General
Proposals
Awards and Grants Administration

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General

1. What are your office hours and where are you located?
Office hours are 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
OSPR is located in the Parker Hannifin Hall, 3rd Floor, 2258 Euclid Avenue

2. What is the contact information for your office?
OSPR's mailing address is:
Office of Sponsored Programs and Research
Cleveland State University
2121 Euclid Avenue, Parker Hannifin Hall, 3rd Floor
Cleveland, Ohio 44115-2214
Telephone: 216-687-3630
Email: OSPR@csuohio.edu

3. Who are your staff members?

Kathleen Benghiat, Budget Coordinator, k.benghiat@csuohio.edu 216-687-4844

Barbara Bryant, Administrative Coordinator, b.bryant@csuohio.edu 216-687-3624

Beth Judy, Animal Care Facilitator Coordinator, b.judy@csuohio.edu 216-687-2071

M. Therese Kocevar, CRA, Compliance Analyst m.kocevar@csuohio.edu 216-687-4567

Christine Sell, CRA, Preaward Services Manager c.sell@csuohio.edu 216-687-3625

Diana Dubinsky, Assistant Director, d.dubinsky@csuohio.edu 216-687-3607

Craig M. Zullig, Director, c.zullig@csuohio.edu, 216-687-3675

Proposals

1. How can I find deadlines for grant programs?

Federal Funding Opportunities: http://www.grants.gov
Most federal agencies have posted program deadlines on their agency website. State, local and other funders' deadlines can be found either via the Web or by contacting OSPR's PreAward Servies Manager, Christine Sell.

2. What assistance is available to help with proposal writing?

1. "Proposal Writer's Short Course," available at http://www.fdncenter.org/learn/ is an excellent, basic primer on grant writing.

2. "Grantwriting Suggestions" by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, available at http://www.cpb.org/grants/grantwriting.html is also an excellent basic guide.
3. "CFDA Guide to Developing & Writing Grants Proposals" is available at http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL32159_20070525.pdf

The OSPR staff can also provide individual and group training in proposal writing.

3. What CSU documentation do I need in order to submit a proposal?
The following information is required for CSU proposal submissions.

1	Completed and signed Proposal Transmitted Form (http://www.csuohio.edu/offices/spr/) with completed Conflict of Interest form for PI and all named Co-PIs REQUIRED
2	Budget REQUIRED
3	Budget Justification REQUIRED
4	Proposal or Project Abstract REQUIRED

4. How far in advance of the deadline does OSPR need the proposal?
OSPR requests at least five (5) working days prior to the submission deadline to review the proposal.

5. Who can help me with my proposal budget?
OSPR PreAward Services staff can assist with budgeting; call Ext. 3625.

6. What are CSU's government districts?
Congressional: 10 and 11; State: Senate, 21 and House, 10.
(Euclid Avenue splits the District)

7. What is CSU's IRS Tax Identification Number (also called EIN)?
34-0966056

8. What is the University's Indirect Cost Rate (Facilities & Administrative Rate)?
For the period 7/1/08 through 6/30/12, Indirect Costs (Facilities and Administrative) rates are calculated through our Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) negotiated rate:
On-campus rate is 42% MTDC
Off- campus rate is 24% MTDC

Indirect costs on all federal grants are calculated using this formula.
The MTDC rate is applied against:

1. all salaries and wages,
2. fringe benefits,
3. materials,
4. supplies,
5. services,
6. travel and
7. sub-grants and subcontracts up to the first $25,000 of those sub-grants or subcontracts without regard to the time period covered by those sub-grants and subcontracts.

Indirect cannot be charged against these categories:

1. equipment (above $2,500)
2. capital expenditures,
3. charges for patient care,
4. tuition remission,
5. rental costs of off-site facilities,
6. scholarships and fellowships as well as that portion of sub-grants and subcontracts above $25,000.

9. What are the University's fringe benefit rates?

Full-time Faculty & Staff Federal.................................................. 32.9%

Non-Federal......................................... 34.0%

Part-time, including summer faculty.......... 19.7%

Students (Stipend & Hourly)........................ 5.5%

10. Who is the CSU official authorized to sign grant applications and awards (up to $499,999)?
George E. Walker, PhD, Vice President for Research, Office of Research.

11. Who is the CSU official authorized to sign grant applications and awards for dollar amounts $500,000 and above?
Ronald Berkman, PhD, President

12. What is the difference between a Gift and a Grant?
Private funds supporting specific research projects may be categorized as gifts or grants depending upon the conditions of the award. In general, a gift is awarded irrevocably by an individual or organization to the University without specific expectations and without contractual obligations imposed upon the University. This means there is no specific work plan, reporting requirements, specific budget, or project dates. A grant mechanism, however, binds the University to a specific task (scope of work or proposal), terms and conditions, project dates, budget, and reporting requirements.

13. When I have a proposal for a corporation or a foundation, do I work with OSPR or with the Division of University Advancement?
When the project can be defined as a grant, work through the OSPR. A grant is defined as a project with goals and objectives with a deliverable product or service, a defined budget, and a beginning/ending period. Gifts, scholarships, endowments, and gift proposals to foundations are handled by the Division of University Advancement. For more information contact Christine Sell.

14. What are the "Coordinated Foundations" and how do I submit proposals to these foundations?
The five "Coordinated Foundations” are:

1. The Cleveland Foundation
2. The George Gund Foundation
3. The Kulas Foundation
4. The John P. Murphy Foundation
5. The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

Proposal submission to these five foundations is coordinated by the Division of University Advancement which must review them before OSPR is involved. OSPR will not review any proposals to these foundations without evidence of Advancement’s prior approval (which involves Presidential approval). If you plan to submit a proposal to one of these foundations, please contact OSPR well in advance for guidance. Awards and

For questions about proposals to these foundations, please contact Christine Sell

Awards and Grants Administration

1. What documentation is required to establish a grant account for my funded project?
Two conditions must be met before a grant account will be established, as follows:
Condition One--Receipt of valid Award Documentation.
Condition Two--Receipt of all Required Documentation.
One item from Column A and all items from Column B are necessary to establish an account:

Column A – Award Documentation		Column B - Required Documentation
1	An Award Letter or check from Sponsor	1	Original, Fully-Executed Proposal Transmittal Form (PTF)
2	A Fully-Executed Contract from Sponsor	2	Conflict of Interest Form
3	A Notice of Grant Award from the sponsor	3	Budget
4	A fully executed Subcontract with another university	4	Budget Justification
5	Memo from Chair, Dean, or Director for an underwritten account	5	Narrative Proposal
		6	IRB/IACUC Approvals (as required)
		7	Budget Transfer Form for Cost-Share (as required)

2. How do I purchase equipment?
All equipment purchases (items costing $2,500 or more with a useable life of at least one year), must be made using the "Purchase Requisition" form, and must be approved in advance of purchase by the Department of Purchasing Services

3. Where can I find per diem and mileage rates?
Per diem and mileage rates can be found on the Controller’s Web Site under Travel Policy http://www.csuohio.edu/offices/controllers/ .

4. How do I re-budget funds in my account?
In addition to internal review, a request to re-budget funds may require sponsor review and approval before it can be processed. Such a request should be in writing, include a justification, and be submitted to OSPR with enough time for both reviews, as required. For information on budget transfers, please contact OSPR Compliance Analyst, Teri Kocevar

5. Where do I get Release Time and other CSU-internal sponsored program forms?
Release time and other forms are available at http://www.csuohio.edu/offices/spr/forms/.