No Cost Extensions

As a general rule, if the work under the sponsored project is not yet complete it may be possible for the PI to obtain a no cost extension in order to fulfill the obligations of the award.

Extension requests are the responsibility of the PI and must follow the sponsor’s policies. Sponsor policies differ with respect to the method of the request, timing of the request, and the length of the allowable extension. Note that in order to request an extension, there must be funds remaining at the end of the project period.

SPA may be able to grant a one-time no cost extension without sponsor prior approval. It is important to know your sponsor's policies and make the request to your SPA Project Officer prior to the end date of the sponsored project.

Items your SPA Project Officer needs for a no cost extension request:

  • IPASS Form, signed by PI and Dean/Chair/Director/Designee
  • The new requested end date of the project
  • Estimated balance to remain at the end of the project date
  • Justification for the request. Note that having funds remaining on the sponsored project is not, in itself, sufficient justification for a no cost extension.  Typical and acceptable reasons for a no cost extension include:
    • Additional time beyond the established expiration date is required to ensure adequate completion of the
      originally approved project;
    • Continuity of support is required while a competing continuation application is under review;
    • The extension is necessary to permit an orderly phase-out of a project that will not receive continued support.

If the sponsor requires prior approval, a formal letter may be necessary, in addition to the items listed above.  Please refer to the Notice of Award or Agreement for additional requirements, such as Progress Report; IRB or IACUC approval, financial report.  During a no cost extension period, compliance requirements must still be met, such as FCOI, IRB and IACUC approvals.  In addition, some sponsors may still require technical reports prior to when a final report is prepared.

NSF Policy

Research.gov

  • NCE requests are submitted through Research.gov.
  • You will need to know your NSF ID and password. If you have misplaced or forgotten this information, contact [email protected]
  • After logging in, click on the “Notifications & Requests” under the awards and reporting.
  • Click on the “Prepare New” request button.
  • This will bring up a list of options. In this case, “Grantee No-Cost Extension,” or NSF-approved NCE depending on which one is relevant.
    • Grantee approved: an automatic one-time extension up to 12 months. Must be submitted to NSF via your SPA Project Officer at least 10 calendar days from project end-date.
    • NSF approved: up to two additional 12 month extensions. Same requirements as Grantee NCE, however, the justification for extended time should be more detailed and must be submitted to NSF via your SPA Project Officer at least 45 days prior to the project end date
  • Enter your NSF award number.
  • Enter the new end date.
  • Enter the new revised end date, the amount of remaining funds, the justification for the NCE, and the plan for the use of the unobligated funds.
  • Click on the “Save & Submit” button. This will send the request to the SPA Project Officer.