Closeout is the process in which the awarding agency determines that all applicable administrative actions and all required work with the award have been completed by the recipient. This involves reviewing project expenditures, resolving open commitments, collecting subrecipient documents (including their final reports), and preparing required final reports and deliverables for submission to the sponsor. The deadline to submit final reports varies between 45-120 days based on the Sponsor. An automated notification from Contracts and Grants Accounting (CGA) will be sent to departments 45 days prior to the award end date that the award is coming to an end.

If you have a programmatic reason for extending the award and have funds available to continue the project, a no cost extension should be requested. If you have a sub-award, the sub-recipient must submit all final billings well in advance of the 90 or 120 day period to ensure that it will be included. There is additional flexibility to charge publication and printing costs to federal awards prior to closeout that are incurred after the period of performance has ended without requesting a NCE (Uniform Guidance §200.461-Publication and printing costs).  

• National Science Foundation - Award and Administration Guide (Chapter II.D.5. Grant Closeout)
• National Institutes of Health - Grants Policy Statement (Part II, Section 8.6 Closeout)

If you need more time to complete your research, work the appropriate OSR contact to request an extension. Conflict of Interest must be cleared before the extension can be approved. 

If you will complete your research by the specified end date and an extension is not necessary, wrap up your project and prepare any required reports. This may include a final scientific report, as well as financial and final invention statements.

The following are considerations for the most commonly required reports:

• Scientific: The final scientific report requirements may vary depending on sponsor. NIH allows the PI to upload and submit the final report through eRA Commons. For private sponsors, PIs may also be able to submit the final technical report themselves. However, if institutional sign-off is required, coordinate with OSR.
• Financial report: In general, Contracts & Grants Accounting (CGA) will coordinate with your post-award analyst to complete and transmit the financial report. If needed, CGA will coordinate with OSR. 
• Final invention statement (NIH): The PI must disclose any patents or inventions that were conceived or first actually reduced to practice during the course of the award, including inventions previously reported as part of the grant or award. This statement will be submitted through eRA Commons by a Signing Official after it is verified by the Office of Technology Management. Coordinate with OSR to provide the proper information.