Managing Sponsored Project Funds: No-Cost Extension Requests

Find out how to request a no-cost extension for a sponsored project award.

Extending a project's end date

If a funded project's end date is approaching but the principal investigator (PI) has not yet spent all of the money awarded, a no-cost extension allows the end date to be extended. A no-cost extension request is an amendment to the award agreement to extend the end date without adding additional funding (“No Cost Extension” or “NCE”). An NCE request may need to be formally submitted to the sponsor for approval and then reported to UCSD contract offices.

To extend the term or end date of an award funded to UCSD directly by a federal sponsor, please complete the “Direct Federal Grant NCE” request eForm.

For all other NCE requests for a funded research agreement, the department should work with the funding sponsor to obtain written approval of the term extension. Often, a sponsor requires justification for the extension. Prior to contacting OCGA, the department/PI should provide the necessary information to the sponsor and obtain approval for the extension. In most cases, an email from the sponsor’s authorized official is acceptable. This written approval should be provided to OCGA with the request for an NCE.

General guidelines

• Review agency policy on no-cost extension request deadlines.
• Review expenditure balances per the budget.
• Review your expense projections.
• Plan expenses for the extension period.
• Prepare a letter to the agency's project administrator. Include:
  • Changes in budgeted funding for specific expense categories
  • Amount to be spent in each category during the extension period
  • Justification for request (i.e., why funding was not spent before original end date or how the extension will benefit the project)
• Have the PI sign the letter and keep a copy for your files.
• Send the letters and copies as necessary:
  • If your award was processed by the Office of Contract and Grant Administration (OCGA), forward the original letter to OCGA for transmittal to the agency.
  • If your award was not processed by OCGA, send the original letter to the agency and a copy to Sponsored Projects Finance (SPF).
• When you receive official approval from the agency, send OCGA or SPF a copy of the approval.