PI Resource Hub
ADVANCING RESEARCH TOGETHER
Whether you're chasing your first grant or closing out a multi-year award, the PI Resource Hub exists to answer one question: What do I need to do right now, and who can help me do it? Use the Sponsored Award Life Cycle diagram below to find your current stage, see what's expected of you, and connect directly with the people and resources that will help you to be successful.
SPONSORED AWARD LIFE CYCLE
Every sponsored project moves through five stages - from developing your initial proposal to closing out a completed award. At each stage, you'll work with different UNT Health Offices, and each stage comes with its own required actions and deadlines. Select your current award life cycle stage below to see exactly what you need to do and where to get help.
∇ PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT
Not sure where to look to get started? Pre-Award can help you identify funding opportunities that match your research focus, career stage, and area of study — whether that's a federal mechanism, a foundation grant, or an internal seed funding program. Reach out to set up time with a Pre-Award team member to talk through your research goals and get a curated list of relevant sponsors and deadlines. Once you've found an a research opportunity, it's time to build your case. At this stage, you'll define your research scope, draft your budget, and identify any subrecipients or collaborators. Your Pre-Award team is your go-to partner here. They'll help you interpret sponsor guidelines, prepare budget justifications, and confirm your proposal meets institutional and federal requirements (like Uniform Guidance) before it moves any further. Click on one the following links below to get more help with:
Finding OpportunitiesPI EligibilityBudget PreparationContact OSP Pre-AwardsSubaward Vs. SubcontractorContact OSP Contracts
∇ PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Your proposal is ready to submit! Now it needs to clear internal review before it reaches the sponsor. The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) reviews your submission for compliance and submits it on your behalf, so this is your checkpoint to confirm everything is in order. Use the resources below to request a review, check on a pending submission's status, or get guidance on subaward proposals. Click on one the following links below to get more help with:
Proposal Review & ApprovalSubmission DeadlineCheck Submission StatusContact PreAwardsContact OSP Pre-Awards
∇ AWARD SETUP
Good news, your project was selected for funding! Before you can start spending, your award terms need to be reviewed and your project account set up in UNT Health's financial and grant management systems. This is where you'll confirm effort allocation, get your GRAMS account information, and handle any award-related requisitions or purchase orders needed before work begins. Transferring your award to UNT Health? We can help you get it set up to continue your research at UNT Health. Click on one the following links below to get more help with:
Setting Up GRAMSAward Transfer InEffort AllocationRequisitions & POContact OSP Post-Awards
∇ AWARD MANAGEMENT
This is where you'll spend most of your time as a PI: leading the science while staying on top of your project's financial and compliance obligations. Use the resources below when you need to rebudget, request a no-cost extension, submit effort reports, monitor a subrecipient, or invoice your sponsor.
Rebudgeting AssistanceChanging Effort AllocationSubrecipient Programmatic MonitoringRequesting No Cost Extension (NCE)Participant SupportAward Transfer OutContact OSP Post-AwardsAward ModificationsContact OSP ContractsSubrecipient Financial MonitoringTime and Effort ReportingContact Research Financial Compliance (RFC)Financial ReportingSponsor InvoicingContact Research Accounting
∇ AWARD CLOSEOUT
As your project wraps up, you're responsible for finishing remaining research activities, submitting your final technical and financial reports, and formally closing your project account. If your award included a subrecipient, their final invoice must be submitted and reconciled before the university can close the award.
Federal Financial ReportFinal Subrecipient InvoiceComplete Programmatic ReportingDisencumber Funds
ADDITIONAL RESEARCH COMPLIANCE
Not every award involves human subjects, animal research, or other specialized compliance requirements, but if yours does, getting it right isn't optional. These requirements run in parallel to your award life cycle and often need approval before funds can be spent or work can begin, so it's worth identifying early whether your project triggers any of them. If your research involves human subjects, you'll need Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval before starting any data collection or interaction with participants. If it involves animal subjects, your protocol must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Beyond these two, broader research compliance matters (such as conflict of interest disclosures, export controls, or biosafety) may also apply depending on your project's scope. Use the resources below to determine what applies to your research and to start the approval process.
North Texas Regional IRBInstitutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)Office of Research Compliance (ORC)
PI RESPONSIBILITIES
Congratulations on your successful proposal submission! As the Principal Investigator, the award now comes with a set of ongoing responsibilities that extend beyond the research itself. Understanding these responsibilities upfront helps you stay compliant and avoid delays later in the award life cycle.Your core responsibilities include:
- Leading the scientific and technical progress of the project and ensuring the work aligns with the scope approved by the sponsor.
- Certifying effort reports for yourself and all project personnel, confirming that reported effort reflects how time was actually spent on the award.
- Monitoring subrecipients, if applicable, which includes providing a written statement of work, tracking their programmatic progress, and reviewing and approving their invoices before payment.
- Reviewing and approving your own award's expenditures and invoices to confirm costs are allowable, allocable, and reasonable under the award terms.
- Requesting prior approval before rebudgeting, extending the project period, or making other changes that affect the sponsor-approved scope or budget.
- Escalating concerns (such as a subrecipient falling behind or a compliance question) to the appropriate office (OSP, RFC, or Research Accounting) rather than resolving them independently.
- Completing any required compliance approvals (IRB, IACUC, conflict of interest disclosures) tied to your specific project, and maintaining them for the life of the award.
- Retaining award records and supporting documentation for at least three years after the final financial report is submitted
TRAINING & RESOURCES
UNT Health is invested in your success — you're not navigating this process alone.
From the Research Core Labs to the Research Enhancement Assistance Program (REAP),
alongside the Office of Sponsored Programs (Pre-Award, Contracts, Post-Award), Research
Financial Services (Research Accounting, Research Financial Compliance, and Research
Business Solutions), and a number of other departments, a full research enterprise
exists to support you and your work. Whatever stage you're in, there's a team ready
to help.
Core LabsResearch Enhancement Assistance Program (REAP)
To help you manage your award with confidence and get it right the first time, UNT
Health also offers targeted grant management training, including:
HSC Learn Grant Training SeriesECC Effort Training Video
SPONSOR REVIEW & AUDITS
If you receive a request for a desk review or audit from your sponsor, don't navigate
it alone. Reach out to the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and Research Financial
Compliance (RFC) right away. Both teams are experienced in responding to desk reviews
and financial audits and can help you prepare documentation, respond to inquiries,
and ensure the process goes smoothly.
Contact OSP Post-AwardsContact Research Financial Compliance (RFC)
For broader guidance on managing your award, UNT Health's general Grant Management Policies and Procedures are available below.
UNT Health Policies & Procedures
As part of the University of North Texas (UNT) System, UNT Health's audited financial statements and the UNT System's statewide Single Audit Report are also available below for reference.
Annual Comprehensive Financial ReportsStatewide Financial Report (2025)
RESEARCH ADMINISTRATORS
Research Administrators play a critical role in the day-to-day management of sponsored projects at UNT Health. A well-trained, well-informed Research Administrator keeps research operations running smoothly and identifies potential issues before they become problems. To help Research Administrators stay current with evolving state and federal compliance requirements, UNT Health provides dedicated training opportunities and resources designed specifically for their role.