Research Finance

Mission & Vision

Research Finance supports the University’s research community by managing the post-award functions for all research grants and contracts and acting as the University’s main point of contact with sponsor agencies. It provides financial advice, support, and assistance to researchers relating to the management of their research funds while working closely with funding agencies, researchers, administrative units, and the Office of Research and Innovation Services to ensure adherence to funding guidelines and policies.

Research Finance’s Primary Responsibilities Include the Following:

• Administering and accounting for the research funds received by the University
• Monitoring cash flow and expenditures to ensure financial accountability
• Communicating with funding agencies
• Monitoring approved budgets for research projects
• Performing financial reporting
• Preparing and submitting financial reports to sponsors and funding agencies
• Coordinating internal and external research-related audits
• Requesting invoices for research funds in accordance with sponsor terms and conditions
• Ensuring all research-funded expenditures, budgets, and financial reports are compliant with University policies, the terms of the agreement, and granting agency rules

Research Finance is your first contact for issues that arise after a grant has been awarded.  Researchers are required to follow every policy the University has plus any additional policies enacted by the granting institution. Research Finance can halt any expenditures and purchase orders that are noncompliant.

Faculty members who successfully manage their grants with high levels of efficiency and effectiveness are usually in close touch with the Research Finance administrator assigned to their grant. Each Primary Investigator’s Research Finance contact is a knowledgeable advisor who is well placed to answer any questions or clarify any uncertainties you or a faculty member within your department might have.

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Organization of Research Finance Personnel

To provide efficient and improved service to PIs on campus, Research Finance Accountants will manage all the grants by Faculty/Department as follows:

Each PI will have a single point of contact for all grants regardless of funding agency/type. Your Project Manager’s name and email contact information is provided in your monthly Statement of Account.

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Opening New Grants and Establishing Signing Authorities

The Office of Research and Innovation Services (ORIS) is responsible for all pre-award manners related to grants. It is the main contact for faculty members who are in the process of applying for a grant. Once a grant has been awarded by the funding authority, ORIS organizes the account, ensures there is ethics approval in place and instructs Research Finance to open the grant in the University’s financial system. From that point onwards the grant is effectively managed by Research Finance until it ends.

ORIS informs Research Finance when a grant is ready to be opened. When Research Finance receives that notification, the PI will receive a letter informing them of the grant number and the budget. You will also be assigned a staff member in the Office to support you throughout your grant.

PIs are able to grant signing authority for purchase orders and invoices to other individuals on campus by completing the form attached to the letter. Even when signing authority is assigned, the PI is still responsible for all charges incurred.

Grant Signing Authority Form

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Hiring Research Personnel

Paying University of Windsor Students for Research

Effective December 1, 2024 the process in which Students will be paid via a salary or scholarship will differ. Payments for Research and Mitacs Scholarships to students will transition from being processed through Payroll to being processed through Accounts Payable. Payments for a salary to Students will continue to be processed through Human Resources and Payroll.

To assist grantees in deciding whether to pay a student research assistance a scholarship or salary please review to the Research Assistantship Guidelines on the Faculty of Graduate Studies page. A scholarship will be a lump sum payment to the student, where a student on salary will receive their stipend in even increments throughout the duration of their contract.

Payments for Research and Mitacs Scholarships to Students (Effective December 1, 2024):

1. Submit UWinsite Finance Ticket: The Principal Investigator (PI) or their delegate submits a ticket to set up the recipient as a supplier in the UWinsite Finance system. Once a recipient is set up as a supplier initially, no additional setup will be needed for future payments to them.
2. Complete RA – Scholarship Form: Complete the RA Scholarship or MITACS Research Internship forms, and attach the completed form to the Payment Requisition. 
3. Submit Payment Request: Once the supplier setup is complete, the PI or their delegate submits a Payment Request.
4. Review by Research Finance: The Payment Request is reviewed by Research Finance for budget approval and compliance.
5. Receive the Payment Request in UWinsite Finance: Once all approvals are received, the Requestor will “Receive” the Payment Request and forward to Accounts Payable for processing.
6. Payment Processing: Once processed through Accounts Payable, Payments are made via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) directly to the students’ bank accounts.

Questions relating to the new payment process should be directed to your Project Manager, or resfinance@uwindsor.ca.

Payments for Salary to Students:

1. Please refer to the Human Resources website for information regarding the packages required for hiring a student and the package required for a new hire.
2. Once the Research Assistants – Salary form is completed, and signed please forward to Research Finance at resfinance@uwindsor.ca.
3. The form will be reviewed by Research Finance for budget approval and compliance, and then sent to Human Resources for their review.
4. Human Resources will conduct their review and ensure all legal requirements have been met. Please note Students are not permitted to begin their work duties until all documents in the new hire package have been submitted and reviewed by Human Resources.
5. Once all requirements are met, the student will be setup in payroll, and receive payment through even increments over the duration of their contract.

Questions related to student salary appointments using a grant account should be directed to hrstudent@uwindsor.ca

Hiring Non-Students for Research

These appointments are processed through the Office of the Vice President, Research and Innovation. Please visit their page, which contains detailed information under the “Research Appointments” tab, on the type of appointments available, how to request the appointment and the forms required.

Questions related to appointments using a grant account should be directed to Sandy Mehenka in the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation via email at mehenkas@uwindsor.ca or by telephone at extension 3987.

Once the appropriate appointment is selected, the required forms will need to be completed and circulated for the signatures identified on the forms. You will then forward the signed form to Research Finance (resfinance@uwindsor.ca) for our offices approval in relation to the grant’s budget.

Please be aware, as noted in the appointment forms, payroll will automatically deduct approximately 10% of the stipend amount indicated on the form for mandatory costs such as CPP, EI,etc. This means if the stipend amount is $10,000, the grant will be charged approximately $11,000 to factor in these statutory deductions (CPP, EI, etc)

 

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Purchasing and Travelling for Research

The University has a Travel Expense Form and Policy to support PIs travelling for research purposes.

The University’s Procurement and Payables Department is here to help you with all your other purchasing and reimbursement needs.

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Invoicing, Milestones, and Reporting for your Research Grants

Many externally funded grants require some financial reporting by the University and/or require that the University issue an invoice to the granting agency in order to receive payment. Research Finance is here to help you with all invoicing and reporting needs.

Please do not send invoices directly to an external party on behalf of the University of Windsor. Please use the template listed within the Accounts Receivable section. The completed Invoice Request Form should then be sent to resfinance@uwindsor.ca for Research Finance’s review, who will then provide the approval for Accounts Receivable to send out the invoice.

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Grant Statements

From the time when you are awarded a grant until the grant’s expiration, you will receive a set of Monthly Research Grant Report statements. These statements will show your grant spending for the period ended, the “life to date” expenditures, and an expenditure report detailing the transactions charged to your grant.  Research Finance is here to help you interpret these reports and use the information to make timely decisions about your research.If you require an expenditure report detailing the transaction charged to your grant(s) in excel or an updated Statement of Account throughout the month please reach out to your Project Manager, or resfinance@uwindsor.ca.

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Forms

RA Scholarship Form
MITACS Research Form

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External Research Policies and Procedures

NSERC Policy

CIHR Grants/Awards

NSERC Guide for Professors

SSHRC Grantholder's Guide

 

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FDSR Resources

NSERC Reporting/Supporting Evidence

FDSR Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQ

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Contact Information

Paige Sowerby
Manager, Restricted Funds
paige.sowerby@uwindsor.ca

Jenifer Gritke
Assistant Director, Financial Reporting
jenifer.gritke@uwindsor.ca

 

Research Finance
Joyce Entrepreneurship Centre, room 160
401 Sunset Avenue
Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4
resfinance@uwindsor.ca