No-Cost Extensions

A no-cost extension (NCE) is the extension of a project timeline without additional funding from the sponsor. If a project’s end date is approaching but the principal investigator identifies the need for his/her research to continue, an NCE allows the research end date to be extended.

Please note that having funds remaining in the award account is not an acceptable justification for requesting an extension. Extensions may be requested only for programmatic reasons. However, sufficient funds must be available to support the project for the additional period of time, including the support of committed effort. Some sponsors may request information about the amount of funds remaining in the account, and others may request a budget indicating how funds remaining at the end of the original project period will be spent during the extension. Please consult the original award notice for sponsor-specific requirements.

Most federal agencies have delegated the authority for approving an NCE for grants to the grantee institution. This authority permits SPA to internally approve a one-time NCE, extending the end date of the project period up to an additional 12 months. Principal investigators must route an email to the director of sponsored programs requesting the NCE. The email should contain the following information:

• Name of principal investigator
• Grant number
• Justification for the extension
• Duration of the request (3 months, 6 months, 12 months)
• Amount of anticipated funds after commitments
• How the funds will be spent

The link for accessing an NCE option is available 90 days before the project end date and is removed at midnight on the project end date. To allow time for SPA to process your NCE, all requests must be received three days prior to the sponsor deadline.

Please contact SPA for more information on requesting a second NCE.