Sponsored Projects Academy training series

Geared towards individuals who assist their unit or cost center with research administration, the Sponsored Projects Academy training series, consisting of the Introductory Sponsored Projects Academy and the Advanced Sponsored Projects Academy, is designed to train, educate, and develop research administrators at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Introductory Sponsored Projects Academy

Attendees will gain an overall understanding of the entire sponsored project process including proposal development to project closeout, policies and procedures governing University sponsored projects, and the research administration support services available within the Research & Innovation division.

The six-week course meets once a week and is offered in the fall semester.

If you are interested in registering for the Introductory Sponsored Projects Academy, please contact Sierra Hooft.

Course curriculum

Week 1: Sponsored projects lifecycle & pre-award activities
Sept. 26, 2025, 9 a.m.-noon

• Research & Innovation division introduction
• Sponsored projects life cycle-introduction
• Pre-award phase
• Award phase
• Post-award phase
• Uniform Guidance cost principles

Week 2: Pre-award & post-award activities
Oct. 3, 2025, 9 a.m.-noon

• Other proposal documents: budget justifications, current & pending support, biosketches
• Facilities & administrative (F&A) costs
• Project management
• College grant coordinator overview: building a proposal budget & the SP-22 form
• Grants administration from a department perspective: best practices
• Subawards

Week 3: Post-award activities continued
Oct. 10, 2025, 9 a.m.-noon

• Workday grant functions: best practices
• Cost transfers & the SP-6 form
• Cost sharing, the SP-11 form & the SP-7 form
• Effort reporting
• Project changes, transfers/dispositions plans & the SP-5 form

Week 4: Partner offices
Oct. 17, 2025, 9 a.m.-noon

• Environmental Health & Safety
• Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC)
• Research Integrity & Security
• Enterprise & Innovation
• UNR Libraries: data management

Week 5: Compliance & special topics
Oct. 24, 2025, 9 a.m.-noon

• Project closeouts
• Conflict of interest
• Export controls & international research
• Purchasing
• Best practices in audit preparation

Week 6: Wrap-up, review and exam
Nov. 7, 2025, 9 a.m.-noon

Advanced Sponsored Projects Academy

Attendees will gain a deep understanding of select sponsored project topics such as funding opportunity announcement review, budget development, program Workday costing allocations, subawards, risk accounts and cost transfers.

The four-week course meets once per week and is typically offered in the spring semester. The 2025 spring training has been cancelled due to understaffing and availability of personnel. If you are interested in viewing recordings of the 2024 Advanced Academy, please contact Sierra Hooft.

Course curriculum

Week 1: Proposal solicitation review & program income

• Welcome & introductions
• Proposal solicitation review & group exercise
• Open discussion/Q&A

Week 2: Proposal budgeting

• Proposal budgeting
• Proposal budget review group exercise
• Open discussion/Q&A

Week 3: Workday costing allocations & subawards

• Workday costing allocations demo
• Subawards & group exercise
• Open discussion/Q&A

Week 4: Risk accounts & cost transfers

• Risk accounts
• Cost transfers & group exercise
• Open discussion/Q&A