Sponsored Agreements

Agreement Types

Quick Guide: Determine if Grant, Cooperative Agreement, or a Contract

  • Grant: Financial assistance mechanism awarded to carry out an approved project or activity (usually research) for which the idea may originate with the “performer” (PI). Sponsor provides financial or direct assistance in support of research, training, or other activity. This agreement type is generally governed by OMB Uniform Guidance if the sponsor is a Federal agency. Includes Subcontracts funded from SBIR/STTR.
  • Contract: A mechanism for procurement of a product or service with specific obligations from both the sponsor and the university. The idea for the project generally originates with the sponsor. If the sponsor is a Federal Agency, then it is governed by the Federal Acquisitions Regulations.
  • Cooperative Agreement: A financial assistance mechanism like a grant where the sponsor has defined it as such. This agreement type is generally governed by OMB Uniform Guidance if the sponsor is a Federal agency.
  • Fellowship: Agreement to provide funding to support the training of UCSF postdoctoral scholars and graduate students.
  • Subcontract: A document written under the authority of, and consistent with the terms and conditions of the prime award (a grant, contract or cooperative agreement), that transfers a portion of the research or substantive effort of the award to another institution or organization.
  • Confidential Disclosure Agreement or Nondisclosure agreement (CDA/NDA):  A legal contract between the university and an external party detailing each party’s obligation in regard to confidential materials or knowledge each wishes to share with one another for certain purposes, but wish to restrict from generalized use. Stand-alone CDA/NDA agreements are not accounted for in RAS.
  • Intergovernmental Personnel Act Assignment Agreement (IPA): Contract allows for the temporary assignment of non-clinical academic appointees.
  • Unfunded Research Collaboration (URC): A contract that establishes the rights and responsibilities of collaborators that are participating in collaborative research where no funds are exchanged.

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