October 21, 2019

Designating Proprietary Information in Federal Grant Applications

In general, disclosing proprietary information in a grant application should occur only when needed to present information that is critical to the review of the grant proposal.   If a proposal is funded, most grant-related information in the proposal is considered public information and may be made public, so if  proprietary information is included it is important to indicate it appropriately on the forms pages and in the body of the application or cover page.   Doing so ensures that the federal agency will only use the information for the evaluation of the application, and aids in the identification of what may be exempt from disclosure to the public.     

Funding agencies may have a required question or field on their standard forms to capture whether proprietary information is included.  An affirmative to the question indicates that patentable ideas, trade secrets, or privileged information is included.  Consulting the agency specific grant application guidelines will advise on how to identify such information in the body of the application materials.

For example, the National Science Foundation (NSF) requires the “Proprietary or Privileged Information” box on the Cover Sheet to be marked, in addition to clearly marking the information in the proposal with an appropriate label or legend.  [NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) Chapter II.D.1]   


Similarly, to identify proprietary information on a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant proposal, check “Yes” to Question 3 on the “Other Project Information” page on the application forms pages, and clearly mark each line or paragraph containing the proprietary information.

[General Instructions for NIH and Other PHS Agencies (Section G. 220)]

Other federal agencies may have similar application requirements, please read your grant solicitation or guidelines carefully.

October 18, 2019

Federal Demonstration Partnership September 2019 Meeting Updates

The University of Missouri-Columbia is a member of the Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP). FDP is an association of federal agencies, academic and nonprofit research institutions, and research policy organizations that work together to streamline the administration of federally sponsored research. FDP meets three times a year in which faculty and administrators talk face-to-face with decision-makers from agencies that sponsor and regulate research. Member institutions have an administrative representative and a faculty representative. MU’s representatives are Jeremy Cox, OSPA (Administrative Representative) and Sara Gable, Office of Research Faculty Fellow (Faculty Representative).

Presentation slides from the September 2019 meeting can be found here, including the Federal Agency Updates, linked below.

One item of interest from NSF is that their annual update to the Proposal & Award Policy & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) will be delayed.  In a typical year,  the PAPPG is posted in October, with a January implementation date.  Due to comments received in response to the draft PAPPG, many related to coverage on Current and Pending Support, the actual dates of posting & implementation remain TBD.  OSPA will keep the Grants community apprised of the status of this important guide.

Another hot topic discussed, and can be found in the presentation slides, is Foreign Influence, what various Institutions are doing to stay compliant, and what our federal FDP partners are doing to address this topic.  Here at Mizzou, this website has been dedicated, containing a plethora of information useful to the grant community, including best practices to follow, FAQ’s, and who to contact for questions.


Staff Spotlight - New Post-Award Analysts


Post-Award Analysts Cathrine Rivas [Left], Marissa Stealey [Right]
We are happy to introduce two of our new Post-Award Analysts that joined the OSPA team over the summer. A graduate of Saint Louis University, Marissa Stealey worked at a small accounting firm in Fenton, MO prior to coming to MU. She moved to Columbia when her husband was accepted into the medical school, and she says that she really enjoys the culture of staff development at OSPA. In her free time, she enjoys playing sand volleyball at the Deuce and spending time with her dog on the city’s beautiful MKT Trail.

Cathrine Rivas has traveled around quite a bit as a military spouse, but she has found a welcome home at OSPA. She says the work environment has been a breath of fresh air compared to past jobs, and everyone has been eager to support her as she learns the ropes. As an added bonus, it has been great working within a university research office, Cathrine says, because she gets to see firsthand the research being done on creating a more sustainable and eco-conscious society, such as the much-anticipated Missouri Hyperloop. When she is not busy being a mom to three kids, she tries to get outside and garden, hike, or play sports.

MU Grants & Contracts at NCURA 61


In August, staff members from OSPA and MU-Extension attended the 61st Annual Meeting of the National Council of University Research Administrators, held in Washington, D.C. The four-day conference included educational sessions on a variety of research administration topics, including updates from major federal sponsors, as well as a variety of networking opportunities that helped connect people who face the same daily challenges from across the nation and even the world.

The conference was abuzz with the challenges of working in a global research atmosphere. Institutions have been strongly urged by a number of federal sponsors to ensure that all foreign collaborations are properly disclosed, and many of these sponsors are working to issue formal guidance and best practices to assist. A number of sessions highlighted the importance of data security in a day and age when it can be commonplace for researchers to present their research at international conferences, bringing along with them laptops, tablets, and other electronic devices with the potential to be hacked by sophisticated foreign parties. At the same time, everyone in the MU delegation found that interacting with and hearing from the diverse attendees at the conference enriched their experience. The conference included many global participants who gave insight on issues like how to work with international sponsors and the problems that Brexit is causing for university research in the U.K.

There were also a number of helpful updates from major federal sponsors. The National Science Foundation (NSF) reminds investigators and research administrators that conference proposals must include codes of conduct with clear means of reporting violations of the policy before and during the conference. Our university’s Sponsored Programs Procedure Guide that covers this topic can be found here. In addition, unless otherwise stated in the guidelines, conference costs should not be listed as participant support, but rather under other direct costs in grant budgets.

Investigators and staff should become more familiar with online tools and portals like Research.gov, SciENcv, and ORCID IDs. While there is no firm date on when FastLane will be phased out, current solicitations that allow for submission through Research.gov should be done through that portal. Similarly, NSF encourages investigators to begin using the SciENcv template for biographical information on all proposals, even if it is not yet required.

On the other hand, many NIH award categories are now requiring ORCID IDs for awards received on or after 01/25/2020. Also from the NIH: the sponsor is working to expand request options for their automated “Prior Approval” process in eRA Commons. This would supplement their successful approach to approvals for No Cost Extension Requests and Change of PD/PI.

The keynote address at the conference was delivered by Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, President of University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Dr. Hrabowski, who in 2012 was selected to chair President Obama’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans, spoke of the many challenges faced by minorities in university education and research. Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1950s and 60s, he saw hatred and racism everyday, and he pointed out how far our nation has come since then. But he challenged conference attendees to see the work done at UMBC over the years as an example of how integrating a commitment to diversity and inclusion can actually drive research forward. He left attendees with the following observation: "Your thoughts, become your words, your words become actions, your actions become habits, these habits build your character, and your character leads you to your destiny."

July 18, 2019

Staff Spotlight - New Associate Director


We are pleased to announce the appointment of Jeremy Cox as Associate Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration (OSPA).  Jeremy holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Masters of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Management.  His professional career began in the field of public accounting where he continued to work for many years with his expertise including audits of local governments & not-for-profit entities, including conducting A-133 audits.  Previously, Jeremy served in OSPA as a Compliance Manager and a Senior Accountant, before moving to the MU Office of Finance where he was a Fiscal Officer supporting five divisions.   We welcome Jeremy back to OSPA and look forward to our continued collaborative work together to advance the research mission of the University of Missouri.  

Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC)


A private group with developed certification programs for the education and training in research administration, the Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC) has been certifying research administrators on their professional knowledge since 1993.  Programs exist to certify your education and knowledge as a Certified Research Administrator (CRA), a Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator (CPRA), and a Certified Financial Research Administrator (CFRA); each with varying required experience, education, and knowledge requirements.  According to the RACC, the benefits of becoming certified include professional development, credibility in research administration, demonstrated expertise, and professional recognition.   There are educational and experience requirements for candidates wishing to take an exam and there is a cost to do so.  For more information visit the RACC site.   The RACC provides a directory of Research Administrators who maintain an active certification in CRA, CPRA, or CFRA.

Grants Searchable Database


Did you know that there is a new searchable grants database available in MIS Web Applications? The database is a tool for discovering who within the UM System is doing research in a given area and can be used to help identify potential collaborators. Anyone with PeopleSoft Grants Module access can use the database. Instructions can be found here.

In order for a project to return in the search results, an abstract must be added in the PeopleSoft Grants Module at the time the proposal is entered (PSRS). This database is being used by the MU Office of Research, the Research Development Network, and various campus committees to identify who is doing research in a given field. We strongly encourage research administrators to enter abstracts in the PeopleSoft Grants Module whenever possible to ensure that projects are included in the searchable database.

SPPG: Sexual Harassment, Other Forms of Harassment, and Sexual Assault – Compliance with Federal Granting Agency Requirements


Published in March 2019, this topic addresses federal policies related to the obligations of the research community on investigation of sexual or other harassment complaints and advises how the University of Missouri will comply with federal nondiscrimination law as directed by the federal granting agencies, National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institutes of Health (NIH).  

In collaboration with the Office for Civil Rights and Title IX, OSPA developed this policy to assist Principal Investigators and Departmental Research Administrators, as well as the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration, with their obligations for compliance.  Guidance includes Institutional Requirements for NSF (e.g. recipients of funding must maintain workplaces free of discrimination and harassment, and will report to NSF if a violation occurs when the award terms indicate applicability; and for conference awards to provide participants a copy of the institutions code of conduct policy in advance, and to also make it available at the conference itself) and for NIH (e.g. provide assurance upon submission of grant proposals and at award to comply with a number of public policies which include EEO, Civil Rights Protections, Age Discrimination Act, among others; and for all training grants to include appropriate Letter of Support to address the institutions commitment to required areas of compliance).   The topic includes samples for NSF funded conference code-of-conduct policy hand-out, as well as sample language for the required NIH Letter of Support.    

The Office of Sponsored Programs Administration provides a public resource covering this and other topics of significant interest to research administrators – in the Sponsored Programs Procedure Guide (SPPG). This is provided to support our administrators who need a thorough understanding of University policies and procedures and how they interact, enforce, and integrate with government regulations and sponsor requirements. Included in the SPPG are a range of topics, policies, or procedures for submitting proposals, requesting advance spending accounts, recovering F&A, participant support costs, the Fly America Act, and more.  The material included in each topic provides a solid foundation in support of the administration of sponsored projects at the University of Missouri. 

Registration for Fall Certificate Series Sessions Open


This fall, we continue our trek through the Post-Award Track of courses, beginning with a timely session on EVRs, Cost Transfers, and PCEs on August 1. The OPSA Certificate Series for Specialized Grants Training was developed to enhance your technical expertise in sponsored programs administration. Beginning in 2011, the program has been providing education and training that follows both a Pre-Award Track and a Post-Award Track. Topics include Budget Development, Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Rate, Proposal Development and Submission, Closeout of Award, and Cost Share among others. During the Regulatory Track, participants hear directly from campus leadership on topics related to Animal Welfare, Export Controls, Human Subjects Research Protections Program, and Conflict of Interest.   180 Certificates have been issued to attendees, with course attendees exceeding 600.  Past attendees who have completed session surveys agree that the training provides a positive benefit - more than 95% agreeing or strongly agreeing that what they have learned will be useful in their job.  Join us for a training session soon to see what the buzz is all about.  For more information and to register visit the grants training page on the OSPA website.   

The current schedule for fall courses: 

EVR, Cost Transfers, and PCEs
Thu, Aug 01, 2019

Subawards and Consulting Agreements
Thu, Sep 12, 2019

Salary Cap, EVR and Effort Tracking*
Tue, Sep 17, 2019

Federal Contracts*
TBA

Cost Sharing
Tue, Oct 15, 2019

Audit
Thu, Oct 31, 2019

Closeout of Award
Thu, Nov 14, 2019

*advanced course

May 31, 2019

May 2019 Grant Connections Notes


Minutes from the Grant Connections meeting on May 22 are now available.  Please follow the links below to access the materials.

Meeting notes can be found here

Our next meeting will be June 26, 2019.

May 14, 2019

OSPA Staff Participate at NCURA Region IV Spring Meeting



In April, staff members from OSPA traveled to Columbus, Ohio to participate in the Spring Meeting of the National Council of University Research Administrators Region IV.
Nathan Winters, Compliance Manager in OSPA, presented a Concurrent Session titled “Responsible Conduct of Research Training Requirements: Overview and Best Practices.” Hannah Clampitt, Senior Grants and Contracts Administrator in OSPA, presented a session titled “Instruction, Other Sponsored Activity, Research: What Exactly are we Doing Here? Determining the Purpose of Your Work” and served as the Pre-Award Track Leader for the conference. Craig David, OSPA Director, Michelle Leaton, OSPA Assistant Pre-Award Manager, and Brenda Leuenberger, Pre-Award Compliance Manager in OSPA, presented “The Awards Dashboard: Oversight and Communication of Award Acceptance and Negotiation.” Michelle and Brenda also presented “Fast & Furious: Getting a Last-Minute Proposal Submitted on Time.” Nathan, Brenda, and Michelle were funded to attend and present at the conference through a Staff Development Award from the MU Staff Advisory Council.

April 25, 2019

Understanding F&A


As part of its role in ensuring that all sponsored activity at the university is proposed, conducted, and accounted for at the standards set forth by the university and sponsors, the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration is eager to share insight and knowledge about budget preparation and administration of costs whenever possible. Facilities and Administrative (F&A) cost recovery is critical to the success of an academic research enterprise. Understanding the calculations behind MU’s F&A rate can be a challenge even for a seasoned Research Administrator.  The following video, courtesy of the University of Maryland, explores this important component of managing costs in sponsored research:

Understanding the Facilities and Administration (F&A) Cost Calculation

This video explains all of the ins and outs of why the university must apply a certain negotiated F&A rate and how we arrived at our rate.

April 23, 2019

April 2019 Grant Connections Notes


This month's Grants Connections was focused entirely on ensuring the safety and security of the university's institutional resources in light of federal concerns over foreign influence in U.S. academic research. The presentation for this meeting can be found here.

Not able to attend? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a link to the recording of the session: https://missouri.zoom.us/recording/share/Zy__ffdW9mYAQqkGan2fu2GHjE-LT33pd4b_F-ayCjqwIumekTziMw

Next month's meeting will be on May 22, 2019 from 11am - 12pm. See you there!

April 15, 2019

2019 Fiscal Year End Processes

As the weather starts to get warmer and we look forward to summer vacations, it is also time to start preparing for the fiscal year end fun. Here is a brief overview of all the important things to keep in mind as we approach the end of FY2019.

First, all deficits on overspent projects must be cleared as of June 30. Your Post-Award Team will reach out with a list of overspent projects. Please work with them to clear the deficits by the end of June, which is critical to ensure the accuracy in our Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Award (SEFA) and our system-wide financial statements. 

Next, the Controller’s Office has set the FY2019 Closing Calendar. For future reference the calendar can be found here. Note, as of today, the website does not reflect the updated calendar, but we anticipate all documents to be uploaded this week. Below are the essential dates to put on your calendars now.  

  • PeopleSoft Production Maintenance/Outage: 5PM 6/28 – 6/30
  • Department JE Cut-off 7/15
  • OSPA JE Cut-off 7/19
  • Accounting Services JE Cut-off 7/26

REMEMBER: When you enter a correction to an FY19 transaction (including clearing a deficit on an overspent project), change the journal date in the upper right-hand area to 6/30/2019. This will ensure the correction posts to the appropriate fiscal year.

Finally, state funded projects with an end date of 6/30/2019 often require a final invoice/financial report prior to the end of the project. Your Post-Award Team will contact you in the event an early report is required and request an estimate of final expenses.

That’s all the updates we have for now. We will reach out with any new information as it arises, but don’t hesitate to reach out to your Post-Award Team if you have any questions or need clarification as we close down another fiscal year.

MyVita Updates

The University of Missouri uses myVITA, a web-based faculty activity reporting system, to provide faculty members system-wide with an easy way to capture their research, teaching, service, scholarship and creative works in one place. It replaces the Faculty Accomplishment System (FAS), and is easier to use, more flexible and more powerful.

Data on externally funded grants and contracts feeds from the PeopleSoft Grants Module to MyVita as part of nightly processing. Internally funded grants such as PRIME and Research Council funding, do not feed into MyVita and must be entered manually by the faculty member. For more information on how to understand the MyVita grants portal, please visit: https://it-training.missouri.edu/myVITA/GettingStartedWithGrants.pdf.

If you or the faculty you support have questions about MyVita, you can email the MyVita team (ummyvita@umsystem.edu), or reach out to OSPA (muresearchospa@missouri.edu) with grant specific questions.

Post-Award Team 1 Lead Departing for Opportunity in Kansas City


It is with mixed emotions that we announce that Cody Hogan is relocating to Kansas City at the end of April. He has accepted a position at Forest T. Jones as a Financial Analyst.

Cody started in the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration as an Accountant in 2012. He left us for a brief time to work in the Controller’s Office, then returned in 2017 as a Team Lead. He has consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic and technical skills, but what we’ll miss most of all is his sense of humor and amazingly positive attitude in all situations. Cody has been a highly valued and dedicated colleague and friend.  Although he will be missed, we wish him all the best for the future.

Federal Sponsors Express Concern Regarding Improper Foreign Influence in U.S. Academic Research


This topic will be discussed at the upcoming Grant Connections meeting on Wednesday, April 17. The presentation from that meeting can be found here.

While the University of Missouri strongly supports international collaboration and values its partnerships with other organizations worldwide, it is important that all researchers understand the current regulatory landscape and the actions that researchers should take in light of this reality.

In the past few months, federal sponsors have expressed concerns about improper foreign influence in U.S. academic research. Examples of this include a letter sent by Francis Collins, director of the NIH, alerting the research community to “threats” from foreign entities, and the FY19 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a provision alluding to the restriction of federal funding to institutions doing business with certain Chinese telecommunications companies.

As a result, academic research institutions have a heightened awareness and interest in understanding the relationships federally-funded researchers may have with foreign governments or entities. Researchers should continue to exercise transparency in disclosure of outside activities through the annual disclosure of outside interests, in completing the NIH Other Support and NSF Current and Pending and similar documentation submitted to other sponsors, and keep lines of communication open with College-level and Campus leadership concerning any foreign recruitment or “talent” programs.

The Office of Sponsored Programs Administration and the Office of Export Controls are committed to assisting faculty with these matters and ensuring the safety and security of our institutional resources. As questions arise, please reach out to OSPA or OEC for assistance.

February 22, 2019

February 2019 Grant Connections Notes


Minutes from the Grant Connections meeting on February 21 are now available.  Please follow the links below to access the materials.

Meeting Notes

Benefit Rates Presentation 

We hope to see everyone at our next meeting on March 27, 2019! 

February 5, 2019

January 2019 Grant Connections Notes

Minutes from the Grant Connections meeting on January 23, 2019 are now available. Please follow the links below to access the materials.

Not able to attend? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a link to the recording of the session: https://missouri.zoom.us/recording/share/OYKLzXG9SGPXLbwpIF6_NXPx_aQUHwR2-QoRpEh-mMqwIumekTziMw


We hope to see everyone at our next meeting on February 27, 2019!

January 2019 Grant Connections Minutes

January 15, 2019

OSPA Closely Monitoring the Partial Government Shutdown

As we move into the fourth week of the government shut down, the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration is continuing to monitor communications from federal agencies and COGR.

Below are the latest updates:

Cash Disbursements: OSPA will continue to invoice federal agencies in accordance with award requirements. The US Department of Health and Human Services (including National Institutes of Health) and US Department of Education (including student financial aid programs) are allowing for cash draws at this time, so the university is able to obtain cash reimbursement from those sponsors in accordance with our normal disbursement schedule. Other agencies, such as the National Science Foundation, are not allowing for cash draws. However, unless directed otherwise by a federal agency, work and spending under existing sponsored awards may continue. OSPA will continue to work with the Controller’s Office and the Treasurer’s Office to assess impacts to the university’s cash position and will communicate any updates to the campus research community.

Areas of Risk:
  • New awards, renewals, supplements, and continuation funding will not be awarded until the shutdown is resolved.
  • Faculty and staff serving on a review panel for an agency that is currently shut down should consider their travel plans. Review panels are cancelled until further notice, and most agencies will not reimburse lost deposits or airfare. 
  • Grant reporting obligations and original deadlines are still in effect. While there may not be personnel at the agencies to review these reports, investigators must adhere to the reporting schedule per their grant awards and submit on time.
  • NSF and other agency proposal submission systems remain operational and most proposal deadlines remain in effect. However, NSF and other closed agencies will not review submitted proposals until the government returns to normal operations.
  • Preaward/Advance Accounts may be requested from OSPA, but investigators, chairs, deans, and fiscal staff are advised that there is additional risk in spending funds prior to the receipt of an award from the sponsor, a risk which is elevated during the shutdown. During this time, OSPA is unable to confirm potential start dates nor conduct any negotiations to ensure that expenses incurred prior to the receipt of an award are allowable (and thus are able to be reimbursed by the federal government), therefore preaward/advance account requests should be made only after risks have been carefully evaluated at the department/division level and discussed with OSPA. 

Registration Open for Spring 2019 Certificate Series for Specialized Grants Training


Are you new to grants or sponsored projects administration at MU?  Want a refresher on a pre-award or post-award sponsored projects topic?  Join OSPA’s subject matter experts beginning later this month for the Certificate Series for Specialized Grants Training.  Three tracks are available during the year: Pre-Award, Post-Award, and Regulatory.  Attendance at all sessions earns attendees a Certificate of Completion for each track.  All sessions are free. To register for any of our current sessions please visit our Grants Training Registration App.  Special trainings or other topics may be added during year.

Pre-Award Courses: Proposal Development and Submission | PeopleSoft Grants Module and the Electronic Signature Routing Sheet (ePSRS) | Budget Development | Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Rate | Notice of Grant Award (NGA), Acceptance, and Establishment of an Award | Federal Contracts

Post-Award Courses: PeopleSoft Grants Module Financial Reports and Queries | Allowability | Management of Award | Subawards and Consulting Agreements | Cost Sharing | Effort Verification Reporting (EVR), Cost Transfers, and Payroll Correcting Entries (PCE) | Closeout of Award and Disposition of Equipment | Audit | Federal Contracts

Regulatory Topics: Research Compliance and Ethical Responsibility | Conflict of Interest | Export Controls | Human Subjects Research and the Institutional Review Board | Animal Use in Research and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee | Research Strategic Initiatives and Ongoing Priorities

iThenticate – MU’s Resource in Plagarism Detection and Prevention


To support responsible research practices at MU, the Office of Research encourages researchers’ use of iThenticate software to prescreen grant proposals and scholarly papers for possible plagiarism or misuse of text.   Checking your work for missed citations and/or duplication prior to submission or publication prevents research and scholarly misconduct and helps to ensure research integrity at MU.  

iThenticate compares the text of uploaded documents against both the internet and nearly 50 million scholarly content items, as well as more than 105 million news sources, magazines, and books.  Users will obtain a similarity score, report and summary, and within minutes are able to review the results of found matched content. 

Federal agencies, such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as well as scholarly journals use iThenticate.

Types of plagiarism in research are presented in this infographic from iThenticate. 

Use of this service in licensed to MU faculty and staff who are part of a faculty research team.  Students who are working as part of the faculty research team are also eligible to use the service.   For more information, FAQs, and to request an account, please visit MU’s iThenticate page, under Proposal Development Resources, on the OSPA website.

Updated NSF PAPPG Goes in Effect January 28



The new PAPPG is effective for proposals submitted or due on or after January 28, 2019, and awards made on or after January 28, 2019.  Significant changes this year include: 
  • Addition of Research.gov as an option for proposal preparation and submission, and proposal file updates;
  • Revision of eligibility standards for unaffiliated individuals;
  • Specification that conference proposals over $50,000 and all equipment proposals must include the Collaborators and Other Affiliations information in the proposal submission;
  • Revision of resubmission guidelines for NSF programs that accept proposals at any time;
  • Implementation of NSF’s policy on sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, or sexual assault;
  • Specification that proposers are required to have a policy or code-of-conduct that addresses sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, and sexual assault, and that includes clear and accessible means of reporting violations of the policy or code-of-conduct.  This policy or code-of-conduct must be disseminated to conference participants prior to attendance at the conference as well as made available at the conference itself;
  • Emphasis on the importance of training faculty in the responsible and ethical conduct of research;
  • Incorporation of existing patent policy into the PAPPG.  This policy was previously implemented by regulation at 45 CFR 650; and
  • Numerous clarifications and other changes throughout the document.
If you missed the update webinar in late November last year, you can visit the NSF Grants Conference website and view both the slides and a recording of the event.   

OSPA Welcomes Dr. Abebaw Adamu in February 2019

MU OSPA was selected by the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) to host a fellow as part of IREX’s University Administration Support Program. We are pleased to announce that Dr. Abebaw Adamu from Addis Ababa University in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia will be on site for the month of February. Dr. Adamu currently serves as the Director of the Ethiopian Institute for Higher Education at Addis Ababa University. While he is visiting MU, he will work closely with OSPA to gain an understanding of our research operations including identifying funding opportunities, submitting proposals, and managing awards. Additionally, he will spend some time with various administrative offices on campus, and visit with researchers. We are very excited to have the opportunity to work with Dr. Adamu and look forward to introducing him to our amazing research community!

NIH Reminds Investigators to Disclose All Financial Interests


NIH recently published a Notice reminding investigators that they “must disclose all financial interests received from a foreign institution of higher education or the government of another country.”  As a reminder, all sources of research support must be disclosed to the NIH.

Where disclosures should be made:        
  • “Current and pending support” section in grant proposals
  • “Other support” section in grant proposals
  • “Active and pending support” section in grant proposals 
  • Just-in-Time (JIT) responses
  • Progress reports
In addition, University of Missouri policies require that an investigator’s financial interests be disclosed through the Conflict of Interest process.

Learn more about the University’s response to the NIH Notice here: https://research.missouri.edu/ospa/guidance_to_disclose_all_financial_interests.php