Carry forward consists of unobligated funds remaining at the end of any budget period that, with the approval of the sponsor, may be carried forward to another budget period to cover allowable costs of that budget period (whether as an offset or additional authorization). When the sponsor is the NIH, carry-forward approval may be provided by either the GMO or UCSF’s expanded authority.

Key Personnel are those considered to be of primary importance to the successful conduct of a research project.

1. For tNIH, key personnel are named in the Notice of Award (NoA). See the NIH definition of key personnel for additional information. Prior approval is required if the Key Personnel will:
   • Withdraw from the project.
   • Be absent for any continuous period of 3 months or more.
   • Reduce of the level of effort devoted to project by 25 percent or more from what was approved in the initial competing year award. 
     Selecting Yes in the RPPR constitutes a prior approval request to the agency and the issuance of a subsequent year of funding constitutes agency approval of the request.
2. For other sponsors, OSR will review and determine if prior approval is required
3. Summary of NIH Policy regarding Senior/Key Personnel and Key Investigator: Definitions, who designates, requirements and references for proposals, other support, prior approval and COI.

If the PD/PI of an award changes departments or steps down as PD/PI on the project, the sponsor must be notified prior to the effective date of the change and the following University requirements must be met:

1. If the award PD/PI changes departments and takes the award with them (e.g. most research grants and individual instructional grants), the change can be handled internally unless sponsor approval is required per the terms of the award. 
   • The change must be approved by the exiting PD/PI, Department Chair of the initial department and the Chair of the department the PI is moving to. 
   • Concurrence is then provided by an Institutional Officer.
2. If the award PD/PI leaves the department or the institution, but the award will stay with administering department (e.g.:  Institutional Training Grants), a request to change the PD/PI of the award must be approved by the sponsor prior to initiating an Administrative Modification of the award.
   • The prior approval request must be signed by the exiting PD/PI, the new PD/PI and the Department Chair.
   • The concurrence of an Institutional Officer is required prior to submission to the Sponsor.
3. If the award PD/PI steps down from the PD/PI role and assigns a new PD/PI from a different department:
   • A prior approval request must be sent to the sponsor.
   • Both PIs and their respective Department Chairs must approve prior to receiving Institutional concurrence (all parties must be in agreement to the change and outcome of the change, such as change in the provider of the facilities and resources used by the project).
4.  If the PI is transferring to a different institution, please see Early Termination/Relinquish Award.

Request for additional time (without additional funds), extending the last year or budget period of an existing award. Unless the sponsor has delegated UCSF the authority to extend an existing award, UCSF must seek permission from the sponsor. 

OSR has the authority to approve the 1st time NCE Award under expanded authorities in the eRA Commons.  All other awards typically require sponsor approval.