Managing a sponsored project at Columbia University involves closely adhering to a set of policies and procedures. On this page, you’ll find guidance for managing the post-award, financial lifecycle of sponsored projects, including: initiation and execution, transacting, financial reporting and monitoring, documenting personnel costs (effort reporting), receivables management, project closeout, and audit.
Part of the Office of the Controller, Sponsored Projects Post-Award Financial Administration consists of Sponsored Projects Finance (SPF) and the Research Policy and Indirect Costs (RPIC) group. Learn more about these offices and their respective roles and responsibilities below.
Common Tasks
Sponsored Project Lifecycle
Below are the stages of the lifecycle you will need to follow to manage the post-award, financial administration of your sponsored project.
1. Getting Started
Get started on your project tasks by learning more about our Finance units, the sponsored project lifecycle, and reading the Sponsored Projects Handbook.
- Learn about Sponsored Projects Finance (SPF)
- Learn about Research Policy and Indirect Costs (RPIC)
- Learn about Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) (website)
- Learn about the Sponsored Projects Lifecycle
- Read the Sponsored Projects Handbook (website)
- Read the SPF Department Reference Guide
- Visit Columbia Research (website)
2. Initiation and Execution
Visit Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) to learn about the initiation and execution of sponsored projects.
- Proposal Preparation (website)
- Subawards (website)
- Award Setup (website)
- Making Payments on Sponsored Projects
3. Transacting
Learn how to manage transactions on sponsored projects, including salary distributions, purchase of goods and services, cost transfers, cost sharing and more.
- Salaries (Payroll)
- Goods and Services (Buying and Paying)
- Subawards (website)
- Service Centers and Recharge Centers (job aid)
- Service Center Manual (pdf)
- Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) Tuition
- Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs
- Cost Transfers (Salary and Non-Salary)
- Cost Sharing
- Payments to Human Subjects
4. Financial Reporting and Monitoring
Learn how to satisfy financial reporting and monitoring obligations on sponsored projects.
5. Documenting Personnel Costs (Effort Reporting)
Learn how to document personnel costs and perform the certification of effort on sponsored projects.
6. Receivables Management
Learn how to manage receivables on sponsored projects.
7. Closeout
Learn how to reconcile and ensure the prompt closure of sponsored projects.
- Financial Closeout Reference Guide
- Expenditure Finalization and Validation
- Outbound Subaward Finalization
- Prepaid Vouchers and Petty Cash
- Integrating System Distributions
- Extensions (website)
- Major Equipment and Surplus Supplies Review
- Training Grants
- Carryovers
- Award Transfers (website)
- Project Closure
8. Audit
Learn about records retention and audits on sponsored projects.