Office of Research and Innovation

Grant Writing Resources and Sponsor Templates

Foster a Collaborative Partnership Culture 

  1. Collaborative Approach: Treat the partnership as a collaboration, not just a transactional relationship.  Remember, subawardees are your co-investigators.
  2. Mutual Respect: Encourage mutual respect, open dialogue, and a shared commitment to the project's success. 
  3. Celebrate and Address: Celebrate joint successes and address challenges together to build trust and maintain a positive working relationship. 
  4. Transparent Communication: Establish a collaborative and transparent communication plan with regular check-ins, progress updates, and problem-solving meetings. 
  5. Guidance and Training: Offer guidance and training to the subrecipient on compliance requirements, financial management, and sponsor expectations. 

Clearly Define Roles and Responsibilities 

  1. Clear Roles and Expectations: Define roles, responsibilities, and expectations for both parties in the subaward agreement, including project scope, deliverables, timelines, reporting requirements, and financial management to ensure accountability and avoid overlaps. 
  2. Contribution Outline: Specify how each partner will contribute to the project, including technical tasks, data sharing, and compliance requirements. 
  3. Points of Contact: Identify key personnel from each organization responsible for communication, decision-making, and addressing issues throughout the project. 
  4. Reporting and Transparency: Set expectations for progress reports, timelines, and deliverables to ensure timely updates and transparency. 
  5. Realistic Deadlines: Establish realistic deadlines for tasks, including key milestones, to monitor progress and keep the project on schedule. 
  6. Resource Allocation: Clearly outline which party is responsible for specific resources, including personnel, equipment, and budgetary allocations. 
  7. Regular Communication: Set expectations for regular communication, including the frequency of meetings, reporting formats, and methods for handling unforeseen issues.
 

Develop a Strong Statement of Work (SOW) 

  1. Detailed SOW: Collaborate with the subrecipient to create a detailed SOW that specifies clear, measurable objectives, milestones, and deliverables from both the prime institution and the subawardee. 
  2. Alignment with Goals: Ensure that the SOW is aligned with the primary award’s goals and objectives. 

Budget Clarity and Compliance 

  1. Collaborative Budget Development: Work closely with the subrecipient to create a realistic and transparent budget that aligns with the project's objectives and meets both sponsor and institutional requirements. 
  2. Financial Responsibilities: Clearly specify the financial responsibilities, including the allocation of funds and invoicing procedures, ensuring these responsibilities are well understood and meet both sponsor and institutional requirements. 
  3. Understanding Cost Principles: Ensure the subrecipient comprehends the funding agency’s cost principles and policies, particularly regarding allowable and unallowable costs.
 

Negotiate Clear Terms and Conditions 

  1. Fair and Feasible Terms: Collaborate with the subrecipient to negotiate terms that are fair and feasible for both parties, addressing intellectual property rights, publication rights, data ownership, and conflict resolution. 
  2. Protect Interests: Ensure the terms protect your institution’s interests while allowing for a productive partnership.
 



  • NOTE: These are commonly used forms for the sponsor agencies. Please refer to your specific Request for Applications (RFA) for any additional guidelines that may supersede the instructions in the documents provided here.