Good afternoon,

The Morrill act of 1862 designated UVM as a land grant institution eligible to receive annual statutory funding from the USDA’s NIFA in support of research and extension activities as directed by the various land-grant Acts (i.e.: Smith-Lever (agricultural extension work), McIntire Stennis (forestry research), Hatch (agricultural research). NIFA issues the formula funding to UVM in the form of Capacity grants. These grants are subject to 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards and NIFA formula fund special terms and conditions.

As you may be aware, the process for 2020 Capacity Grants is being streamlined by the sponsor and will therefore change how UVM will have to propose and accept funding. Since the process has not yet been fully defined by the sponsor, here is how we are handling FY20 set up:

Each unit has already set up an InfoEd records. SPA’s Award Acceptance and Set-up Team is in the process of setting up PeopleSoft so that appropriate personnel can be distributed for FY20. The dates of the awards will be set to 10/1/2019 – 9/30/2020. The award team will be communicating with departments, as needed, for setup to occur. If you have questions, please reach out to Emily Trantum, Team Lead, Award Acceptance, Set-up and Outgoing Subawards.

The proposal process will begin once funding opportunity announcements are made, we expect in August, and the proposals will be due in September for the October 1 start. We will continue to communicate with involved departments and will update our current procedure for formula funds to reflect sponsors moving toward having these awards be proposed more in line with other sponsored projects.

Thank you.

Sonya Stern, MBA | Director | Signing Official

Treasurer-Elect, National Council of University Research Administrators Region 1

University of Vermont