When managing funding opportunities, it is easy for research administrators to focus on the front half of the timeline: the application and review processes. However, the most important data for stakeholders often must be gathered after the internal award decision.
In a webinar, Elizabeth (Liz) Fedie (Research Development Manager) and Susan (Sue) Fautsch (InfoReady Administrator) from the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center (MCC) shared best practices for managing the post-award process using progress reports in InfoReady:
- Think of progress reports as both a data collection tool and a way to provide awardees with relevant information about their specific award.
- Structure reports into different time periods. MCC uses immediate post award, end of funding period, and return on investment reports.
- Collect info for the financial transaction like account number and any internal processing forms.
- Provide terms of award document and acknowledgement text that awardees should include on any publications, such as external funding sponsor information.
- Build an optional no-cost extension request as one of the reports to keep this data tied to the original application.
- Use a report as a mini survey to ask awardees what resources (if any) they’ve used since the initial award, such as discussion forums or faculty development programs.
- A final report should request any info documenting ROI to funding sponsors, like publications, collaborations, and conference presentations.
- Set report reminders ahead of time on a schedule, such as one month two weeks, and one day before the report deadline.
We want to thank Liz and Sue for sharing their best practices on the post-award process within InfoReady™. Their insights on using progress reports to gather data at a variety of time periods will save administrators valuable time when they are asked to report on overall outcomes and return on investment (ROI).