Routing Policy

The University of Iowa requires its faculty, staff, and students to route external funding requests and related documents through departmental, collegiate, and institutional channels for review and approval prior to submission to an external funding source, reaching the Division of Sponsored Programs for review and handling at least five working days in advance of the sponsor's submission deadline. The Division of Sponsored Programs offers no exceptions to this internal routing deadline. The Principal Investigator or Departmental Administrator should monitor any routing-in-progress to ensure compliance with the deadline.

The routing requirement applies to:

  • Preliminary applications that include a detailed budget or require an institutional signature.
  • Full applications that represent new, revised, competitive renewal, or supplemental funding requests.
  • Non-competitive renewal applications/progress reports that include a budget, require an institutional signature, or require DSP to submit in an e-submission system. 
  • New and renewal contracts, including subawards and non-monetary agreements.
  • Incremental-funding contract amendments reflecting a change in the original estimated total cost or a change in the statement of work.
  • Budget revisions.
  • Changes to Project Director/Principal Investigator.
  • Other actions requiring institutional approval. 
  • Administrative changes or other actions as requested by DSP. 

Routing Policy and Procedure

As required by University of Iowa Policy Manual section V.5.2 the routing procedure channels applications, proposals, and related submissions through departmental, collegiate, and institutional approvals. This ensures the University:

  • is aware of the request; 
  • is able to commit the resources required by the project; 
  • considers the project in keeping with the University mission; 
  • can administer the project in compliance with University, state, and federal policies and procedures.

The process is also intended to promote quality applications, increasing the accuracy of administrative and budgetary information and overall completeness. It is the responsibility of departments and orgs to create and update workflow paths associated with the routing form.  Click here to initiate a routing form.

Departmental Considerations

  • Would the proposed project interfere with the total effort expected of the faculty or staff member and/or the responsibilities for which that person is paid?
  • Would the proposed project require an adjustment in the participant's teaching load?
  • Would the proposed project involve human subjects, vertebrate animals, hazardous materials, or other issues requiring compliance with federal guidelines?
  • Would there be sufficient facilities and equipment available to support the proposed project?
  • Would the proposed project involve a cost-sharing commitment at the departmental level?
  • Would the proposed project fit within the department's overall objectives?

Following favorable consideration, the department will add its authorizing signature to the Routing Form and the routing will move forward, seeking approval through the collegiate dean's office.

Collegiate Considerations

  • Have the above judgments been made at the departmental level?
  • Would a commitment of University funds, if required in support of the project, be consistent with collegiate objectives?
  • Would the proposed project be considered worthy in terms of collegiate objectives?
  • Does the proposed budget fully and appropriately document the project costs?
  • Following favorable consideration, the college will add its authorizing signature to the Routing Form and the routing will move forward to the final step, reaching the Division of Sponsored Programs for review and authorization.

Division of Sponsored Programs Review

The DSP provides the final review and authorizes the application for submission on the institution's behalf. Specifically, the DSP:

  • Reviews the Routing Form and application/documentation in relation to institutional concerns and administrative issues, with particular attention to budgetary matters, effort commitments, cost-sharing requirements, institutional information, institutional resources, conflicts of interest, export control issues, and other assurance/compliance issues, and ensures the required signatures are in place for principal investigator(s), department(s), and college(s).
  • Reviews the application/documentation in relation to sponsor requirements, with the goal of forwarding complete, compliant, competitive applications/documentation that merit full consideration.         
  • Authorizes the application/agreement on the University's behalf, providing an institutional signature when required.
  • Completes the submission when required by the sponsor or requested by the principal investigator.
  • Establishes and maintains application- and agreement-specific records in a computerized tracking system, providing various campus offices and the State Board of Regents with reports of applications submitted/awards received.