Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Post-Award FAQ

Grant Funding and Management

Q1: The sponsor notified me that my proposal was funded. May I begin my project now?
No. After notification, contact ORSP to finalize the award and address compliance issues. Your account must be set up by ORSP before starting the project.

Q2: Where do I get a cost center?
Once your grant or contract is awarded, your Post-Award Administrator will issue a cost center number via email.

Faculty and Compensation Policies

Q1: The non-teaching contract states that 12-month lecturers are not allowed to be paid by such means. Is there another way to pay them?
12-month lecturers cannot be paid extra through a non-teaching contract for work on grants, as their time is already fully committed. However, one option is to get approval for them to do research in place of teaching a course.

Q2: The faculty policy document AA07 sets caps for participants and mentors. How is the cap applied?
The $2,000 cap is annual per grant. Additional compensation must be documented as effort.

Q3: I budgeted $3K for a faculty trainer role under my grant. Can I pay a Kean tenure-track faculty member $1K per academic year over three years under my grant, given the $1K cap per participant and my $3K budget for this role?
Participants are non-Kean employees in most cases. The exception is a faculty member who agrees to try out a new teaching technique in their classroom and they receive an “incentive” to do so. The $2,000 cap is annual, by grant. Anything over that must be documented as effort.

IDC and Research accounts

Q1: What is effort?

It is based on 12 months and each faculty has 100% to give in a year. During the academic year (10 months) they teach, do research, and some complete administrative work for 83.33% of total effort (10/12). The summer provides an opportunity to work 16.67% more doing research, teaching additional courses, or doing chair work for a total of 100%.

Q2: What is the purpose of the research reinvestment accounts?

It is to provide the PI with some discretionary funds (a % of IDC) to use toward your research needs, not for use as supplemental salary.
Q3: What is the department’s IDC account used for?

It is for the chair to allocate to faculty who have a small request that can’t be funded by the operations account.

Q4: When and how is the IDC distributed?

IDC is distributed each year in November and the PI gets 5%, the dept gets 10%, and the college gets 10%.
Q5: What if I am the PI of a grant, but also a department chair?

There will be two IDC accounts established, yours as the PI, and the department's. The chair only manages the account department account; it is not for the chair to use for their own needs.
Q6: If I am the PI on a grant, how long do I receive my 5% of the IDC?

You will get your 5% as long as the grant is in existence.

Q7: If I do not have another grant nor am I teaching in the summer, can my individual IDC serve as a research stipend to cover 1-2 summer months’ research activities?

No, we don’t allow PIs to pay themselves from their IDC (research reinvestment) accounts.

Grant Period and Extensions

Q1: My project is nearing its end, is there a deadline by which I need to use the remaining travel funds?
All expenses must occur before the end of the grant period. You should be able to request an extension, but without it, you cannot spend after the end date.

Q2: When should I request a no-cost extension?
Notify ORSP and they will begin the process for the NCE. Please include a reason for the NCE and the deliverables that still need to be completed.

Individual sponsor requirements vary. First-time requests are generally due to the sponsor thirty (30) days before the current end date of the project. Any subsequent extension requests, if permitted, are due to the sponsor sixty (60) to ninety (90) days before the extended end date of the project. Please allow a reasonable amount of time for ORSP to review and process your request.

Hiring and Contracts

Q1: How do I hire personnel for my grant?
Your Post-Award Administrator will assist with initiating hiring paperwork.

Note: Any full-time staff position must be approved by HR and the Budget Office. If it’s fully covered by a grant, it does not have to be posted and does not count toward the university's state personnel cap. If it is partially covered by a grant, Budget approval is required because it counts toward the cap, and it must be posted via HR.

Q2: What is a Professional Service Agreement (PSA), and how do I know I need one?
They are most often used when hiring a consultant or specialist for a defined scope and timeline. Contracts are required for:

Hiring professional services
Purchases over $50,000
Public works or construction
Projects under the NJ Prevailing Wage Act

Q3: Who should review the PSA?
Submit the PSA to the Legal and Purchasing Departments. Include the Grant Agreement, budget, and any necessary forms (e.g., W-9, BRC). Attach a Rider for federal grants.

Timeline: Allow at least 14 days for legal review. Use Kean’s contract template to expedite.

Q4: What information must be included in a PSA?

Scope of work
Deliverables
Term
Costs and price breakdown
Maximum not-to-exceed value

IDC and Chair/PI Responsibilities

Q1: What is the relationship between IDC, my role as PI on a grant, and serving as a department chair?
IDC funds are distributed annually as follows:

5% to the PI
10% to the department
10% to the college

There will be two IDC accounts established, yours as the PI and the department's. The chair only manages the account department account; it is not for the chair to use for their own needs.

Q2: Is a research grant tied to the role of department chair?
No. IDC accounts are maintained separately for the PI and the department. The PI receives their share regardless of chair status.

Q3: If a faculty member is the PI but not the chair, how is IDC handled?
The PI continues to receive the 5% IDC allocation as long as the grant remains active.

Q4: Can IDC be used to pay a PI during an uncovered summer month with no other grant or teaching obligations?
No. PIs cannot pay themselves from their IDC (research reinvestment) accounts.

Q5: Does the academic year compensation policy apply during summer?
Yes, the same policies apply.

Managing Grant Roles and Funds

Q1: Will any roles or authority be needed in ESM/Ellucian/KeanWise, and how are they acquired?
Contact your Post-Award Administrator for assistance.

Q2: How can I find out the balance in my grant fund?
The Post-Award Administrator can provide the current balance.

Spending Grant Funds

Q1: Why can’t I spend my grant money any way I want?
Sponsored funds are subject to university and agency-specific restrictions. Contact your Post-Award Administrator and Procurement Services before spending.

Q2: How do I spend the money?
Your Post-Award Administrator will schedule a Post-Award Kick-Off Meeting to review budget and procedures.

Q3: How do I purchase supplies and materials on my grant?
Use ESM requisitions and receive goods in Ellucian. Purchases over $1,000 require ORSP approval.

Q4: Do I have to use Ellucian/ESM?
Yes. It is required for both purchases and travel.

Q5: How do I purchase food with grant funds?
Submit a requisition in ESM with an approved Formstack and quote. Pre-approval from ORSP is required.

Q6: I want to use gift cards for participant incentives, how can I order them?
Gift cards can only be purchased if:

They are for participant incentives or are sponsor-approved.
The cost is included in the grant budget and is allowable.

Max value per card: $25
Approval form must be submitted and retained.
Email the approved form and purchase request to:
- Jennifer Strahan (jestraha@kean.edu)
- Yelena Khaytin (ykhaytin@exchange.kean.edu)
- Copy Judy Pavese (jpavese@exchange.kean.edu)

Departmental support places the order using the departmental Amazon Business account (not through ESM).

Kean University