Establishing Sponsored Project Chart Strings

last updated 09/08/09

Once a fully executed agreement has been received by OSR, it is matched with a proposal, logged into the NUORISN proposal and award information management system, and assigned a chart string in the University's financial system. OSR appropriates the award funding in accordance with the approved budget. If the PI or the PI's department wishes to provide guidance on how they would like the funds distributed, an OSR-3 form (proposed internal budget for a sponsored project) may be completed and submitted to OSR. This form, or a comuter spreadsheet containing accounts that are compatible with approved budget and cost accounting standards, will then be used by OSR to appropriate the project. The PI and department will be sent a copy of the Project Account Summary (PAS) once the chart string has been established. The PI and department are responsible for carefully reviewing the account summary PAS to verify that the figures are consistent with the award documentation. If not, OSR must be notified so that corrections can be made.

For NIH modular grants, OSR will appropriate funds into two accounts— 72801, the direct cost "lump sum" account and 78710, the indirect cost account for Facilities and Administrative costs (F&A) — to mirror the level of detail in the Notice of Grant Award. In addition, a standard set of direct cost accounts will be opened. It is important to note that direct cost expenditures should not be charged against object 72801. Instead, they must be assigned to specific accounts appropriate for the types of expenditure incurred. Cost principles and "CAS" standards still apply: the costs must be allowable, allocable, reasonable, and consistently treated.