Duke leadership is very involved in national advocacy with federal agencies and national associations, and we are monitoring the rapidly changing environment for the latest guidance. To that end, we have asked grant managers to work with you to maintain documentation of certain issues that will be used in future reporting to sponsors and to support potential supplemental funding to offset the financial impacts of COVID-19 on your research.
Charging Effort to Awards
In accordance with institutional policy, all Duke faculty, staff, and students will continue to stay in a paid work (or academic/training status for students) status regardless of physical location or schedule and should record their normal hours and should be recorded at the current or planned levels. Most federal sponsors have issued statements allowing for the continued charging of salaries, regardless of the work schedule. We are hopeful that other sponsors/agencies will release similar guidance, including industry and foundation sources. Grant-funded individuals should follow the process below:
- If the individual is working remotely and contributing to the project, then salary should be charged to the grant.
- If an individual cannot contribute to their current project but can contribute to another sponsored project or institutional activity (including support of the clinical mission), the salary should be moved to that funding source.
- If an individual cannot perform job functions related to any university or sponsored project because of requirements to work remotely, their salary is allowable in accordance with university and sponsor regulations.
It is critical to document this in the event that other sponsors/agencies do not allow for the charging of salaries when effort in support of the grant is not possible or if this information is needed in the future in conversations with sponsors regarding COVID financial implications on grants, including potential administrative supplements.
Given the current status of research operations and anticipated impacts to come, investigators and the institution must critically assess the ability to deliver on new awards received during this time. When new awards are received during this period, your grant manager will contact you to understand if:
- You will need access to Duke-owned or Duke-leased facilities, and/or Duke shared resources or service centers
- Immediate travel to a foreign site is required
- Collaborators are able to conduct their portion of the proposed work
- Necessary vended materials, supplies, or equipment can be obtained
Our major federal sponsors have been alerted to the current status of Duke’s research operations and the impact on studies across the institution, therefore notifying sponsors generally of Duke’s shut down is not necessary. However, if you need to discuss specific programmatic changes to your project with a program official, please do so. In the event a programmatic change results in the need to officially change the project scope, specific aims or budget, or where the sponsor requires an institutional official to endorse the action, please follow the COVID-19 notice to sponsors process.