Principle Investigators (PIs) are responsible for reviewing their grant financial activity on a monthly basis. Any cost transfers should be requested immediately when the need for transfer is noticed and not more than 90 days after the original expense. If a transfer is not made within 90 days of the original expense, questions will be raised as to the propriety of the cost transfer.

After 90 days has elapsed, if the PI notices that a cost transfer is needed to correct an error, the PI must submit the Cost Transfer Request Form with a thorough explanation along with the supporting documentation as to why the transfer was not requested within the 90 day period. The University is obligated to move an unrelated cost out of a grant no matter how much time has elapsed; therefore, the Cost Transfer Request Form also requires an alternative non-sponsored funding source for transfer requests more than 90 days old. However, if more than 90 days has elapsed, the cost transfer will only be made to another grant if it is meets one of the following extenuating circumstances and receives approval from both the appropriate Dean and the Controller:

• Another University department did not respond timely to a request that would have moved the charges sooner;
• The grant award or agreement was not received until after the project start date and the expense being transferred is within 90 days of the date of the formal execution of the award;

The following reasons are not justifiable reasons for a cost transfer into another sponsored grant org:

• PI or other key grant staff has been absent. It is the responsibility of the PI, working with his/her School, to ensure that the grant financial activity is monitored on at all times during an active project.
• Funding was not yet received for the anticipated project but expenses were incurred. An expense should never be recorded initially in a grant for which it is not directly associated. The expenses can only be funded from a non-sponsored departmental funding source.

If it does not meet one of the extenuating circumstances mentioned above, the cost will be transferred to a non-sponsored organizational code (aka "org" or "DEPTID") within the PI's academic area. Under no circumstances will a transfer be made if one or both of the grants have been closed out.

If a PI notifies the Office of Grants and Contracts of transfers after 90 days has elapsed several times, the PIs name will be provided to the appropriate Dean and the Provost.