The Office of the Vice Provost for Research has updated faculty disclosure and intellectual property protection guidance for the research community as of May 2021. This information, along with FAQs, can be found on the OVPR website.
This policy is intended to clarify when payments to fellows should be treated as gross income, as qualified payments for tuition or fees for a degree program, or as reimbursements for bona fide University business expenses that the individual incurred on Harvard’s behalf.
Investigators working with new sponsors should attempt to clarify whether funding will be made available to them in the form of a gift or a grant. Gifts and grants are handled by two separate Harvard units and each carry their own distinct sets of policies and procedures.... Read more about Gift vs. Grant
Adherence to this policy is required for all effort related to federally sponsored grants and contracts as well as any non-federal awards where the sponsor requires effort reporting and/or salary certification.
The University defines administrative and clerical personnel as providing non-technical supporting services that benefit departmental, institute, or center activities or objectives, including functions such as clerical support, financial management, procurement of materials and services, business services, budget and planning, and personnel management.
Principal Investigators are responsible for managing expenditures on their grants and for working with administrators to project sponsored accounts and ensure that over-expenditures do not occur. If interest charges on deficits are significant, they are passed on from Harvard’s central bank to FAS departments and centers, which may in turn pass them on to non-sponsored fund(s) belonging to the PI. (Policy is being revised)
The University pays simple interest per annum on a monthly basis on balances in non-federal grants and exchange accounts (Fund numbers in the range 200000 - 299999).
Federal funding agencies require that institutions working on subawards under Harvard prime awards follow all of the rules and regulations that would apply if the award had been issued to them directly.
Cost-sharing commitments are generally discouraged in proposals unless they are required by the sponsor. If a proposal commits a quantified portion of a PI’s academic year effort or lists other direct costs that will be paid for by University or sponsored funds, this constitutes a commitment by the University to cost share. Cost shared effort needs to be certified annually, and companion accounts must be set up to track any other items committed.... Read more about Cost Sharing
In accordance with OMB costing principles, it is necessary to explain and justify transfers of charges onto federally-funded sponsored awards, where the original charge was previously recorded elsewhere on Harvard's General Ledger.
In addition to the general policy surrounding travel at Harvard, when traveling on federally-sponsored awards there are other important considerations. This policy provides an overview of these considerations including the Fly America Act, Open Skies Agreement and information on Code Share.
In addition to the Harvard Travel Policy, FAS has more specific and restrictive guidance for meals, family travel, processing exceptions and faculty recruitment.
