GRANT ESTABLISHMENT

How To Obtain A Grant, Index, Fund Number

The principal investigator must have an index number to charge expenses related to the sponsored program. There are three ways to get an index number:

1. Notice of Award
2. Banner Index Number Request Memo 
3. 90 Days Notice 

Grants and Contracts Indexing will assign a Banner index number upon receipt of an Award Summary Notice from the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration. When additional indexes are required as listed below, the original index may sometimes be referred to as the "home" index.

Sub-accounts

A grant/contract home index may have multiple sub-funds to supplement the project. Separate index may be used to help the principal investigator to better monitor the project, especially when the program performance has multiple years or is divided among several co-principal investigators or different departments.

Sub-awards

When the project has sub-awards, separate Banner indexes are assigned for each sub-award. Separate indexes help the principal investigator to more easily manage the project.

Cost Sharing

When the grants/contract includes matching or cost sharing an index will be created using the data supplied on the cost sharing authorization form received with the award notice. The cost sharing index is a supplemental index to an existing primary index in another ledger, and in special circumstances it may be a research accounting index.

Program Income

When the project expects to generate program  income, a separate Banner index should be requested to maintain such income. A separate index helps the principal investigator to more easily manage sponsored projects.

The principal investigator may request an index number while Sponsored Programs Administration is waiting for the formal notice of award from the sponsoring agency. The principal investigator may fax, email or mail the completed memorandum to Grants and Contracting Accounting to secure the index number.

The principal investigator may request a continuation (new) index number 90 days prior to the end date of the current index budget period.

When requesting an index number using Banner Index Request memorandum and the 90 Days Notice, the principal investigator must supply an alternate index number to charge in the event that the project is not funded.

Note: Pre-award costs are costs incurred prior to the beginning date of a budget period. Pre-award cost incurred more than 90 days prior to the effective date of any new or competing continuation award imposes no obligation on the Federal Government to make the award or increase the amount of the approved budget. See the section on "How to determine allowable and unallowable costs" for more information.

WHEN WILL THE ACCOUNT NUMBER BE ISSUED

Generally, an index number is assigned within three working days upon receipt of the Notice of Award and a copy of the itemized budget from Sponsored Programs Administration. The office of Grants and Contracts Accounting will mail, email or fax the new index number to the principal investigator. Grants and Contracts Accounting will also send copies of the index number along with any corresponding cost sharing index to the department’s fiscal administrator.  Click here for an example of the memorandum for the new FRS index number.

Banner produces two financial reports for each grant or contract on a monthly basis; the Account Statement in Whole Dollars (FGRBDSC) and the Report of Transactions (FGRODTA):e~Print Financial Report Distribution

The FGRBDSC (Budget Status) is a summary of the budget, expenses, budget balances, and purchasing commitments for each index; balances are fiscal year budgets (not necessarily the University's fiscal year).

The FGRODTA (Organizational Detail Activity) reports the detailed budget allocations, expense transactions and purchasing commitments that occurred during a particular month for the index.

Both reports identify index number, budget and project periods, index name, grant number, and responsible person in the headings. The cost sharing index contains the index number of the sponsored program index. These reports should be reviewed monthly and corrections made when necessary.

Principal investigators are required to maintain files of their financial transaction documents and reconcile them on a monthly basis with the University's Banner System.

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