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Guidance on Processing Travel Grants 

Effective October 2, 2023, the central pre-award offices will no longer perform pre-submission review for small, low-risk travel grants. This effort aims to increase efficiency and help reduce delays in proposal review. The below information provides criteria for qualifying as a small, low-risk travel grant and a step-by-step process for how to manage and route these opportunities. 

 

Central-Level Review Exemption Criteria 

Travel grants that meet the following criteria are  considered  small and low-risk and are eligible for this expedited process: 

  1. Total funding is $10,000 or less.
  2. The sole purpose of the award is limited to traveling to a conference, scientific meeting, seminar, or similar event.
  3. Funding is from a non-federal source, meaning that funding is from a non-profit, foundations or associations sponsors; or industry or for-profit entities.
  4. There are no apparent activities involving significant regulatory requirements, such as IRB review, IACUC, export controls. 
  5. Travel will not include transport of export-controlled data and/or biological specimens.
  6. Travel will not include trips to international destinations.
  7. The award does not require voluntary cost sharing or other matching of funds.
  8. The sponsor does not require institutional review, signature, or submission by a sponsored research official. 

 

Process for managing small, low-risk travel grants: 

  1. The individual seeking the travel grant (the applicant/PI) will notify an individual with SPS rights (such as a Grant Manager) of their intent to submit an application for an opportunity.
  2. The unit grant manager will inform the applicant/PI that the application can be submitted without further institutional review or the need for an SPS record.
  3. At time of award, an SPS record should be created and routed for institutional review. ORA/ORS/ORC, will review the terms, conditions, to confirm that Duke is eligible to receive the funds and is able to comply with the terms and conditions. Adjustments may be necessary, or the award will not be able to be accepted. 
  4. Upon completion of the review, the appropriate pre-award office will process the award and request that a WBSE be established.  

Note: If at any point, the unit grant manager, applicant/PI, RASR Zone Director (SOM), or ORA/ORS/ORC determines that something has changed regarding the circumstances that make the application exempt (requiring prior institutional review), then the department will contact the RASR Zone Director (SOM) or ORS (Campus) immediately to ensure there is the necessary and appropriate institutional review.