Non-Federal Awards

No-cost extensions (NCE) is an award provision that allows the Principal Investigator (PI) to request additional time beyond the end of a project period to complete the project’s scope of workof non-federal awards and will almost always require approval from the sponsor. The requested addtional time is usually up to 12 months, without additional funding. If guidelines for extending the budget period are not included in the terms and conditions of the award, SPA will contact the sponsor on behalf of the principal investigator (see Procedures for Obtaining a No-cost Extension below). The NCE must be reuqested before the project's end date and meet the these three conditions:

1. The end of the project period is approaching, AND
2. There is a programmatic, project related need to continue the research, AND
3. There are sufficient funds remaining to cover the extended effort. NOTE: This should not be understood as "there is sufficient funding, so a NCE is needed".

Overall, it takes approximately two weeks to process and apply a no-cost extension to a grant account. However, if the request is made in sufficient time prior to the end of the award, the PI will not experience a break in funding from the award to continue the project.

Federal Awards

Federal regulations provide a set of criteria for approving a one-time extension of the expiration date of a federal award for up to twelve months. These criteria are to be used by funding agencies when they retain the authority to issue no-cost extensions or by SPA when the authority is transferred to the University (under Federal Demonstration Partnership). The extension may be issued unless one or more of the following conditions/restrictions apply:

• The terms and conditions of the award prohibit the extension.
• The extension requires additional federal funds.
• The extension involves any change in the approved objectives or scope of the project.

Agency approval for extensions longer than twelve months must be requested. If the University approves a request for an extension of less than twelve months and the principal investigator subsequently wishes to lengthen that time period to a total of twelve months or longer, agency approval must be obtained.

Procedures for Obtaining a No-Cost Extension 

SPA No-Cost Extension Request Form

The principal investigator must prepare the SPA No-Cost Extension Request Form describing the need for an additional period of time to complete the project objectives. The request must address programmatic issues and may describe justifiable delays, such as the loss of a skilled technician. The fact that there may be money remaining in the project's account is not sufficient reason for an extension. If the sponsor approval must be sought, the letter should be addressed to the sponsor grants officer but sent first to Sponsored Program Administration for an authorizing signature. If the University has been given the authority to approve the no-cost extension, the request should be addressed to the principal investigator's post-award officer in SPA.

The Timing of the Request

If sponsor approval must be sought, and if the sponsor is a federal agency, requests to extend a project period must be received by the SPA at least 45 days before the expiration date of the grant, unless otherwise specified. The principal investigator will need to send the request to SPA for review and authorization before any contact with the sponsor is made (if necessary). If the sponsor is a non-federal agency, the award document should be consulted for requirements regarding the timing of the request.

Second No-Cost Extension

Some sponsors may consider a second no-cost extension. When allowed, a detailed review of the PI’s justification and explanation is needed. PIs should reach out to the program officer ahead of time if they anticipate needing additional time beyond a first no-cost extension.