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It is National Science Foundation (“NSF”) policy to “foster safe and harassment-free environments wherever science is conducted.” (NSF 2023 PAPPG Guide II-E.9]. NSF’s new policy requirement states that there must be a plan for a safe and inclusive work environment created and on file at the proposal stage.  PIs are responsible for distributing the plan to each participant in advance of departure for an off-campus research activity. Off-campus or off-site research is defined by NSF for this requirement as “data/information/samples being collected off-campus or off-site, such as fieldwork or research activities on vessels and aircraft.”

Effective as of January 30, 2023, NSF grant applicants, including Syracuse University, are required to certify that we have a plan in place for a safe and inclusive work environment. The plan specifically addresses:

1. Abuse of any person, including but not limited to harassment, stalking, bullying or hazing or any kind, whether the behavior is carried out verbally, physically, electronically, or in written form; and
2. Conduct that is unwelcome, offensive, indecent, obscene, or disorderly

The creation and distribution of the plan is the responsibility of the award PI. To ease the administrative burden, the Office of Sponsored Programs has created a Plan Template for your use.

• Page 1. of the template plan provides instructions for the PI,
• Page 2. of the plan outlines Syracuse University’s compliance with NSF’s requirement and provides links to all relevant University policies, and
• Page 3. of the plan is the project specific information PIs will prepare and share with OSP prior to proposal submission.

PIs are responsible for distributing a copy of the plan to all required participants (See Participants definition in the FAQ) in advance of departure for an off-campus research activity, as well as maintaining documentation of who received the plan. Unless specifically requested, applicants should not submit the plan to NSF for review.

For additional information and examples of the applicability of the new NSF policy, please see the FAQ, or contact your OSP Research Administrator.

New NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy Effective Jan. 25, 2023
The NIH has released new policy for data management and sharing that applies to all research, funded or conducted in whole or in part by NIH, that results in the generation of scientific data. The Syracuse University Libraries and Office of Research have developed Syracuse University guidance to aid researchers on adhering to the new policies. This guide will be updated over the next month with more resources.

The Office of Sponsored Programs has analyzed the University’s eligibility for the National Institutes for Health (NIH) Research Enhancement Awards (R15) and based on the University’s recent success with receiving consistent NIH funding, we are projected to be ineligible to submit proposals for the NIH R15 program in the next federal fiscal year, starting October 1, 2022. 

The NIH R15 Program includes the Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions, and the Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools.

This eligibility determination is contingent on receipt of at least $6 million in select NIH funding for October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022. For the past two fiscal years, we have exceeded $9 million in such funding and thus fully expect to exceed $6 million in the current fiscal year. The analysis of our eligibility has been conducted using NIH public resources and confirmed by NIH program officers.

FAQs for R15 Eligibility, based on NIH provided clarifications:

1. I’ve already submitted my R15 proposal. Will I be denied an award if it comes after October 1, 2022?
   • No, the eligibility is only for proposal submissions. Awards may come after this deadline.
2. Will this prevent no-cost extension of current R15 awards?
   • No, current awards will remain in effect and extensions are allowable.
3. Will this prevent renewals of current R15 awards?
   • Yes, the R15 eligibility will cover new and renewal applications. Renewals of current R15 awards will not be allowed.
4. Can we apply in September 2022 for an October 2022 deadline? The submission will come while we are still eligible although the deadline will come after our eligibility expires.
   • To the best of our knowledge and interpretation of NIH guidance, our understanding is that Syracuse University remains eligible to apply in September 2022 for an October 2022 deadline. PIs should verify this information with a Program Officer from the Institute or Center to which they are applying.

If you have further questions, please direct questions to Stuart Taub, Director, Office of Sponsored programs at staub@syr.edu.

Federal agency guidance on current and pending (C&P) support is changing:

• NSF – further updated their current and pending support requirements for proposals submitted on or due, and awards made, on or after October 4, 2021.
• NIH – changes impact applications, Just-in-Time submissions, and Research Performance Progress Reports with due dates on or after January 25, 2022.
• Other Federal Agencies – Specific requirements for other agencies may differ. Check the program solicitation for requirements.

Current and Pending Support, also known as Other Support, is a form typically used by federal sponsors to request information for the PI(s) and Key Personnel’s current and pending research projects. Most federal agencies require Current & Pending Support documents to be submitted:

• • with the proposal or
  • just before an award is issued, and
  • if awarded, they may require any changes to be disclosed in progress reports.

When required, please remember to include ALL support including grants, and contracts from all non-U.S. and domestic sources, including internal Syracuse University project support (e.g., CUSE Grants). The format of this requirement varies by sponsor. It is the responsibility of the Investigator/Key Personnel to make sure that all research projects and affiliations are fully disclosed and that the document is completed in its entirety.

Recently the Federal Government has been placing additional scrutiny on foreign influence and the impact to federal research.  Please see the Foreign Influence in University Research page on the Office of Research website for additional guidance applicable to Syracuse University researchers. These government concerns around foreign influence have resulted in some federal agencies providing additional guidance on what needs to be included in Current and Pending/Other Support documents.  Guidance for the specific agencies can be found on the Other Support/Current & Pending Support  page of the Office of Sponsored Programs website.  This information will be updated as we learn of new requirements from federal agencies. If you have any questions related to Current and Pending Support being reported at the proposal or just-in-time stage or to report changes to Current and Pending Support at the award stage, please contact your OSP Research Administrator.

Reminders of NIH Policies on Other Support and on Policies related to Financial Conflicts of Interest and Foreign Components:

The intent of this notice is to remind the extramural community about the need to report foreign activities through documentation of other support, foreign components, and financial conflict of interest to prevent scientific, budgetary, or commitment overlap.

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-19-114.html

Sept. 23, 2020 | 11:00 a.m. – noon | Zoom Link

Join the Office of Research for an introduction to its services. Hear presentations from Office of Sponsored Programs, Office of Research Integrity and Protections, Office of Technology Transfer, Office of Proposal Support Services and The SOURCE – Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement.

Registration is required. Register at: https://syracuseuniversity.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMkfuuqqDgsGNWd0hJ9xFoW0jocDI3E8pVh. After registering, you will immediately receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Please note this important message from NSF regarding upcoming changes to the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending Support sections that go into effect for NSF proposals submitted or due, on or after October 5, 2020.

For additional guidance, please visit our NSF Updates page.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released a summary of changes for FORMS-F, an updated version of the NIH application package. FORMS-F will replace the current application package, FORMS-E, for proposals due on or after May 25, 2020. Please see this PDF document (link to NIH site) for a summary of all proposed changes.

For additional guidance, please visit our NIH Updates page.

For the most recent updates and FAQs on COVID-19 for researchers, please visit the Office of Research website.

**Updated 3/25/2020**

As COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold, the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) has transitioned to a virtual office environment and is continuing to provide full service and staffing to maintain our normal levels of faculty and staff support.  Please contact your OSP Research Administrator by email with any request that you may have for assistance with the submission of a proposal, the setup of an award, or any other questions that you may have.  The OSP Director will come to campus upon request on an as-needed basis, for essential business only. Please contact the OSP Director by email if an urgent matter arises and his presence is required for essential purposes on-campus.

As new information about the COVID-19 crisis is being received with increasing frequency, please check OSP’s home page for the most up-to-date information related to our office’s service provisions.  OSP remains ready and available to serve the campus community in the preparation, review, and submission of proposals to external funding agencies, as well as, setting up new funding awards as they are received.

During this time, the preferred contact mechanism for service requests to OSP is by email to the addresses below.  However, if phone is the only option please leave a voice message for the intended party and it will be retrieved and responded to accordingly.