What is a Sponsored Program?
Sponsored programs include grants, contracts, and collaborative agreements that are funded by an internal or external source. Each sponsored program has a named principal investigator or project director. Sponsored programs have a defined scope of work, deliverables, periods of performance, and budgets. These programs further the instructional, research, public service, or economic development objectives of the university through intellectual input to develop, determine, research, or identify a deliverable or result. Sponsors require project-specific financial and/or programmatic reporting at specified intervals.
Sponsored programs differ from revenue generating contracts and gifts/donations. If you are uncertain of which category funding is under, please visit Business and Finance policy 11.2, view our determination chart, or reach out to a member of our staff for assistance.
Further Information
The University of Illinois Springfield is guided by the U of I System policy on contracts, grants, and intergovernmental agreements as set forth in the General Rules of the University of Illinois, Article II, Sections 4-7.
Additional policies that apply to contracts, sub-awards, and affiliation agreements are proscribed by the University of Illinois Office of Office of Business and Finance (OBFS).
Different Types of External Funding
Sponsored Programs | Revenue Generating contracts | sponsored program or revenue generating project? | zero dollar agreement |
---|---|---|---|
Contracts that bring in funds to the university based on faculty or staff intellectual activities are to be negotiated through the Pre-Awards office. | Revenue Generating Contracts and Affiliation Agreements described on this page need to be routed through the Purchasing and Contracts Management using the Contract Approval Routing Form. | The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs has prepared a table to summarize these distinctions. OBFS also has guidance on distinguishing between contracts, grants, and gifts when considering external funding. | Other types of agreements that usually don’t involve funds include Material Transfer Agreements, Non-disclosure Agreements, Software-license and Data Use Agreements, which can be found on the Intellectual Property webpage. For other unfunded agreements, use the Other Unfunded Agreement (eForm) to submit to ORA for routing and approvals. |