Advanced Accounts

What is an advanced account, and when do I need one?

You have been notified that your proposal will be funded. Congratulations! Now, you begin planning in earnest and need to hire personnel or order equipment to move forward when your project officially begins on the award start date.

Frequently, the sponsor will notify you that the project will be funded but the award is delayed while the terms and conditions of the award are negotiated. In the meantime, the start date may pass.

An "advanced account" allows you to charge expenses to your pending award appropriately, so that you don't have to move the expenses later. An advanced account works just like a normal sponsored project account.

Background and authority for pre-award costs

Many sponsors allow you to start spending prior to the award start date. Expenses incurred prior to the start date are called “pre-award costs.” The federal government defines pre-award costs as “those incurred prior to the effective date of the federal award directly pursuant to the negotiation and in anticipation of the federal award where such costs are necessary for efficient and timely performance of the scope of work.”

Such costs are allowable only to the extent that they would have been allowable if incurred after the date of the federal award and only with the written approval of the federal awarding agency.

The university is allowed pre-award expenditures up to 90 days in advance of the grant award for most federal sponsors on most types of grants. This flexibility is derived from the Research Terms and Conditions (RTC), which implements the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform Guidance. The Prior Approval Matrix (Appendix A) provides guidance for the primary federal funding agencies.

In some cases, pre-award costs are not allowed, and any costs incurred prior to the award start date must be covered from other non-grant accounts.

When should I request an advanced account?

  • Your award is in the final stages of negotiation and the start date is confirmed.
  • You are anticipating a continuing year of funding but the award is delayed.
  • Funding is anticipated from a federal source and you need to make pre-award expenditures up to 90 days before the start date.

How do I request an advanced account?

The principal investigator, project director, or fiscal officer completes an Advanced Account Document in Kuali.

Create Advanced Account Request

An unrestricted, non-contract, or non-grant account must be provided or the unit's default continuation account will be used. This account will be used to cover any costs that are not allowed after the award is finalized or if the award is not executed.

Advanced accounts will be set up to match the proposal's initial budget period.