Sponsored Projects Services
Sponsored Projects Services (SPS) is dedicated to supporting University faculty and staff in their efforts to seek out and secure external awards for programs of research, scholarly and creative activities, education and training, public service, and to assist in post-award administration.
Location
SPS is located in Crofts Hall on the North Campus. Please click here for an interactive campus map if you need help locating Crofts Hall.
Our mailing address is:
Office of Sponsored Projects Services
402 Crofts Hall
Buffalo, NY 14260-7016 Telephone: (716)-645-2634
Fax: (716)-645-2760
info@research.buffalo.edu
SPS is open from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday
SPS Staff
- Assistant Vice President for Sponsored Programs
- Grant/ Agreement Administrators
- Proposal / Account Establishment Specialists
Assistant Vice President for Sponsored Programs
The Assistant Vice President for Sponsored Programs is responsible for overseeing proposal and award administration as well as the information dissemination processes and systems development. The Assistant Vice President for Sponsored Programs is one of two (The Vice President for Research being the other) who can sign documents that legally bind the Research Foundation.
Dr. Charles Kaars
- Charles.Kaars@buffalo.edu
- 645-4647
Grant/ Agreement Administrators
Grant/ Agreement Administrators are responsible for reviewing all proposals for conformance to University and Research Foundation policies and for conformance to appropriate federal or state regulations. They are also responsible for award acceptance and negotiation and for post-award liaison with sponsors. To find the Grant/ Agreement Administrator responsible for your department, click here.
| Gina Beam | ginabeam@buffalo.edu | 645-4384 |
| Bradley Bermudez | Bradley.Bermudez@buffalo.edu | 645-4383 |
| Marlene Casey | Marlene.Casey@buffalo.edu | 645-4422 |
| Mary Kraft | Mary.Kraft@buffalo.edu | 645-4420 |
| Cynthia Pirson | Cynthia.Pirson@buffalo.edu | 645-4407 |
| Jeffrey Schieder | Jeffrey.Schieder@buffalo.edu | 645-4408 |
| Martina Tsai | Martina.Tsai@buffalo.edu | 645-4421 |
Proposal / Account Establishment Specialist
Each Proposal/ Account Establishment Specialist is responsible for processing and submitting applications and for processing all grant, contract and subcontract documents. Principal Investigators are advised to contact the appropriate Proposal/ Account Establishment Specialist for assistance in completing forms. Completed proposals should also be submitted to one of the following Proposal/ Account Establishment Specialist in 402 Crofts Hall, North Campus: To find the Proposal/ Account Establishment Specialist responsible for your department, click here.
| Barbara Catalano | Barbara.Catalano@buffalo.edu | 645-4399 |
| Diane Dempsey | Diane.Dempsey@buffalo.edu | 645-4394 |
| Amy Lagowski | Amy.Lagowski@buffalo.edu | 645-4419 |
| Mary Mirand | Mary.Mirand@buffalo.edu | 645-4415 |
| Ruth Poczciwinski | Ruth.Poczciwinski@buffalo.edu | 645-4393 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I find funding for my research project?
- How can I automatically be notified about funding opportunities?
- How late can I bring in my grant proposal?
- Do you make copies?
- How many copies does your office need?
- Who may be a Principal Investigator?
- How long will it take to get approval of my proposed budget?
- What are Facilities and Administrative Costs (F&A or Indirect Costs) and how are they budgeted?
- What are Fringe Benefits and how are they budgeted?
How do I find funding for my research project?
The SPS web site provides several mechanisms for faculty to obtain information about funding opportunities. These mechanisms are detailed below.
Under "Funding Opportunity Information" on the SPS web site, click on:
- Find Opportunities by Deadline or by Discipline (Funding Opportunities)
Funding Opportunities is a searchable funding opportunity database. Funding Programs can be searched by program types, deadlines, disciplines and title keywords. - Search for programs using Community of Science.
- Request a personalized Funding Search.
Personalized Funding Search service is available to UB faculty upon request. To have a Funding Search performed, please complete and submit the request form here. If you have any questions regarding this form or the Funding Search, please call 645-2977 ext. 106 or 107 or e-mail Sponsored Programs at info@research.buffalo.edu . The approximate process time is two weeks.
How can I automatically be notified about funding opportunities?
- Subscribe to SPS Weekly Email Summary
The SPS Weekly Email Summary is a summary of news and funding opportunities posted to the SPS Website. It is available online here every Friday and sent out on the next business day to all the subscribers. - Subscribe to External E-mail Funding Alert Service
Various funding agencies offer e-mail alert services regarding their programs. Program notices are e-mailed directly to subscribers on a regular basis.
How late can I bring in my grant proposal?
While we will accept proposals until 5 pm, we cannot guarantee that the proposal will be reviewed and approved on the same day if it is received after 10am. Due to the operating hours of the on-campus U.S. Post Office, if Principal Investigators want Sponsored Programs to mail the proposal, it must be received in our office BEFORE 2 pm on the day it is to be mailed. Any proposals received after that time will be returned to the Principal Investigator for mailing.
Do you make copies?
Due to the volume of proposals handled by SPS, we are unable to make copies. Principal Investigators are responsible for providing SPS with the necessary number of copies required by the sponsor.
How many copies does your office need?
Beyond the number of copies required by the Sponsor, SPS needs two copies of the full application (We do not need the appendices).
Who may be a Principal Investigator?
Generally, any person holding an unqualified academic title may act as a Principal Investigator. Visiting faculty members may act as Principal Investigators with the approval of their Dean. Adjunct faculty members may never act as Principal Investigators. Please refer to Chapter One of "Guide to Developing and Administering Sponsored Programs" for a more detailed definition of Principal Investigator.
How long will it take to get approval of my proposed budget?
The first step in submitting a grant application for SPS approval is to submit your draft budget. SPS Grants Specialists review all budgets carefully to ensure correct salary levels, and fringe benefit and indirect cost rates, and to check for compliance with Sponsor guidelines. Generally, your draft budget will be reviewed on the same day you submit it. However, SPS policy is that draft budgets must be submitted 48 hours prior to the grant deadline. For more information, please refer to Chapter Five of "Guide to Developing Sponsored Programs"
What are Facilities and Administrative Costs (F&A or Indirect Costs) and how are they budgeted?
Among the University's indirect costs are personnel and purchasing services, accounting services, operation and maintenance of the physical plant, library acquisitions and operations, etc. Indirect costs are as real as direct costs. Indirect costs are charged as a fixed percentage (the indirect cost rate) of all or a portion of a project's direct costs (the indirect cost base). The indirect cost charge is calculated by multiplying the applicable rate times the appropriate base. For more information, please refer to Chapter Five of "Guide to Developing Sponsored Programs".
What are Fringe Benefits and how are they budgeted?
Fringe benefits cover costs of statutory and other benefits provided to employees, such as Social Security, Workmen's' Compensation, Health Insurance, Retirement, and Sick Leave. Fringe benefit must be budgeted for every salary that is budgeted, and included in a separate budget category from salaries.
Fringe benefit rates vary depending upon the appointment (i.e., professional vs. graduate student) and fiscal agent (RF vs. UBFS). RF fringe benefit rates are available on the SPS home page. Assistance in calculating fringe benefit charges may be obtained by calling the Grant Specialist at SPS. For more information, please refer to Chapter Five of "Guide to Developing Sponsored Programs.