What is the investigator incentive award?
The investigator incentive award is a disbursement to the investigator for his/her share of the dacilities and administrative costs recovered on eligible sponsored projects.
What is the purpose of the investigator incentive award?
Investigator incentive award funds are an incentive to investigators for the work they have done, or continue to do, on grant-funded projects. ASU intends for IIA to provide investigators with funds to continue their research projects outside of sponsor support. Once IIA funds are received, the investigator may use the funds at their discretion.
How is the investigator incentive award funded?
The investigator incentive award is calculated at 5% of actual F&A recovered (expended) and is funded during each month-end close process.
Are there any restrictions on the use of investigator incentive award funds?
Knowledge Enterprise does not require a “research-related” purpose for expenditures on IIA accounts. Though IIA funds may be used to further an investigator’s research activities (e.g., funds for staff/student support or purchase of materials), IIA funds can be spent at the investigator’s discretion.
Finance managers may treat IIA accounts like any other local account; however, only KE Finance can deposit or transfer funds in and out of IIA accounts. KE Finance also monitors IIA accounts for compliance related to the transfer of funds, account changes (i.e., cost center change, account closeout), and purchase compliance within general ASU regulations (i.e., no prohibited expenses such as alcohol).
Can investigator incentive award funds be used as cost sharing for sponsored accounts?
Yes. An investigator may choose to use his/her IIA funds as cost sharing for a sponsored project. The investigator should be aware of IIA funds currently available so as not to overcommit.
Can investigator incentive award funds be used to pay salaries?
Yes. Salaries can be charged to IIA accounts if there are funds available to cover the salaries/wages and all related costs (ERE, Risk Mgt., Netcom, Tuition Remission, ASC).
Can emeritus or adjunct investigators received investigator incentive awards?
Yes. Notify KE Finance when an employee’s status changes to emeritus or adjunct to ensure the IIA account is not prematurely closed. Employees that are emeritus and adjunct do not appear as “active” in PeopleSoft Job Data, so these IIA accounts need to be manually tracked by KE Finance.
Can investigator incentive awards allocations change after a proposal is awarded?
Investigator incentive award allocations are generally determined during the proposal development process, but allocation changes may be made after the project is awarded.
If IIA allocations need to change, refer to WI-EP-130. To ensure IIA is reflected properly, it is recommended that IIA allocation changes be submitted in ERA/Workday before month close (which usually occurs between the 6th – 9th of the month).
Do I need to notify Knowledge Enterprise Finance when there is a change in allocations on an active award?
Administrators do not need to notify KE Finance to have a new IIA account established, since KE will create new IIA accounts based on the KE Analytics report, RID and IIA for KE Finance. However, administrators should follow the “Internal Allocation Changes” instructions for WI-EP-130 to ensure that ERA reflects the updated REC/RID/IIA distributions for a sponsored project. Once allocation changes have been applied, unit administrators should review the department-level RID/IIA report, RID and IIA Dashboard, available on the Analytics site, to review their investigators’ RID/IIA disbursements.
Can investigator incentive award allocation changes to applied retroactively?
Yes, but any changes to retroactive IIA will not be captured by KE. Units must notify KE Finance if they anticipate changes to retroactive IIA.
Knowledge Enterprise will only distribute retroactive IIA for the current fiscal year. Any changes to retroactive IIA must be sent to KE Finance before the IIA for Fiscal Month 12 (FM12) is distributed. Changes cannot be made once FM12 IIA is distributed.
Do I need to notify Knowledge Enterprise Finance when a new investigator receives their first award at ASU?
No. Knowledge Enterprise will create new IIA accounts based on the KE Analytics report, RID and IIA for KE Finance. Unit administrators should review the department-level RID/IIA report, RID and IIA Dashboard, available on the Analytics site to review their investigators’ RID/IIA.
When and how can an investigator access their investigator incentive award funds?
Knowledge Enterprise Finance will set up IIA accounts monthly through a report generated via the KE Analytics site. Once a sponsored project is awarded and grant funds start to be spent, Facilities and administrative costs accrues on those expenses. As F&A accrues, Investigator Incentive Award accounts will receive their proportionate share of F&A funds.
Investigators should reach out to their department finance managers to determine the balance of their IIA accounts and to ask any expense-related questions.
How can I find an investigator’s Investigator Incentive award program account number?
Workday
Investigators can see their IIA program account number in the Principal Investigator Dashboard (from MyASU navigate to Employment > Reporting > Principal Investigator Dashboard).
Unit administrators can find IIA program accounts numbers by doing a Workday search for the PI’s name.
RID and IIA Dashboard
Investigators and unit administrators can also find IIA program account numbers using the RID and IIA Dashboard on the Analytics site.
If an IIA account for the Investigator is not listed, contact KE Finance to confirm whether or not they have one.
Do investigators receive a notification when investigator incentive sward funds are distributed to their accounts?
No. Investigators should reach out to their department finance representatives for this information. Unit administrators can monitor IIA distribution using the RID and IIA Dashboard or through Workday reports. Investigator Incentive Award distribution occurs monthly, but keep in mind that IIA can only be distributed when there is spending on the account.
Is the investigator incentive award distributed monthly?
Investigator incentive award distribution occurs monthly, but not every IIA account will receive funds every month. Investigator incentive award is distributed based on award spending, which may vary. IIA may or may not be received every month, and it is possible to have IIA debited based on award spending.
What comprises investigator incentive award account revenue?
Investigator incentive award revenue should only be IIA incentive monies funded by KE Finance through sponsored awards. “Other sources” of revenue should never be deposited to IIA accounts. If an expenditure reimbursement needs to be deposited, apply the deposit to the spend category originally charged.
Can investigator incentive award funds be transferred out to other accounts?
No, unless it is to fund a local cost share companion account for a sponsored project. Transfers out are monitored by KE Finance to ensure compliance with this restriction.
Can cash advances be taken out on investigator incentive award accounts?
Cash advances can be taken out on IIA accounts under certain circumstances, such as to pay for subject payments or remote site expenses. Normally, IIA funds are the alternate source of funds when the sponsored project does not allow or does not have enough funds available to cover these types of expenses. Units wanting to use an IIA account for cash advances should reach out to KE Finance.
Does Knowledge Enterprise reconcile investigator incentive award accounts?
No. Knowledge Enterprise only reconciles RID accounts; units are responsible for IIA account reconciliation.
When should an investigator incentive award account be closed?
An IIA account should be closed only when a PI leaves the University and does not hold adjunct or emeritus status. Once a final day of employment has been established, the department must immediately notify KE Finance to close the account.
Unlike RID funds, IIA funds belong to the principal investigator, not the department. When a PI departs the University, any funds remaining in their IIA account will be returned to KE for reallocation into ASU’s F and A funding.
Who can help me with other investigator incentive award questions?
Please email Morgan Kenzie Davies.