No-Cost Extensions

If a sponsored project is not yet complete, often additional time can be granted by the sponsor through a no-cost extension (NCE). In the event a no-cost extension is needed, the NCE request is submitted in eTRACS through the established Change Request (CR) process. Please visit eTRACS Help for assistance with Change Requests.

No-Cost Extension Process

To apply for a no-cost extension, follow these steps:

• Initiate a NCE CR in eTRACS and route it for internal approvals.
• Once the NCE CR has been routed and approved, ORA will contact the sponsor to request the extension.
• Once approved by the sponsor, the NCE will be processed as a non-competing renewal in eTRACS by ORA personnel.
• Some sponsors may require additional forms or separate actions by the PI. The ORA will provide guidance in those circumstances.

Additional Considerations

• UMCIRB/IACUC Renewal: This is also a good time to make sure that any UMCIRB, generally renewed annually, or IACUC approvals, generally renewed every few years, are up to date.
• Effort Commitments: It is a good idea to reconsider effort commitments when extending a grant project. The effort levels committed in the proposal remain a requirement of the project during a no-cost extension period. Often, however, both the level of effort needed on the project and the amount of funding available to support that effort is greatly reduced. When that is the case, ECU can request prior approval to reduce the effort commitments on the project during the extension period. If we do not make such a request, and there are not sufficient funds to cover the required effort levels, the department may find itself required to cost-share effort on the project.