NCURA Virtual Workshops and Webinars

In this timely and interactive webinar, research administrators will explore the current state of the NIH Policy on Foreign Subawards as it stands at the time of the session. With ongoing changes in the federal research landscape, institutions are navigating heightened scrutiny, evolving requirements, and increased operational complexity related to foreign collaborations. 

This session will provide an overview of the policy updates from the National Institutes of Health, discuss practical implications for existing and future foreign subawards, and highlight how institutions are adapting their processes to remain compliant while sustaining critical global research partnerships. Participants will also engage in shared discussion around emerging best practices, challenges, and strategies being implemented across the research administration community.

This webinar is designed for pre-award, post-award, compliance, and research leadership professionals who support NIH-funded projects involving foreign entities.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe the current NIH Policy on Foreign Subawards as it exists at the time of the webinar
• Identify key compliance and operational implications for ongoing and planned foreign subawards
• Assess risks and considerations for maintaining existing international research partnerships
• Share and evaluate institutional best practices for managing foreign subawards under evolving NIH guidance
• Apply insights from peer institutions to inform local policies, procedures, and communication strategies

View the recorded webinar: NCURA Navigating NIH Foreign Subaward Policy: Current State, Implications, and Best Practices  (requires MIT authentication)

Budget development during the proposal phase plays a critical role in shaping financial health and compliance of an award throughout its lifecycle. This session offers Pre-Award professionals a Post-Award lens on budgeting, highlighting how early decisions can either support or hinder long-term financial integrity. Through real-world examples and practical strategies, we'll explore common pitfalls such as unallowable costs, effort commitments, and cost-sharing challenges, and how to proactively address them during proposal preparation. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to design budgets that meet sponsor expectations, align with institutional policies, and withstand Post-Award scrutiny.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify budget elements that commonly lead to Post-Award compliance issues.
• Apply strategies to design proposal budgets that align with sponsor and institutional requirements.
• Collaborate more effectively with Post-Award teams to ensure financial readiness and reduce audit risk.
• Evaluate the Impact of Budget Design on Award Monitoring and Reporting.
• Incorporate Audit-Resistant Practices into Budget Development.
• Navigate Cost-Sharing Commitments with Greater Confidence.
• Apply Real-World Case Studies to Strengthen Budgeting Practices

View the recorded webinar: NCURA Budgeting for Compliance: Designing Budgets That Survive Post-Award Scrutiny (requires MIT authentication)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Understand recent federal guidance related to research security, disclosure of foreign activities, and requirement from NSTC and NSPM-33, and distinguish key differences in biosketch and current/pending support requirements across major federal agencies.
• Participants will also be able to apply best practices when using tools like SciENcv and ORCID iD, including how to effectively link publications and maintain consistent researcher profiles. In addition, they will be able to identify common errors in disclosure documents and recognize red flags that could trigger compliance concerns or delay proposals and awards.
• Finally, participants will learn how to support principal investigators in complying with institutional and sponsor-specific policies, including accurate documentation of in-kind support, consulting arrangements, and other professional commitments. They will be equipped with strategies for collecting, verifying, and organizing faculty information in a manner that is both timely and compliant.  

View the recorded webinar: NCURA: Tips and Tools for Preparing Investigator Disclosures on Biosketches and Current & Pending Support (requires MIT authentication)

The world of university research has been inundated with change during 2025. Audits are one of the few constants amidst the turbulence we have experienced. The federal government and other sponsors continue to conduct incurred cost and compliance engagements, and the Single (Uniform Guidance) Audit is still an annual task for most institutions. This webinar will focus on recent audits to help institutions know what to expect from such activities.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Understand the basic structure of an audit of a sponsored program
• Understand how reviewing published audits can improve an institution’s fiscal compliance
• Hear about recent audits conducted by federal Inspectors General
• Learn sources for additional information regarding federal audit

View the recorded webinar: NCURA The Latest in Audits (requires MIT authentication)

Our projects frequently include collaborations with others. These collaborations can vary in the level of involvement and face-to-face engagement. While we may be adept at navigating these partnerships when the other entity is another US-based institution of higher education, what do we need to consider when we collaborate with other types of entities? What might differ in our approach? Using a scientific example as our guide, we will develop a thorough approach to collaborations that helps us develop a plan for success.

We will talk through various aspects of potential collaborations, the related things to keep in mind, and potential questions to ask. For example, will the collaborator need to be on our campus, will they need access to our systems, are they subject to the single audit requirements? This session focuses on the questions to ask to get a full picture of the involvement of the collaborator. In some cases, we will have tried-and-true methods to share, but in others, we aim to help participants develop an approach for decisions that rely more on institutional policies and risk tolerance.

View the recorded webinar: NCURA: Considerations for Collaborations  (requires MIT authentication)

Navigating the complexities of post-award grant management can be challenging for both grant recipients and administrators. This webinar will provide a clear understanding of post-award allowability requirements, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and non-governmental funding policies while maximizing the impact of grant funds.

View the recorded webinar: NCURA: Navigating Post-Award Allowability  (requires MIT authentication)

Attendees will gain insight into how they can best support the lifecycle of research grants and contracts, including overall project management, timeline tracking, and compliance with reporting and terms. We will discuss tools and strategies that research administrators can use to support Principal Investigators (PIs) in understanding award obligations and ensuring successful project execution. Key topics will include navigating award terms and reporting requirements, managing deadlines, and working with central offices, funding agencies, and other key internal stakeholders.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will understand the research administrator’s role in managing award terms and deliverables.
• Participants will learn how to navigate key reporting requirements, ensuring compliance with sponsor guidelines and institutional policies.
• Participants will discuss tools and strategies for monitoring progress, managing deliverables, and troubleshooting common challenges in research project management.

View the recorded webinar: NCURA: The Research Administrator’s Role in Project Management & Reporting  (requires MIT authentication)

The term "Research Compliance" has become an integral part of research management vocabulary. Research compliance requirements cover a myriad of federal, state, local, and international regulatory and ethical rules and standards as well as institutional and funder policies that govern the entire life cycle of a research project.

A successful compliance program is made stronger and more effective when the compliance requirements are seen as a "shared responsibility" where all individuals involved life cycle of a research project (i.e., the inception of the project; proposal preparation and submittal; acceptance and management of the awards; the conduct of the research and reporting of its finding; and close-out), clearly understand their role and the importance "doing the right thing" to ensure compliance with regulatory and ethical requirements seamlessly.

To navigate this ever-changing environment, it is important for institutions to focus on developing a "culture of compliance" by creating an organizational environment where following regulatory and ethical obligations is a highly valued expectation. In this webinar we will discuss this concept in greater detail and discuss practical ideas on how to achieve a true "Culture of Compliance".

Learning Objectives

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Understanding what is a culture of compliance, and how is it different from a culture of complying.
• How is such a culture developed?
• What are the roles of leadership in establishing a culture of compliance?

View the recorded webinar: NCURA: Culture of Compliance: What is it and How to Develop One (requires MIT authentication)

This session will go through an actual Progress Report (RPPR), section by section in detail explaining the requirements that NIH will review. The session will address:

• common errors/warnings, and how to avoid the common pitfalls that result in a late submission or a non-compliant RPPR
• difference between SNAP and Non-SNAP RPPRs
• multiple component RPPRs
• completion of the Budget Section H for applicable activity codes
• HSS/ASSIST for Human Subjects reporting requirements
• Annual, Interim, and Final reports 

View recorded webinar The RPPR Matrix: Decoding and Problem Solving the NIH Progress Report System (requires MIT authentication)

In this webinar, participants will learn how to develop complex budgets for large research center projects. Topics covered will include a presentation on how different costs can be supported through campus-wide policy development and resource planning tools. The presentation will end with a deep dive by building a sponsor budget task-by-task and aligning that budget to schedule milestones and tasks.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Effectively engage your sponsored programs office and other campus stakeholders to develop institutional policy around direct costs.
2. Understand different ways to budget complex proposals and justify different types of allowable costs under University guidelines, eg provisional Service Centers, electronic Systems, Capital expenses, and administrative effort.
3. Gain proficiency with factors that impact the budget, including by-task or milestone driven project budgets.

View recorded webinar Building Complex Proposal Budgets - Proposal Preview and Tips on Direct Cost Budgeting (requires MIT authentication)

This workshop provides a primary basis of understanding of proposals to and awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The program is perfect for someone new to research administration, as well as for research administrators seeking to expand their knowledge of federal funding agencies. The curriculum provides an overview of the policies and procedures essential to preparing successful proposals to and managing grant awards from NSF.

View recorded webinar:  NSF Fundamentals Virtual Workshop (requires MIT authentication)

How do Pre-Award actions affect Post-Award success? This session will incorporate multiple perspectives including those from central offices, departments, and principal investigators, to review common and preventable Post-Award issues and best proactive strategies on how to prevent them in the Pre-Award process.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Provide examples of common post-award issues. 
• Determine potential solutions in the pre-award process to avoid the common post-award issues. 
• Describe different perspectives to the proposal to award lifecycle to increase collaboration and understanding.

View recorded webinar:  Better Together: When Pre-Award Becomes a Post-Award Activity (requires MIT authentication)

In Research Administration, we talk about cost sharing as a real cost to our institutions and we recognize what is at stake if we don’t meet a cost share commitment. We often wish we could redefine commitments that were made in the proposal because they are difficult to track, and we find ourselves scrambling to resolve shortages or recovery from internal sources at the very end. Join us as we go beyond the basic definition of cost share. Webinar hosts will discuss their experiences and share how they tackled cost share challenges throughout the life of the project. Case studies will be used, and best practices shared as you consider how to alleviate some of the administrative burden.

View Recorded Webinar: NCURA Cost Share: Tackling the Challenges (requires MIT authentication)

Budget justifications have taken on increasing significance in recent years, moving from explaining to reviewers the basis of cost calculations to persuading them that the items are critical to the success of the project. In this webinar, you will learn how to craft a budget justification that not only conforms to Uniform Guidance expectations but also effectively establishes the credibility of the proposed project. Infrastructure supports will also be explored, including sample questions, templates, and automation. Inserting a few more specific details in targeted places in the narrative and budget justification can earn the essential benefit of the doubt points that elevate your projects into the “Funded” category. 

View Recorded Webinar: NCURA: Developing Compelling Budget Justification  (requires MIT authentication)

Participant support costs require special treatment and clear communication throughout the award life cycle. This webinar will help you understand what participant support costs are and why they are special. We will discuss the rules and regulations governing participant support costs.  We will talk about how to budget, set up, and manage participant support costs. We will also touch on audit considerations. So if there have been instances where you’ve struggled to confidently validate the allowability of participant support cost or if you could simply use a refresher on the fundamentals, then the Participant Support Costs webinar is for you. No matter if you reside in pre, post, or the department, this webinar will provide you with the knowledge and fundamental framework needed to manage participant support costs going forward. 

View Recorded Webinar: NCURA: Participant Support Costs  (requires MIT authentication)

Successful proposal submission requires research administrators at both the central and departmental levels to have a solid understanding of sponsor guidelines. Efforts to minimize the risk of receiving a proposal as “returned without review” are essential to achieving the goal of getting a complete and compliant package out the door on-time. As proposal development can be a labor-intensive and often frustrating endeavor, having a strong comprehension of an agency’s requirements is an important job skill. 

Join us as we delve into a robust discussion on one of the best tools you can utilize in your quest for success – the Request for Proposal (RFP). Topics to be discussed will include the importance of the RFP and its requisite components. We will review a diverse pool of RFPs and highlight similarities and identify those components that are unique to specific agencies. 

View Recorded Webinar: Avoid “Returned without Review….” An In-depth Look at Agency RFPs  (requires MIT authentication)

Everyone loves flexibility, nuance, and individuality until it comes time to make a decision. Research administrators spend a lot of time navigating the gray, interpreting vague regulations, accommodating non-standard situations, and considering special requests for exceptions. In this webinar, we’re going to discuss strategies for coping with the vagaries of our profession. We’ll consider why different institutions establish different rules, why central offices sometimes make “inconsistent” decisions, and why project-specific needs often confound our best efforts to routinize. Registrants will be polled prior to the webinar to identify any specific issues that they would like to discuss. 

View Recorded Webinar: Navigating “It Depends…” (requires MIT authentication)