Basics of the Routing Process

All extramural requests for program funding and sponsorship, including grant applications, contract proposals, or other proposals for research, training, or service support, but excluding gifts, bequests, and donations, must obtain institutional authorization prior to being submitted to the sponsor.

All proposals must be accompanied by an Approval of Application for Grant or Contract (Routing) form - Word or PDF. The Routing form should be completed and signed by the PI, the Department Chair or Director, and an appropriate Dean or Administrator (e.g., SOD, SOM, College of Nursing, SOP, AHEC) prior to the proposal being submitted to Grants and Contracts. Upon satisfactory review of a proposal, Grants and Contracts will provide institutional endorsement.

Proposals should be submitted with sufficient lead time for securing departmental and Dean signatures; and for Grants and Contracts to review the proposal, notify the departmental administrator and/or PI of any problems and corrections that need to be made in order to obtain institutional endorsement. The Deans' offices for the Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, and Pharmacy and the College of Nursing all participate in the courier system that delivers proposal documents between the Deans' offices and Grants and Contracts. Upon review and endorsement by Grants and Contracts, proposals are returned to the appropriate Dean's office via the courier service.

All proposals involving NEW money (i.e., money not already awarded) should be routed prior to being submitted to the sponsor.

Other types of actions—e.g., award notices for proposals that have already been routed, requests or authorizations for additional time, requests to carry-forward money, requests or authorizations for rebudgeting—do not require a formal Routing Form. However, they do need to be sent to Grants and Contracts as quickly as possible so that Grants and Contracts can make appropriate adjustments or take appropriate action.

All routing forms must be signed by the PI, the department Chairperson or Director, and an appropriate Dean or Administrator.

Please complete all information on the routing form accurately. This information is used for a variety of purposes including:

• establishing the eligibility of an individual to be a PI

• defining the appropriate department/division to receive recognition for the proposal and award

• identification of the location of the project. The location of projects subject to the University's negotiated rate agreement determines the appropriate rate to be used.

• identification of the correct human and/or animal protocols associated with the project

• identification of any radiation and biosafety approvals

• identification of any cost sharing, and whether it is mandatory or obligatory

• identification that appropriate financial interest disclosures have been filed

• endorsement of the project by the department and applicable dean.

• Routing form (i.e., Approval of Application for Grant or Contract (Routing)) - Word or PDF - signed by PI, Department Chairperson, and applicable Dean or Administrator.

• Clinical Trials Supplemental Budget and Certification (UCD Fiscal Policy 4-01) industry-sponsored contracts only

• Sponsor's instructions

• All forms required by the sponsor. The information should be complete, and all signatures (except institutional endorsement supplied by Grants and Contracts) should be obtained, prior to routing.

• Budget pages. If the sponsor requires no budget please complete the budget section of the Routing form, and supply sponsor instructions so that Grants and Contracts can properly evaluate proposed expenditures. (NIH Modular proposals must include a detailed budget page or spreadsheet.)

• All other documents (e.g., biographical sketches, other support pages, letters of recommendation/support, research plan) to be submitted to the sponsor.

• If you intend to contract part of the funds to other organizations, please include the following from the subrecipient organizations

  • All forms the sponsor requires for subrecipients. The information should be complete and should bear institutional endorsement from the subrecipient organization.
  • Budget pages. Budget figures should always be supplied by the subrecipient in order to insure the proposed subrecipient budget is in line with the subrecipient's institutional policies.
  • Any and all other documents that will be submitted on behalf of the subrecipient (e.g., biographical sketches, other support pages).