Prior Approvals & Revision of Budget Plans
Many federal agencies have transferred the authority to approve a variety of post-award
changes internally under expanded authorities.
-
Expanded Authority
- A certain degree of latitude to rebudget within and between budget categories to meet unanticipated needs and to make other types of post-award changes.
-
NSF Research Terms and Conditions Appendix A Prior Approval Matrix
Under expanded authorities, agencies can authorize universities to:
-
Approve one no cost extension of up to 12 months
- Payment of additional compensation to employee
- Incur pre-award costs 90 calendar days prior to award at their own risk
- Approve equipment purchases (special or general purpose)
- Carry forward unobligated balances to subsequent funding period
The following changes require sponsor approval and must be justified:
-
Change in scope or objective of project
- Change in PI and/or key personnel
- Absence more than three months, or a 25% reduction in time devoted by the PI
- Need for additional federal funding
- Transfer of funds allotted for training allowances (direct payments to trainees) into other categories
- Subaward or transfer of significant portion of work, unless approved in original award pre-award spending more than 90 days prior to start date of award
- Re-budgeting of direct costs categories where federal award is >$250,000 and cumulative amount of transfers exceeds 10% of total budget
- Purchase of equipment not in approved budget
- Pre-award spending within 90 days prior to start date of award
- Request for a one-time no-cost extension of up to 12 months, provided reason is not simply to spend remaining funds
Universities must have written processes in place; therefore, LSU documents internal prior approvals via a modification / prior approval request record routed in Geaux Grants.
AgCenter PIs must complete the AgCenter Modification Request Form and send to the SPA contact.
Federal agencies may restrict the transfer of funds among direct cost categories for awards in which the Federal share exceeds $100,000 and cumulative amount of such transfers exceed 10% of the total budget.
Rebudgeting forms are available on SPA’s website: