Research

Research Grants - Signature Protocol and Deadlines

Why

Signatures are not merely a rubber-stamp; it’s our responsibility to ensure your application is well positioned for success and complies with institutional policies and protocols. To do so, we need to ensure we are familiar with the proposed project.

If we don’t know, neither we, nor the University, are in a position to support you nor ensure your research activity is recorded and recognized in institutional and college statistics. When you don’t follow signature protocols we have no idea who is doing what and without the required original signatures, a research account cannot be set up.

What and Who

Application Type

Sign off Required

External Grants
If you are a PI, Co-PI or Co-I on a grant - submitted from the UofS or another institution - College and UofS sign off is mandatory. Regardless of the agency’s requirement and your role on the grant, this is the University Signature Policy.

The Dean then the University (i.e. Research Services)

Internal (UofS) Grants

Associate Dean Research, Innovation & Global Initiatives

College of Nursing Grants

No sign off required, but College of Nursing Research Grant Intake Form must accompany the submitted application.

Graduate Student Research Grants

Associate Dean Research, Innovation & Global Initiatives

Ethics Applications Approval (Faculty and students)

Associate Dean Research, Innovation & Global Initiatives

University Signature Policy

Regardless of sponsor requirements:

  • ALL grant applications faculty submit (as Principal Investigators or Co-Investigators) must be signed in the following order by: the Principal Investigator, any Co-Investigators, Department Head (as applicable) and the College Associate Dean of Research (or Director/Dean).*

    Use the Research Services Supplementary Signature Page if the application does not provide the space necessary to collect all required signatures.
  • Any UofS Co-investigators from a Department and/or College other than the Principal Investigator must also obtain signatures from their own Department Head and Associate Dean Research or Dean.
  • All applications for external research funding MUST be signed by Research Services as the University's authorized Delegate BEFORE they are forwarded to a sponsoring agency.
  • Electronic signatures are NOT acceptable. While some sponsors may accept a digital form, neither the University nor the Tri-Agencies accept electronic signatures. In some instances, it may be permissible to supply original signatures via fax or email but these must be followed by the originals.

*It is the PI's responsibility to obtain all required signatures and they may be collected on separate supplementary pages. To expedite the process, consider emailing a copy of the final version of the application and signature pages to your Co-Investigators asking them to print, sign and obtain the required signatures and return the originals to you.

How, When, Where

Deadlines & Process

College and university level signature processes are detailed in the tables below. Questions? Contact Raeleen Wilson, who coordinates College signatures (raeleen.wilson@usask.ca; 966-6768).

Allow at least 8 business days prior to the competition deadline to meet college and institutional timelines for signatures and UofS compliance review.

If your application involves college support; i.e. release time from teaching, cash or in-kind contributions you must:

  • discuss the request with the Associate Dean Research, Innovation and Global Initiatives well ahead of the internal deadline
  • complete the Application for College Support for teaching release, in-kind or cash contributions and email to the Associate Dean Research, Innovation and Global Initiatives at least two weeks prior to the College signature deadline.
Level 1: College of Nursing
Deadline At least 3 business days prior to the 5 business-day deadline required by Research Services.
College Intake Form The College of Nursing Research Grant Intake Form and the Research Services Intake Form must accompany each grant application submitted for college approval.
Process for External Grants Email a pdf of the following to raeleen.wilson@usask.ca:
  • College Research Grant Intake Form
  • Research Services Intake Form
  • final application with all required signatures and all CVs.
AND provide Raeleen with:
  • one paper copy (double-sided) of the final application with all required signatures and CVs.

Note: If you submit signatures via fax or email, the originals must be sent to Raeleen prior to the competition deadline.
Process for UofS Internal Grants Email a pdf of the following to raeleen.wilson@usask.ca:
  • College Research Grant Intake Form
  • Final application with all required signatures and all CVs
AND provide Raeleen with:
  • one paper copy (double-sided) of the final application with all required signatures and CVs.
After college review and signature, the applicant is contacted to collect the signed paper original and submit to Research Services; the electronic copy is retained for College records.

Level 2: Research Services
Deadline At least 5 business days prior to competition deadline. Exceptions may apply for major Tri-Agency / SHRF competitions; these are typically communicated via RS listservs along with timelines for UofS internal peer review.
Location NRC / PBI building, 110 Gymnasium Place (see campus and local maps).
Hours Monday ‑ Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:00 p.m. ‑ 1:00 p.m.), but applications can be dropped off anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at a small table for Research Services in the atrium lobby. RS staff collect grants 4x/day at approximately 9:30 & 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 & 3:00 p.m. NRC / PBI reception track application drop-off and pick-up.
Intake Form The Research Services Intake Form must accompany each grant application submitted for institutional signature.
Process for Electronic Submission to Sponsor

RS requires ONE complete original paper application with required signatures (double-sided, final version including CVs).

A Grants Specialist reviews the application for compliance with sponsor and university regulations, emails the review to the applicant, then obtains the University's signature.
RS emails a pdf copy of the signature page(s) to the PI, keeping the original signatures and paper application on file.

Applicant submits the application to the sponsor by the competition deadline. Exceptions are sponsors which require institutions to e-forward the applications; e.g. Tri-Agencies:
Process for Paper Submission to Sponsor

RS requires TWO complete paper applications with required signatures (double-sided, final version including CVs).

A Grants Specialist reviews for compliance with sponsor and university regulations, emails the review to the applicant, then obtains the University's signature.

Applicant or designate is contacted to collect the original and submit to the sponsor; Research Services retains the copy for their records.

Applicant submits the application to the sponsor by the competition deadline.