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Key tasks: managing a project

This section contains details of some of the key tasks and principles you will need to undertake and understand in order to support the management of sponsored research projects.

 

1.    Learn about the fundamentals of research funding management 

It is crucial that staff supporting externally funded research projects understand the importance of good research management.

We encourage all existing and new research support staff at UCL to complete the ‘Fundamentals in Research Funding Management’ online training course.

Find out more about this introductory post-award training course, including what it covers, its learning objectives, and how to enrol below.

We also encourage all research support staff at UCL to read the UCL Post Award Policy, which sets out the responsibilities of Academic Departments and Award Services in the management of sponsored research projects at UCL.

Use the links below to learn more about research funding management.

Any questions? 

For further guidance and advice regarding research funding management contact your Research Finance Administrator in Award Services.
 

2.    Charge/approve expenditure on a project

In accordance with the UCL Post Award Policy, accountability for ensuring that expenditure in relation to research projects is incurred in accordance with the terms and conditions of the funder and UCL’s own financial regulations ultimately rests with the Principal Investigator (PI) and the Department’s administrative staff who have been delegated responsibility for ensuring that the research project is properly managed.  

All staff purchasing and approving expenditure on externally-funded research projects must therefore be familiar with the funder’s and UCL’s policies and requirements with regard to eligible expenditure.

Read about purchasing and approving expenditure on research projects and the UCL and funder policies and requirements with which you will need to be familiar with using the link below.

Any questions? 

For further advice please contact your Research Finance Administrator in Award Services.

3.    Staff timesheet requirements

Some funders require that certain staff employed on research grants complete timesheets to record their time spent working on a project.

Read more about funders’ staff timesheet requirements below.

Any questions? 

For further advice please contact your Research Finance Administrator, unless your project is funded by the European Commission, in which case please contact your European Contract Manager.

4.    Request a budget virement

A budget virement is the process of moving money from one part of a project budget to another part of the same budget, i.e., from one budget/award category to another. A budget virement may also transfer funds between two sub-projects of an award.

A virement may be required where more money than originally anticipated is needed for a particular purpose within a project and there are sufficient funds available in another budget/award category.  In such cases, where allowable under the funding award terms and conditions, you can request that Award Services arrange a budget virement.

Find out how to initiate a budget virement for projects submitted originally via Worktribe below.

For projects originally submitted via pFact, please send your virement request to your Research Finance Administrator in Award Services.

Any questions? 

If you require any project-specific advice, please contact your Research Finance Administrator in Award Services.

If you require assistance in creating a virement in Worktribe, please contact the Worktribe Support Team.
 

5.    Initiate a budget supplement

A budget supplement is additional funding awarded by the original funder to an existing project. As for any new funding application, budget supplements must be costed in Worktribe and approved internally, including by Award Services, before the supplement application/request and associated costs are shared with the funder. 

If and when the supplement funding request is approved by the funder you should notify your Research Support (Pre-Award) Officer in Award Services. They will set up the supplementary award in Worktribe and MyFinance will be updated to reflect the additional funds awarded and any revised project end date.

Use the links below to read more about budget supplements, including how to create a budget supplement in Worktribe to cost for additional external funding.

Any questions? 

If you require any project-specific advice, please contact your Research Support (Pre-Award) Officer in Award Services.

If you require assistance in creating a budget supplement in Worktribe, please contact the Worktribe Support team.

6.    Initiate a no-cost extension 

Extensions to the duration of a project must be agreed by your Head of Department prior to contacting the funder to request an extension. Written approval from the funder is required for all extensions to a project’s end date.

If a funder agrees to extend the end date of a project with no additional funding provided, this is referred to as a “no-cost extension”.

Learn how to initiate a no-cost extension in Worktribe and for projects originally submitted via pFact using the link below.

Any questions? 

Contact your Research Finance Administrator in Award Services if you require further advice.

7.    Project completion and research outputs: submitting reports, open access requirements, and Researchfish

During the course of and/or following completion of a research project you may be required to support the Principal Investigator or other researchers in your Department submit research outputs, including reports and publications, and/or provide information regarding the outcomes and impact of a research project, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the funding award/agreement.

Find out more about the reporting and publication of research outcomes, including what is/may be needed, why this is important, and some funder-specific requirements, using the links below.

Any questions? 

For advice regarding annual and final expenditure reports please contact your Research Finance Administrator in Award Services. 

For more information about Open Access please visit UCL Library Services website. 
 

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