UW Research

Early Termination and Relinquishment

The end dates for awards at the UW can change because of Early Termination, Relinquishment, and Award Transfers.

Early Termination

Early termination is shortening the life of the project prior to completion. Some reasons might include:

  • Sponsor and/or Principal Investigator (PI) decide to end the project earlier than planned.
  • PI is leaving the University.
  • Programmatic or financial reasons to end a project earlier than planned.
  • Receipt of a competing renewal that overlaps a previous competing segment.

Early terminations may also involve a deobligation or revision to the award amount.

Relinquishments and Award Transfers

Relinquishments and award transfers mean returning funds back to the sponsor and giving up the UW’s right to the funding. If another entity will be taking over the award, the sponsor re-issues the award as a new award to that entity. It is not a transfer directly from UW to the new entity.

Even if the end date is shortened, closeout requirements still apply per the terms and conditions of the award. Make sure to get all closeout documentation from the PI before they leave the UW.

How to Start a Relinquishment or Early Termination:

Active subawards? Submit a modification request in SAGE to terminate subawards.

Transferring animals with the transfer of an award? Contact OAW

NIH Relinquishments

Indicate the estimated, unexpended balance of the award being returned to NIH on the NIH relinquishment request form. Estimates should be comprehensive and include all outstanding obligations. The amount indicated will be deobligated and returned to NIH.

Contact GCA Help via GrantTracker for more information or for help completing the form before submitting to the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP).

Send completed NIH relinquishment form to closeout@uw.edu. OSP will submit the request to NIH in eRA Commons.

Forms, Tools, and Resources

Policy, regulation, and Guidance