Early termination is the process required to end an award before the published expiration date. Approval of the administering department is first required. An award can then be terminated early given prior written approval from the sponsoring agency. A common reason for terminating an award early would be the departure or transfer of the PD/PI to another institution/organization. With the departure of the the PD/PI, the award is either closedout or transferred with the PD/PI.

NIH awards require that prior approval be requested and approved at least 90 days before the anticipated termination date of the award. A request for a change of recipient organization must include an Official Statement Relinquishing Interests and Rights in a Public Health Service Research Grant (PHS 3734, aka relinquishing statement). For more information see NIH policy.

Receipt of a relinquishing statement by NIH does not guarantee approval to transfer an application for the continued funding of a project.

For non-NIH awards refer to the terms and conditions of the award.

1. The PI and Department will notify the Grants Officer/Specialist of intent to transfer or terminate an award at least 90 days prior to the transfer/termination date. If there are subcontracts under the award, Grants Officer/Specialist will alert the Subcontract Team of the anticipated early termination and verify that there will be enough time to terminate any subcontracts. Department post award will do the same with their colleagues at the subrecipient organization.
2. The Grants Officer/Specialist will obtain proper Institutional approvals and submit the prior approval request to the sponsor preferably 90 days prior to the transfer/termination date.
3. Department post-award staff will provide PI and Grants Officer/Specialist an estimated balance at time of termination (broken out by direct and indirect costs) and a list of equipment that is transferring with the project, if applicable.
4. For NIH awards, Grants Officer/Specialist will complete PHS 3734 Relinquishing Statement and verify termination date before submitting to CGA for review.  CGA will sign and submit the relinquishing statement via the eRA Commons.
5. For non-NIH awards, Grants Officer/Specialist will prepare the relinquishing statement per the terms and conditions of the award and submit to the department if the PI’s signature is required. Grants Officer/Specialist will then forward the form to [email protected] for review and/or signature of the Institutional Financial Officer (if required) before submitting the statement to the sponsor.
6. Upon receipt of Sponsor’s approval documentation, the closeout process must be completed per the terms of the award or per the Sponsor’s instructions. If there are subcontracts under the award, Grants Officer/Specialistwill notify Subcontract Team and confirm the approved termination date immediately upon receipt of Sponsor's approval. The Subcontract Team will notify subrecipients of the official termination date. Grants Officer/Specialist will relay the approved termination date to Department post award staff who will notify their colleagues at the subrecipient organization and initiate the financial closeout process. Grants Officer/Specialist informs CGA via CACTAS of the modified end date of the award.