If your project involves human participants, animal subjects, biohazards, controlled goods or substances, cannabis, lasers, or x-rays, or may have environmental impacts, it will need to be cleared by the Research Ethics Board, the Animal Care Committee, or the Research Safety Committee, and you will not be able to access your awarded funds until a clearance or certificate has been obtained.
When you submit a new ERSO file, you will be required to declare whether your project involves any of the above. If so, our office will connect you with the right board or committee to review your project. You then have several options for proceeding:
Option # 1: Existing certificate or clearance
If you have an existing valid clearance issued by the REB, the ACC, or the RSC, you may have it applied to this project. Please contact the coordinator for that office and request confirmation that the certificate or clearance does indeed apply to your award. Once they confirm, we will then ask Research Finance to remove the hold from the grant account. Please note that confirmation must be obtained directly from the relevant office - we are unable to accept copies of your past certificates or clearances as confirmation.
Option # 2: No prior certificate - apply now
If you do not have valid certificate or clearance, start the process of application right away. It can take some time to prepare applications, so the sooner you submit your application, the sooner you will be able to access your funds.
Option # 3: Partial release of funds
While you are waiting for your certificate or clearance to be approved, you may be eligible to receive a partial release of funds for those activities that do not require board approval. To request the partial release, log in to ERSO, select the award file from the list found in Applications: Under Review or Applications: Post Review, and click the Events button. Then, select the Event "Partial Release of Funds". This Event form will submit your request to ORIS, where it will be approved by the Chair of the board who will issue your certificate or clearance, as well as by the Executive Director of the Office of Research and Innovation Services.
A typical partial release will be up to 30% of your total award value for preliminary activities.
Option # 4: Declaration of non-engagement or multi-phase project
You may have clicked the wrong option when submitting your ERSO file - it happens! If this is the case, please send us an email, and we will request that the hold be removed from your grant account. If your project does not currently required a certificate or clearance, but you expect it will in the future, please contact the Office of Research Ethics, Animal Care Committee or Research Safety Committee to complete a Declaration of Compliance.
Key Contacts:
- Research Ethics Board - ethics@uwindsor.ca
- Animal Care Committee - acc@uwindsor.ca
- Research Safety Committee - rsc@uwindsor.ca