Transfers to Another University
Awards are issued to the University, not to individual principal investigators. Therefore, if a principal investigator leaves the University, the Department Head/Director/Dean may decide whether to nominate a replacement PI and retain the award, or permit a relinquishment and transfer of the award. See Award Transfer Out Process for information and procedures.
Gift funds and fixed price complete residual funds are considered University funds and are not available for transfer to the new institution.
Transfers within the University of Arizona (Lead Unit Change)
An award may be transferred from one unit to another within the University with a UAccess Research Administrative Change Proposal. Appropriate department and college signers will approve the change via the proposal routing process. If the PI or key personnel are changing, sponsor approval is also required. See Project Changes.
After approvals:
- The UAccess Research Award will be updated to reflect the new lead unit. Award and F&A credit changes will be effective for the quarter the change is processed.
- In UAccess Financials, sibling accounts will be created for the new lead unit. The original lead unit accounts will be closed out, and budget transferred to the new sibling accounts. This ensures costs are segregated for each unit's reporting and audit responsibilities.
- The original lead unit retains audit responsibilities for their timeline of the project, and the new lead unit assumes audit responsibility going forward.
Transfers from Another Institution to the University of Arizona
Transferring a sponsored project into the University of Arizona is similar to accepting a new award. Follow these steps to initiate the process:
- The principal investigator must confirm that both the granting agency and the former institution are aware that the investigator is leaving that institution.
- The principal investigator must confirm that both the granting agency and the former institution have granted approval to transfer/relinquish the sponsored project.
- The principal investigator should provide contact information for the granting agency program officer and the former institution grant administrator to Sponsored Projects Services (SPS).
- Sponsored Projects Services will review the granting agency's policy regarding transfers and follow their procedures. If the granting agency does not have a published grant transfer policy, SPS may need to contact the sponsor program officer directly, using contact information provided by the PI.
- The principal investigator will coordinate with SPS and:
- Identify remaining project objectives to be completed at the University of Arizona
- Calculate the remaining account balance that will be transferred from the former institution
- Complete a formal proposal in UAccess Research for the transfer amount
- Financial Services Office provides incoming Equipment Transfer Policies and Procedures.
See the Transfer Equipment from a Former Institution section of the Property Administration page for information on transferring equipment.
What happens if the previous institution will not relinquish the award?
Granting agencies make awards to institutions, not to individuals. The University of Arizona cannot request an award transfer if the previous institution will not agree to transfer the award.