Contracts and Grants Training

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Contracts and Grants Accounting offers several classes that focus on fund accounting processes for sponsored projects. These classes are geared toward individuals that are relatively new to managing contract or grant award funds in a university setting. It is recommended that courses be completed in the order listed below.

C&G Fund Accounting Series

Course Order Course Title and Details
Course #1 Introduction to Fund Management
The first course in the Contracts and Grants Fund Accounting Series presents policies, practices and requirements related to fund management. Topics include:
  • Project lifecycle
  • Types of awards
  • Award terms and conditions
  • Award setup and RAS
  • Understanding the purpose of fund accounting
  • Separation of duties and internal controls
  • Important federal and university policies
  • Research Terms and Conditions (RTC)
Course #2 Direct vs F&A
This course is designed to help contract and grant fund managers understand and identify the difference between direct and facilities and administrative (F&A/indirect) costs. Topics include:
  • Definition of direct costs
  • The difference between direct and indirect costs
  • Cost principles
  • Criteria for assigning costs and applicable credits
  • Definition of indirect costs (F&A)
  • Special circumstances and prior approval requirements
  • Unallowable costs
Course #3 Cost Transfers
**This course is available only as an eCourse.**
The cost transfer should be used on a limited basis and needs to be:
  • Supported
  • Documented
  • Justified
The course focus on:
  • What a cost transfer is
  • Policies that govern transfers of costs
  • When a cost transfer is to be performed and ways to avoid it
  • How to document and support cost transfers
  • Examples of non-salary and salary cost transfers
  • Requirements of salary cost transfers
  • Examples of inadequate and adequate explanations
Note: Completion of this course is mandatory for individuals that will perform payroll and/or non-payroll cost transfers when contracts and grants funds are involved. Individuals that complete the eCourse to satisfy the mandatory training requirement must achieve a 100% score on the eCourse assessment.
Course #4 Payroll Certification
**This course is available only as an eCourse.**
This course in the Contracts and Grants Fund Accounting Series focuses on the UCI’s Payroll Certification System (PCS), and includes the following topics:
  • Description of the UCI’s payroll certification process
  • Proper PCS review and certification
  • PCS cost notes and exceptional approvals
  • PCS schedules, and PCS escalation process
Course #5 Cost Sharing
**This course is available only as an eCourse.**
This course is intended to help you gain knowledge on cost sharing policies and UCI’s cost sharing system. Topics include:
  • Definition of cost sharing
  • Cost sharing types
  • Policy that governs cost sharing
  • Reporting and documenting different types of cost sharing
  • How to use UCI’s Cost Sharing System
  • Cost sharing deadlines
Course #6 Ledger Reading and Award Closeout
This course is designed to help research administrators interpret award terms and conditions to ensure proper review of expenses and timely award closeout. Topics include:
  • Learn how to read and understand the award ledger (KFS Decision Support)
  • Subcontractor monitoring – post-award
  • Closeout checklist
  • Closeout timeline and important deadlines
  • Managing outstanding expenditures
  • Financial closeout of the award
  • Document retention guidelines