Grants Finance, Financial Services Division

GRANTS FINANCE, FINANCIAL SERVICES DIVISION

SERVICE CHARTER

November 2014

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Background

Grants Finance (GF), a team within the Financial Services Division (FSD) (refer Appendix 1), administers the financial aspect of research grants once approval to open a research project account has been received from the Research Services Office (RSO). GF provides financial and accounting support including the setting-up of grant project accounts in the University’s Technology One finance system (“Finance System”), invoicing, funding authorization for HR appointments, preparation of financial statements/acquittals and account closures. GF works with RSO and Faculty administrative staff to provide grants administration and operational management support to researchers.

Researchers/ grant holders are ultimately responsible for ensuring grant funding is appropriately utilised (in accordance with both funding rules and University policies and procedures). Researchers are emailed system-generated financial reports with access to transaction details on a monthly basis, to assist in tracking expenditure and identifying potential inappropriate or inaccurately recorded expenditure. Funding rules vary depending on each individual funder’s terms and conditions and/or the specific grant scheme applied for. Funder terms are generally contained in a funding agreement or contract.

Executive Summary

Key Activities

1.  Prepare financial reports required during the grant funding period and/or to acquit the grants at project completion;

2.  Raise invoices in a timely manner - ensuring that the grant income entitled to be received by the University is received promptly and in full;

3.  Establish project codes to assist with the internal financial management of grants awarded to the University;

4.  Provide financial reporting support and expert advice in a timely manner to researchers, adjunct staff and professional staff across the University;

5.  Assist with compliance by reviewing transactions to ensure adherence to budgets and agreement guidelines; and

6.  Assist in preparing the annual Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC) research income return in collaboration with RSO.

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Introduction

The University in implementing its Research Plan 2012-2016, underpinned by the Flinders Future Focus 2012-2016 Strategic Plan, contains programs aimed at focusing research and taking research performance to a new level.

Flinders major aspirational key performance indicators

As outlined in the Flinders University Research Plan 2012-2016, the major aspirational key performance indicators include:

·  Increasing research and commercial income by 20% from $53M (2011) to $63M (2016).

·  Identifying priority areas and investing in them.

·  Having the majority of our disciplines rated as world standard or above.

·  Increasing the number of national centres and awards.

·  Having 100% of academic staff in balanced portfolio roles research active.

GF has developed a Charter to outline its responsibilities in supporting the University’s strategic direction and to assist in strengthening performance through the production of accurate and timely grant acquittal/financial reports as well as the review and acquittal of grant expenditure.

The Service Charter, details GF’s roles and responsibilities and associated contact information. The operational areas include:

·  Project code creation

·  Invoice raising/funds disbursement

·  Grant financial reporting (including annual ARC/NHMRC financial reporting (data entered on line via the funder’s respective systems (RMS and RGMS)).

·  Annual HERDC research income reporting

·  Health Education funding (non-Department of Education funding)

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1.  Grants Finance - Service Charter

1.1  Grants Finance – Key Responsibilities

Grants Finance is responsible for the financial administration of all research grants, special purpose funds, consulting funds and Health Education (non-Department of Education) funding as follows:

·  Receive copies of awarded grants from RSO, Faculties, Flinders Partners and other parties as and when required.

·  GF will within 5 working days of being advised of awarded and finalised grants, create a project code in the Finance System and prepare the required accounts and/or documentation.

·  Liaise with RSO to facilitate the timely request and receipt of pertinent financial documentation to ensure deadline compliance.

·  Arrange for invoices to be raised in a timely manner and issued to funding bodies in accordance with agreed terms and conditions as outlined in funding terms.

·  Assist Accounts Receivable with the collection of outstanding debts.

·  Responsible for the disbursement of monthly ARC & NHMRC research funding to the individual projects.

·  Responsible for the timely and accurate preparation of financial statements.

·  Responsible for arranging external audits of financial statements (if required as a condition of the grant) and in such instances will co-operate fully and completely with the auditor engaged.

·  Maintain the GF section of the University website.

·  Collaborates with other institutions, e.g. other Universities, on multi-institutional grants regarding the financial management, following up of documentation and acquittal obligations.

·  Monitor project balances and alert relevant managers where these fall into deficit.

·  Provide advice to researchers and other fund holders regarding application of University policies and funding body conditions.

·  Assist with the estimation of tied revenue as part of the formulation of University budgets and forecasts.

·  Assist in the completion of the University’s annual financial statements as applicable to GF projects.

1.2  Staff

Manager Grants Finance: Ms Carolyn Vicary
(Management of Grants Finance division, ARC and NHMRC reporting, HERDC)
Tel: (08) (+ 61 8) 8201 2235
Email:
Note: Carolyn does not work Wednesdays
Senior Grants Finance Officer: Ms Sue Willmott
(Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (excluding NHMRC)
Tel: (08) (+ 61 8) 8201 2220
Email:
Grants Finance Officer: Mrs Melissa Larsen

(Faculty of Education, Humanities and Law, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University Administrative Divisions and Units)
Tel: (08) (+ 61 8) 8201 2224
Email:

Grants Finance Officer: Mrs Kerry White

(School of Biological Sciences, ARC Discovery & LIEF schemes, AINSE grants)
Tel: (08) (+ 61 8) 8201 2414
Email:
Note: Kerry does not work Tuesdays

Grants Finance Officer: Ms Lee-Anne Burton

(Faculty of Science and Engineering (excluding School of Biological Sciences) and ARC Linkage Projects)
Tel: (08) (+ 61 8) 8201 2304
Email:

Note: Lee-Anne is 0.8 fraction – variable hours

Grants Finance Officer: Mr Gary Whyatt

(Assistance with ARC and NHMRC financial reporting and Grants Finance processes generally)
Tel: (08) (+ 61 8) 8201 3529
Email:

Note: Gary is 0.6 fraction working Wed-Fri

Email general enquiries:

2.  Main Objective

The overarching aim of GF in providing financial services is to balance two key needs:

1)  Effective and timely post award administration of research grant and contract documentation, to best strengthen and support the Flinders’ research endeavour.

2)  Provide expenditure versus budget information to ensure financial compliance with grant terms and conditions in order to adequately protect the Institution and its staff/research students against exposure to undue risk factors while undertaking funded research.

2.1.  Our Client Service Pledges

Financial Administration

·  Provide a primary point of contact for academic staff regarding support with general financial conditions of the University grant awarded research contracts.

·  Disseminate information to academic staff in relation to ensuring compliance with currently awarded grants, by forwarding any updated guidelines (in liaison with RSO) to researchers and ensuring the Grants section of the FSD website is updated.

·  Reviews of grant finances as part of the daily operations &/or when a grant is fully spent and a financial report is required, for compliance with grant terms and conditions and the University’s policies & procedures.

·  Once a grant is awarded and the relevant party, e.g. RSO, has advised GF, GF prepares correspondence for distribution to all CIs, which includes information such as; account code, levies information, general grant information and grant funding available.

·  Provide advice on grant expenditure terms and conditions including the eligibility of acquisitions and reporting requirements.

·  Coordinate the submission of grant financial reports or grant acquittals on behalf of the Chief Investigator.

·  Facilitate support, in collaboration with the CI and relevant Faculty personnel, in relation to external audits of the grant funding in line with budget availability and terms and conditions in contracts. Liaise with the funding body and the researcher regarding the funding of said audits

2.1.  Our Client Service Pledges(cont.).

·  Establishment of project accounts within TechOne, requesting invoices to be raised (Request to Raise Invoice), disbursement of research funding and preparation of the financial statements in a timely manner.

·  Where appropriate maintain electronic records of grant awards and contractual agreements in the GF Share File for reporting/auditing purposes (sourced from the TRIM records management system).

·  Provision of training services relevant to research grants financial management as and when required.

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Certification

·  GF will verify when establishing a project that both a Certification and a Notification of Chief Investigator Obligations (CIN) forms have been processed. These forms state that funds will only be spent on the approved expenses.

·  If GF have any concerns/queries when preparing financial statements they will raise these with the relevant researchers prior to sign off.

HERDC - Research Income Data Collection

·  Provision of support in the use of the finance system (TechnologyOne Financials) to record income associated with the approved research. This includes communicating with University staff regarding the correct income natural accounts to use on invoices.

·  Provision of annual HERDC research income data in a timely manner to RSO for verification with and by key Faculty and business unit research administration and finance staff and potential further income identification.

·  Verification of the integrity of financial records within the financial system ensuring it is current and compliant with relevant specifications.

·  Respond to ad hoc Faculty requests for research income data outside of the designated HERDC reporting period or general requests as to potential eligibility of funds.

Reporting

·  Provision of reports on financial activity to support University senior management with respect to strategy. Assist with research income forecasts etc.

·  Coordination of the reporting of research activity data to external programs and agencies, e.g. HERDC with RSO.

Website

·  Maintenance of the GF section of the University’s FSD website.

Communication

·  Answering enquiries about grants finance and reporting received via telephone and email (including monitoring the GF generic email account).

·  Coordinating workshops.

Systems Support

·  Arranging the training of University staff and adjuncts as required in the use of the financial system (referring appropriate staff and adjuncts to Finance Users Support Team (FUST), FSD).

·  Contributing to the development of new systems and functionality for research data and reporting, i.e. research project manager reporting framework.

·  Administering GF’s reporting systems. GF is not responsible for providing support for general IT systems within the FSD - this is the responsibility of FUST.

3.  Academic Client Responsibilities

·  Comply with any instructions or guidance given by GF in relation to compliance with grant or contract terms and conditions. (At the time that funding is awarded, all Chief Investigators (CIs) must certify that funds will be used in accordance with grant terms and conditions. Certifications are included in both the Certification Form and the Notification of Chief Investigator Obligations (CIN) which are administered by RSO).

·  Review monthly system-generated financial reports for compliance and accuracy and liaise with Faculty accounts staff in the first instance. Further clarification or assistance may be sought from GF.

·  Actively assist and participate in activities that contribute to the achievement of GF’s financial reporting deadlines by acting promptly on any requests for information/clarification received in relating to, but not limited to;

·  Expenditure queries,

·  In-Kind information,

·  Justifications for carry forwards, i.e., ARC,

·  Milestones achievements, and

·  Ethics.

·  Be aware of the correlation between the timely provision of financial information when requested and the impact delays will have upon distribution &/or provision of funding and compliance with grant conditions.

2. 

·  Pass any official communications and documentation to GF for data and records management i.e., any variation or extension documentation that has been directed only to you and not via an alternative party, e.g. RSO.

·  Obtain Ethics clearance as appropriate and/or follow up such approval in a timely manner through RSO. This is the responsibility of the researcher and will not be monitored by GF as this is not a financial matter. Inactive accounts can only be made active once GF receives authority from RSO that all approvals have been met.

·  Ensure compliance with all Pre-Release Form approvals (including $ limit values), whilst obtaining ethics or meeting other necessary grant requirements.

·  Where available, engage with local research administrative staff within your Faculty for provision of grant costing (budgeting) when submitting applications/tenders.

·  In the event that known circumstances will prevent input to the acquittal process, provide GF with early advice or an alternative contact.

3.  Research Services Office (RSO): Client Responsibilities

·  Ensure that GF is notified in a timely manner of all pertinent information including;

·  Certification & CIN forms

·  Report on Entry into Contract (ROEC)

·  Application/Request for Funding,

·  Award letter, Agreement/Contract,

·  Contact details for emailing invoices and statements,

·  Schedule of payments or other invoicing details which clarify for GF when invoices are to be sent.

·  Budget information, typically via the application documentation or otherwise,

·  Information regarding any Pre-Release funding and conditions thereof,

·  Information regarding any variations pertinent to financial aspects of the grants and liaise with GF on other variation matters that may have an indirect financial impact.

·  Assist GF with any further information &/or clarification as requested.

(It is noted that much of the abovementioned documentation may be referenced via RM and TRIM links once RSO authorization to open an account has been received).

4.  Administrative Staff: Client Responsibilities

·  Assist GF in order to ensure that research expenditure is recorded in the financial system in a timely and accurate manner.

·  Act as a contact point for members of GF involved in gathering required research expenditure information or raising grant income claims (invoices) for your area.