In most cases, to gain access to a new project account, a Project Request Form must be completed.  The use of the form is recommended:

• when the sponsor does not have an established granting arrangement with the University (accounts for awards made by major sponsors with established administrative arrangements with the University are opened automatically on receipt of the sponsor's notice of award, ie. Tri Council Awards)
• when the sponsorship request was not made through and pre-authorized by the University
• when the sponsor's notice of award is insufficiently detailed
• to renew or extend existing accounts
• to change the terms of reference of existing accounts
• to establish a sub or memo account within an existing account    
   

Research Grant or Contract 

Once a research grant has been awarded, an industry contract signed, or a clinical trial approved, a new project request form is required to be completed before a new project can be set up. It is also imperative that any pending ethics requirements have been completed before access is provided to research funds. To ensure that a new project can be set up within a reasonable time, the following information is required:

• Completion of the New Project Request Form (the old SPAR form)
• All relevant agreements, award notices, budgets must be appended to the request
• All signatures should be in place including researcher, dept head/dean, and sign off by Research Services 
   

Non-Research (Restricted/Trust) Projects

In some cases, funds are awarded to a project holder where the source of funding and purpose cannot be categorized as research, but rather restricted funds. In these cases, the following information is required:

• Completion of the New Project Request Form
• All relevant agreements, award notices, budgets, terms of references (in the case of endowments or scholarships) must be appended to the request
• All signatures should be in place from the trustholders, as well as dept head/dean 
   

Urgent Project Requests

On occasion a project is required urgently however signatures on a contract have not been finalized, or the official notification of award is delayed. In these situations, please send an e-mail to RTAhelp@ucalgary.ca to notify us of the need. We will do our best to address this.

Please be advised that Research Accounting cannot set up urgent projects when ethics certifications are pending.

The expected turnaround time on new project set up is 2 weeks after Research Accounting receives a properly completed project request form.

If you wish to delegate signing authority, or provide purchasing or view access to other members on your team, please clearly indicate this on the project request form.  The type of access should be specified and signed off by the Project Holder.