September 2023 Newsletter

In this issue:

Impact of Federal Shutdown on Sponsored Projects
Welcome New Grants Specialist
Budgeting and Policy Reminders
National Science Foundation
National Institutes of Health
Featured Funding Opportunity - MRI Limited Competition

JMU OSP News

Impact of Federal Shutdown on Sponsored Projects

ALERT: Funding appropriations for most federal agencies are set to expire midnight September 30, 2023. Office of Sponsored Programs is monitoring the federal budget situation and the potential impacts to our PIs.

Current federally funded PIs and programs: you may continue to spend from your currently funded federal projects during a shutdown because the University operates on a cost-reimbursement model. We will drawdown funds in support of your programs as functionality is restored. Renewals and supplements will be suspended and delayed during the shutdown.

For questions contact JMU’s Office of Sponsored Programs: [email protected]

OSP – Welcome New Grants Specialist

Brent Arehart joined the Office of Sponsored Programs as a Grants Specialist this summer. Originally from the Harrisonburg area, Brent returned after completing the Ph.D program in Classics at the University of Cincinnati. He looks forward to learning another side of academia and applying his background in research to new challenges.

OSP – Budgeting and Policy Reminders

Now that the 2023-2024 academic year is underway, the Office of Sponsored Programs would like to remind you that we are your resource for all your external funding pursuits. Check out our website for all the latest information, from resources for finding funding opportunities to forms, processes, and policies for proposal development.

Reminder: the OSP is expecting higher than normal volume, so it is imperative to submit your final proposal materials at least 5 business days prior to the sponsor’s deadline to avoid delays or missed submissions.

Minimum Wage Increase – Minimum wage increased to $12.00 per hour on 1/1/2023.

IRS Mileage Rate – The standard mileage rate is currently 65.5 cents per mile for use of personal vehicle.

Supplies for Collaborators – Estimates for collaborators must include all costs (personnel, fringe, supplies, travel, equipment, etc.). This will ensure that the totals provided by contractors and subrecipients are all-inclusive. Principal investigators should instruct your collaborators that they should factor in all costs in their estimates. JMU will not allow purchase of supplies for collaborators.

NEW OSP-Financial Services Email Address – Update your contact list to reach the team to answer all your post-award questions: [email protected]

National Science Foundation (NSF)

FastLane to Retire September 29, 2023 - Please see the FastLane System Decommissioning page for additional information.

Project Reporting - Effective July 24, 2023, the National Science Foundation (NSF) made enhancements to the Project Reporting System in Research.gov to enable datasets and research materials to be entered as distinct product types that are managed and reviewed separately. This change improves project report data quality by listing each product type resulting from NSF funded research as a separate entry rather than a combined listing of multiple product types.

An updated How to Add Datasets to the NSF-PAR and NSF In-progress Project Reports guide and updated How to Remove Datasets from the NSF-PAR and In-progress Project Reports guide are available on the Research.gov website.

Overdue Reports – NSF has announced plans to improve recipient compliance with existing annual project reporting requirements. NSF will leverage and assess the effectiveness of exercising their existing authority to temporarily withhold cash payments pending the submission and approval of annual project reports. Not only does having overdue reports reflect poorly on the institution, it “may” result impact funding decisions for the whole institution.

Senior Personnel Documents – Be prepared! Starting October 23, NSF will require senior personnel use SciENcv for Senior Personnel documents. NSF proposals require these items for all senior personnel serving on the project: Biosketch, List of Current and Pending Support, and Collaborators and Other Affiliations.

Note: The proposed project should be listed as pending on the Current and Pending Support form.

SciENcv Training Resources

NSF Biographical Sketch video tutorial
NSF Current & Pending (Other) Support video tutorial
SciENcv help guide with NSF-specific section (includes screenshots and step-by-step instructions)
Using SciENcv Frequently Asked Questions
SciENcv demo recording from June 2023 NSF Grants Conference (demo starts at the 23:49 minute marker)

National Institutes of Health

Budgeting DMS Costs - NIH has updated application instructions for submitting requests for Data Management and Sharing costs in a single line item. As outlined in the Final NIH Policy on Data Management and Sharing (DMS), costs associated with data management and data sharing may be allowable under the budget for the proposed project. Access the full text of the 2023 Final NIH Policy for Data Management & Sharing.

Effective for applications submitted for due dates on or after October 5, 2023, NIH will no longer require the use of the single DMS cost line item. NIH recognizes that DMS costs may be requested in many cost categories. Therefore, in line with standard budget instructions, DMS costs must be requested in the appropriate cost category, e.g., personnel, equipment, supplies, and other expenses. While the single cost line item is no longer required, NIH will require applicants to specify estimated DMS cost details within the “Budget Justification” attachment of the R&R Budget Form or “Additional Narrative Justification” attachment of the PHS 398 Modular Budget Form, pursuant to the instructions.

Check here for updates: NIH How to Apply – Application Guide

Featured Funding Opportunity

MRI Limited Competition

Internal Deadline: September 29

The following information was distributed previously to leadership to share within their colleges. This has been a popular funding opportunity and has the potential to significantly augment equipment resources.

NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Action Required: To allow teams to formulate winning proposals, the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) publicizes an URGENT limited competition deadline (Sept 29) for the National Science Foundation’s Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI).

New this year, with the revised program solicitation (23-519) applications are due to NSF by November 15 rather than after we return from Winter Break. We must internally identify the most competitive proposals during the concept development phase. OSP will collect abbreviated information outlining the potential applicant(s)’ MRI proposal plans. OSP will coordinate a Limited Submission competition internally to identify the most meritorious proposals to move forward.

INSTRUCTIONS

Those interested in submitting any MRI grant application in November 2023 must send a "MRI notice of interest" e-mail to [email protected] along with a completed Limited Submission Form by Friday September 29 to inform the OSP and reviewers of their MRI proposal plan. Only proposal materials submitted by this deadline will be under consideration to submit a full NSF MRI by November 15, 2023.

The body of the email should include the name of the Principal Investigator, Co-Investigators, and which track the proposal will fall under.

All applicants will be notified of reviewers’ comments and decisions by October 9.

*Note: it is very important to read the NEW solicitation (NSF 23-519) to determine which Track (1-3) your request addresses.

Office of Sponsored Programs | James Madison University | 540-568-6872| [email protected]

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