An award is normally established upon receipt of a notice of grant award or fully executed contract from a sponsoring agency. However, in certain circumstances, a PI may wish to establish an award in anticipation of receiving formal notice from a sponsor. This mechanism is referred to as Bridge Funding. With appropriate documentation, and when effective and economical conduct of a project warrants incurring expenditures, a preliminary or bridge fund may be requested. Together with the appropriate Department Chair or Center Director, the Portfolio Owner is required to agree in writing, by signing the Request for Bridge Funding form, to cover any expenditures should the award ultimately not be made, the anticipated start date change, or should costs incurred not be allowable.

Principal Investigators are encouraged to first contact their Award's Grant Administrator in the office of Research Administration and Finance (RAF) prior to initiating a request for Bridge Funding. This preliminary consultation will help to minimize the Institute’s risk by verifying the anticipated award amount and performance period with the sponsor.

The following Bridge Funding level authorizations may be approved by the Assistant Vice President, Research Administration: the lesser of (1) spending up to $150,000; (2) 25 percent of the award amount if the award represents matching funds related to a Federal award; or (3) 15 percent of the award amount.

Bridge Funding requests exceeding these amounts must be approved by the President. Such request for approval will be submitted to the Office of the President by the Assistant Vice President, Research Administration.