such as a vice president of research or a provost.
4. Is there a limit on indirect costs? The facilities and administrative (F&A) cost rate varies based on factors such as funding agency, the project’s type of work, and the institution. You can find information about what the funding agency allows in the request for proposal (RFP). Your institution will have a set F&A rate, usually available through your central research office.
5. How do you determine a subrecipient versus a contractor? A subrecipient is contributing to the research. A rule of thumb is that a contractor provides goods and services.
6. What is the time span between the proposal submission and possibly receiving the award? It depends on whether it is private, local, state, or federal. Check the funder’s proposal announcement.
7. Does each funder offer the budget template? No, not all funding agencies have a template. The funder will provide details in the proposal announcement if there is a specific template.
8. Is there a cap for how much effort each person can contribute to the grant? Any one person’s effort cannot exceed 100%. However, you may find some restrictions on specific types of work, such as administrative support. This information will be detailed in the proposal call, and you can reference the uniform guidance.

These are just a few of the many questions I had, and continue to have. And while it may feel overwhelming, try celebrating the small daily victories as you increase your knowledge and skills. I believe that being equipped with knowledge will assist you in your success as a new research administrator in pre-award. You can learn so much by attending trainings and professional development sessions, garnering knowledge from your department or college’s lead research administrator, asking questions, using sponsored research resources, joining organizations, and getting hands-on experience. In my recently gained experience, I believe it is essential for a new research administrator to develop a positive rapport with the research administration team that is already operating.

To all my co-newbies, we’ve got this!

Authored by:

Telisha McKenzie, MS 
Unit Research Administrator
University of South Florida

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