Budget Extension Process
Contents
Budget Extensions
A budget extension (aka no-cost extension) gives a Principal Investigator (PI) additional time on an awarded project without additional funding. It can be requested mid-project (temporary) or towards the end of the project.
All extensions for awarded projects (even those already approved by sponsor) require compliance review and approval by OSP. Request OSP review via the Budget Extension Request form.
OSP assigns a Post Award Change (PAC) number in SAGE to your request. Use that number to track your request.
- If your award has annual reporting requirements, you may need to request an advance budget instead of a budget extension.
- If an award has not been made, and you want to extend a pre-existing Advance budget. Review guidance from Grant & Contract Accounting on Advance Budget Set Up & Extension.
End of project extension requests should be submitted 45 business days before the budget end date.
Review best practices for Faculty Effort Commitments during a No Cost Extension.
Temporary Budget Extensions
A temporary budget extension allows you to extend an awarded budget period so you can continue posting expenses.
Temporary budget extensions are typically up to 6 months per request and can be requested again if needed. The department must provide an alternative departmental non-sponsored project budget number along with the request.
If the sponsor does not approve the budget extension, the department budget will be used to cover those expenses.
GCA cannot invoice sponsors for expenses accrued past the current approved end date.
Remember, if you are expecting an annual renewal, you may need to request an advance budget. Review your sponsor guidance.
Sponsor Notification or Request Process
In addition to using the Budget Extension Request form, we must notify or request an extension from the sponsor. Sometimes this is done by OSP and sometimes by the PI.
In all cases, OSP compliance review & approval must be requested via Budget Extension Request form.
| Sponsor | System | PI Instructions |
|---|---|---|
| NIH | eRA Commons | OSP submits after PI requests via Budget Extension Request form |
| NSF | Research.gov | Submit notification or request |
| NOAA | Grants Online | Submit notification or request |
| NASA | Shared Services Center | Submit notification or request and get sponsor confirmation |
| HRSA | E-Handbook | Submit concurrence letter (signed by OSP) within system |
| USGS | Submit concurrence letter (signed by OSP) within system |
If the sponsor does not use a system:
- review sponsor guidelines
- prepare a request to the sponsor on a concurrence letter with department letterhead,
- include a signature block for OSP,
- attach it to the Budget Extension Request
Submit Budget Extension Request to OSP
Frequently Asked Budget Extension Questions
How does the budget extension process work?
Approval is based on sponsoring agency guidelines and on the reasonableness of the justification for the use of the unspent account balance.
Upon approving a request, the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) notifies the sponsor and authorizes Grant and Contract Accounting (GCA) to extend the budget.
If the no cost extension request cannot be approved under sponsor guidelines, the OSP Reviewer will countersign the request and forward it to the agency for their review and approval.
If the agency approves the request, OSP will authorize GCA to extend the budget.
My sponsor requires yearly fiscal reporting and does not allow automatic carryover. The next amendment is not here and my UW budget end date is very soon. What should I do?
An advance budget number may be appropriate. They allow the next year’s advance spending to be separated so it can be properly reported.
I want to submit a request to my sponsor to extend the end date of my project. I probably won’t get formal sponsor approval in place before the end date. What can I do?
You can request a temporary budget extension. The PI must provide a non-sponsored project budget number in the Budget Extension Request Tool.
GCA can’t invoice sponsors for expenses after the current approved end date of the project.
If the sponsor does not approve the extension request then the PI will need to cover the expenses incurred after the current approved end date.
