CTSI-Pilot Awards Program Award Terms and Conditions

We encourage you to commence spending funds immediately, as no carry-forwards will be allowed.

This grant is subject to the following conditions, consistent with the restrictions of the CTSI award:

Award Policy & Guidelines

  1. Additional Funding: In the event that another agency, either within or outside of UCSF, funds this project, you will notify the CTSI-Pilot Awards program administrator immediately. Multiple funding is not allowable dependent on the funding agency. You agree prior to accepting another source to contact CTSI-Pilot Awards program administrator immediately to determine the allowability.

  2. K Scholars salary and KL2 Projects are not allowable. You agree prior to accepting a K-Award to contact CTSI-Pilot Awards program administrator immediately to determine the allowability.

  3. Prior approval by CTSI Pilot Award Faculty Director is required for change of PI. You agree to contact CTSI-Pilot Awards program administrator immediately for necessary documentation.

  4. If your project is an NIH-defined clinical trial, you will register your project and report results on clinicaltrials.gov. An NCT number is required before the grant is awarded.

  5. All CTSI funded pilot awards involving human subjects and/or vertebrate animals must be submitted and approved by NIH for prior approval before research activities begin. Additional reporting and other information is required by the NIH and CTSI. You agree to provide this information when it is requested.

  6. The NIH Grants Policy will be adopted for this award. Award funds must be used according to the approved budget and all expenditures must be in compliance with the NIH Grants Policy Statement (http://grants.nih.gov/policy/nihgps/index.htm) and Uniform Guidance Federal Regulation (https://controller.ucsf.edu/policy/contracts-grants-accounting/uniform-guidance) as well as Campus Supply Chain Management Purchasing Guidelines (https://supplychain.ucsf.edu/buying-guidelines).

  7. Rigor and Reproducibility: This project will adhere to the Rigor and Reproducibility guidelines based on the four elements of rigor described by the NIH (https://grants.nih.gov/policy/reproducibility/index.htm).

Award Recognition

Acknowledge the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Grant Number UL1 TR001872. Any publications, presentations, or abstracts resulting from this research shall acknowledge the relevant grant number. Any blogs, press releases, or news features from this research shall acknowledge the grant and CTSI.

Cite the CTSI grant on any publications, presentations or abstracts resulting from this project:

"This publication [or project] was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through UCSF-CTSI Grant Number #UL1 TR001872. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH."

Progress Reports

The CTSI Pilot Awards are significantly funded by NCATS and every year NCATS requires CTSI to submit an Annual Progress Report (APR). Consequently, at the beginning of every calendar year, the awardee will asked to provide CTSI with an update on their award. The update is generally less than 300 words and includes progress on the current award.

In addition to this reporting, a final report on progress toward goals, including an expense report appropriate for review must be submitted at the end of the award. The report should reflect expenditures for the entire award period. We also will ask you for a progress report one year after your project period ends. A second progress report is due the following year, and a 5- year follow-up report will be due three years after the second. We would like to have all reports must be completed by the date requested. Details for the post-award reports will focus mostly on additional extramural funds received, publications and presentations.

IRB/IACUC Compliance and NCATS Prior Approval

  1. When you apply for IRB/IACUC approval, please indicate that your research is supported by CTSI:
    a. P0541014
    b. For IRB, Sponsor Name listed as "NIH Natl Ctr Advancing Translational Sci"
    c. For IACUC, Funding Source, Source From List, listed as "NIH-NCATS"
    d. You must keep your IRB/IACUC approval current and active for the duration of the award period. Please send copies of all approval letters to the CTSI-Pilot Awards program administrator.
  2. If your project involves human and/or vertebrate animals, CTSI is required to obtain NCATS prior approval before we issue your award letter and you begin your research activities. Submission of an incomplete prior approval documentation, which includes an IRB and/or IACUC approval letter, may result in delays. Failure to receive NCATS Prior Approval will result in delays or in some cases, withdrawal of funding.
    a. Studies requiring prior approval should begin the process to obtain IRB and/or IACUC approval immediately upon receiving notification that CTSI intends to fund your pilot award.
    b. You must be listed as an investigator on the study and the title of your Pilot Award must match that on the IRB/IACUC approval letter. If this is not the case, you may face delays and are responsible for communicating this to CTSI immediately to prevent significant delays or withholding of award.

Budget and Financial Management

  1. Post-award financial management: Awardee and their department are responsible for oversight of financial, scientific, and compliance aspects of the award. PIs and departments exercise budgetary control and ensure that expenditures incurred are within the authorized budget and period and that only those costs that are allowable, allocable and reasonable are charged. Sufficient records to support sponsored project transactions must be maintained, available for audit, and demonstrate compliance with contract terms, UC policy, accounting guidance, and federal regulations.
  2. Funds will be allocated annually and must be spent within the time period outlined in the program proposal. All transactions must record against ledger no later than 30 days after the budget period ends. Remaining liens must be removed. PI will be responsible for unallowable expenses as well as any expenses post outside of the budget period. Overdrafts are not permitted and are the responsibility of the award recipient and corresponding department/unit. In the event of an overdraft, you and your department will be contacted to move the overdrafts. For details on allowability and reconciliation, please refer to the Controller's Office
  3. Rebudget: Allocated funds must be spent in accordance with the award proposal. A change of 25% or more in any budget category or a change from equipment to another category of the approved budget requires prior approval. If you wish to amend your budget, please send a copy of your original approved budget, your proposed budget and an updated budget justification to the CTSI-Pilot Awards program administrator, with a brief narrative explaining the reason for the changes.
  4. Award verification: PI can verify through the award verification tool.
  5. No Cost Extension (NCE): CTSI-Pilot Awards does not allow no-cost extensions. These awards are funded primarily through NIH dollars, and CTSI's particular agreement with the NIH does not allow carry-forwards. CTSI must enforce the terms of its award. Any funds left unspent at the end of the award period will revert to CTSI-Pilot Awards. Requests for no-cost extensions will not be considered
  6. Financial Report: A final financial report is due 45 days after the award ends.

Contact Us

For general inquiries, please email [email protected]