Anyone who has applied for a research grant or contract knows the ORIS Information Sheet and Checklist Form, which must be submitted with a copy of the application to their department head, dean, and the Office of Research and Innovation Services for approval.

Now that many are working from home, obtaining signatures and scanning forms present new challenges. As a result, ORIS has updated the form to allow for digital signatures. Find it on the office’s website.

In addition, ORIS is working on a long-term solution for moving that form and the entire approval process to an online portal. ORIS staff will be reaching out to the research community in the coming months to seek testers of the new online grant and contract approval software, which will be known as ERSO. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, remember to continue to submit your ORIS form five business days in advance of deadlines unless otherwise stated. Your assistance will allow staff to continue to provide everyone with a high level of service while adjusting to rapidly-changing agency deadlines, new funding opportunities, and the new reality of working from home.