Office of the Vice President forResearch and Innovation

Canvas course name: Mandatory sponsored project and effort reporting training for principal investigators

The offices of the Vice President for Research and Innovation and the Vice President for Finance and Administration, with the support of VCU’s senior administration, have updated mandatory training programs in sponsored project compliance and effort certification to increase awareness and accountability and to reduce risk to the university. The inaugural training program began in 2012. New regulations and requirements are addressed in the updated training, which was released in 2016.

All principal investigators are required to complete this training program. Co-investigators are encouraged to complete the program as well. The training program is available on Canvas and should take approximately one hour to complete.

Canvas course self-enroll options:

1) Click on the following self-enroll invitation link: PI training self-enroll invitation link, or

2) Email Cathy Short (Training Manager, DSP/G&C, cfshort@vcu.edu) to receive a self-enroll link, or

3) Navigate to courses from your Canvas dashboard. Select “All Courses” and “Browse More Courses”. Search on the course name. Click “Join this Course” and then “Enroll in Course”.

VCU has an obligation to preserve public trust in the integrity and quality of its sponsored projects. Ensuring that our faculty and staff are aware of and comply with federal regulations and university policies strengthens that trust. We appreciate your willingness to participate in this program.

If you have any questions regarding this course, please contact Cathy Short (Training manager, DSP / G&C (cfshort@vcu.edu).

Program description

Fundamentals of research administration, a self-paced e-learning curriculum, provides an overview of key topics in sponsored projects management. The content is aimed towards individuals new to research administration or experienced individuals seeking a refresher on fundamental subject areas. Each unit focuses on a primary aspect of sponsored project administration. Learners will review content in an interactive e-learning format and complete activities and assessment questions throughout each unit.

• Unit 1: VCU organization for research
• Unit 2: Introduction to pre-award
• Unit 3: Introduction to compliance
• Unit 4: Introduction to federal regulations
• Unit 5: Introduction to award processing
• Unit 6: Introduction to post award
• Unit 7: Introduction to clinical trials

This opportunity is available in Talent@VCU and Canvas

Talent@VCU enrollment instructions:

1. Log in to Talent@VCU.
2. Go to the Learning menu, then Learning search.
3. Enter the course name in the search, “Fundamentals of research administration”.
4. Follow the prompts to request and launch the course curriculum.

Canvas enrollment instructions:

1. Click on the following self-enroll invitation link: Fundamentals Canvas course self-enroll link, or
2. Email Cathy Short (Training manager, DSP/G&C) to receive a self-enroll link, or
3. Navigate to courses from your Canvas dashboard. Select “All courses” and “Browse more courses”. Search on the course name. Click “Join this course” and then “Enroll in course”.

Digital badge

After course completion, you will be eligible to receive a digital badge. This digital badge shows others that you can apply knowledge of the lifecycle of a sponsored project to the grants management portfolio(s) of your unit. Those who complete the Fundamentals of Research Administration e-learning course will receive an email notification with more information to claim their digital badge. See the section below on Digital Badges to learn more about digital badging in general at VCU.

Please contact Cathy Short, training manager, DSP/G&C, with any questions.

Course description: PI and award transfers focus modules

This training will step you through an overview of the PI and award transfer process and includes detailed guidance about many aspects of the project management involved in both transfers in / transfers out. Each unit concludes with resources to learn more as well as a contact list for the divisions mentioned throughout the course.

• Unit 1: Award transfers from another institution to VCU
• Unit 2: Award transfers from VCU to another institution
• Related VCU compliance notices for comprehensive guidance
• NCURA YouTube Tuesday video: Award transfer considerations

This opportunity is available in Talent@VCU

Direct enrollment link: PI and award transfers eLearning - enroll in Talent

Talent@VCU search and enroll instructions

1. Log in to Talent@VCU.
2. Go to the learning menu, then learning search.
3. Enter the course name in the search.
4. Follow the prompts to request and launch the course curriculum.

Digital badges are available for select training programs and professional development activities. Learn more about digital badging at VCU from the Office of Continuing and Professional Development and view our current offerings in the Research badge collection.

The offices of the Vice President for Research and Innovation and the Vice President for Finance and Administration have jointly sponsored the Sponsored Projects Administration Certification Program continuously since 2004/2005. The program, usually offered annually, has certified approximately 445 research administrators. The curriculum has grown to five modules and 27 units and, as a result, the time is right for an overhaul and recalibration.

Phase 1: Fundamentals of research administration e-learning (complete)

Phase 2: Sponsored projects administration focus modules

Phase 2 of the certification program restructure is currently in development and updates will be communicated when available. Phase 2 will include a picklist style curriculum offering learners the flexibility to explore self-selected topics in more depth based on job roles, career development, and interests. The modality will be hybrid (online learning combined with the opportunity to attend instructor-led live sessions).

Please contact Cathy Short, training manager, G&C/Division of Sponsored Programs, with any questions.

Research Administration Back to School meetings

RABTS meetings are held to disseminate information related to research administration and compliance issues. All individuals involved or interested in research administration and compliance are welcome to attend virtually via Zoom technology. To ensure receipt of meeting reminders and advance agendas, please join the RESADM listserv here. Attendance registration takes place in Talent@VCU.

RABTS meeting archive

• RABTS October 2025 meeting recording
• RABTS January 2025 meeting recording
• RABTS uniform guidance revisions 2024 meeting recording
• RABTS fall 2024 meeting recording
• RABTS spring 2024 meeting recording

Research Administrator Day

VCU Research Administrator Day is an annual celebration of the research administration (RA) profession and our RA community at VCU. Through a series of presentations, roundtable discussions, and an award ceremony; faculty, senior leaders, and administrators from around the University share their contributions to One VCU Research and champion the RAs that make it possible.

See University Controller’s office events for event details and programming for the current year.

Grants and contracts accounting (post award basics training)

 This instructor led training is offered several times a year and is designed for employees with less than one year of experience working with sponsored programs. The session provides those who are new to research administration an overview of grants and contracts policies and procedures and commonly used Banner forms. Completion of the Banner Basic Navigation on-line course in Talent@VCU is recommended prior to attending this training. Register for upcoming post award basics training sessions via Talent@VCU.

See Grants and contracts training for additional related opportunities.

Effort reporting 101: Effort coordinator training

This Canvas course provides an overview of Effort reporting and the ECC system and is open to all. It is a requirement for research administrators requesting primary or secondary access to the Effort Reporting system (ECC). Refer to Effort reporting training for course enrollment instructions.

See Effort reporting training for additional related opportunities.

Additional related training

• Banner Finance courses 
• Resources include: Banner Basic Navigation and System/Data Security, which is required for system access and additional courses which may be assigned for specific Banner Finance security levels.
• VCU reporting center and research dashboard
• Resources include: job aids to assist with better understanding various financial reports that are provided through the VCU reporting center as well as resources developed to assist with navigating within the VCU research dashboard.
• CITI training - VCU access
• The Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program) is a service which provides training for colleges and universities. It is most commonly used at VCU for courses which fulfill the Basic Human Subjects Protection training requirement. Per the VCU subscription, however, all university employees have the capability to login, browse, and complete available purchased online training courses on a variety of topics: Human subjects / IRB, Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR), export compliance, and more.

• Glossary of research terminology
  A glossary of grant terms customized for VCU.
• RAMS-SPOT format of award affects proposal
  Diagram outlining the workflow differences between a Funding Proposal (FP) and a Continuation Proposal (CP).
• SOFEW guide
  Guide outlining the SOFEW check which is completed when funding proposals are routed to DSP to notify departments of missing documents or approvals as early in the review process as possible.
• VCU Sponsored Programs NIH Research Performance Progress Report “RPPR” training reference
  Supporting training materials for the RPPR process.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

• NIH has many training resources, guides, and recordings for PIs and research administrators on topics ranging from finding funding to submitting a grant application. (Learn more at: NIH training, NIH training / grants and funding, or at the training / resource site for the relevant NIH institute or center.)

National Science Foundation (NSF)

• NSF’s main resource for current information and key insights into policies, procedures, and specific funding opportunities is the NSF policy office. There you will also find an option to get notified about NSF proposal and award-related news and upcoming events.

There are several outside research administration professional organizations which offer recommended programming to include: online educational opportunities and resources; meetings, conferences, and workshops; volunteering and networking opportunities; and much more.

NCURA (National Council of Research Administrators)

• Learn more: https://www.ncura.edu/

SRAI (Society of Research Administrators International)

• Learn more: https://www.srainternational.org/home
• *2025 opportunities:
• SRAI annual meeting (San Antonio, TX, October 18 - 22)

FDP (Federal Demonstration Partnership)

• Learn more: https://thefdp.org/

RAD (Research Administration Demonstration)

• Learn more: https://wp.nyu.edu/nyuresearchrad/
• *2025 opportunities: RAD session webinars - registration (open to all, all sessions are free)

CRA (Certified Research Administrator)

• RACC (Research Administrators Certification Council): The independent certifying organization that manages the CRA exam - a designation that demonstrates a broad knowledge of all aspects of research administration. 
  • Learn more: https://www.cra-cert.org/
  • *2025 opportunities: CRA exam schedule

*Note: All of these organizations offer regular programming throughout the year and only a few select opportunities for the current year have been included above. VCU contact for questions and more information: Cathy Short (Training manager, DSP / G&C, cfshort@vcu.edu)