Proposal Development and Submission

Other Support/Current and Pending Support

Reporting of Other Support to External Funding Agencies

During the proposal submission/review process and/or as part of the progress reporting process, funding agencies generally require the university to provide a list of all sources of support (active and pending) for the research and other sponsored activities of faculty and staff members named as key personnel (investigators). This information is often referred to as Other Support (NIH) or Current and Pending Support (NSF). The information is requested to ensure that the funding entity is

  • not providing funds for work supported by another source,
  • that all resources in support of the investigators’ research are identified, whether provided directly to the individual or through the institution and
  • that participating personnel have enough time available to carry out the agency-funded work.

The report must include support for each investigator’s entire research portfolio, not just for the subject proposal/award. With only a few limited exclusions, investigators must include support from all sources -- federal, state, corporate, non-profit, foreign or domestic, whether or not the support is cash or in kind, and whether or not the official recipient of the support is the institution or the individual. It is each investigator’s responsibility to ensure true, complete and accurate reporting of all sources of support for their research activities, no matter who completes the actual forms. False, fabricated, or fraudulent statements or claims (including intentional omissions) may result in the funding agency imposing criminal, civil, or administrative penalties on the university and/or the investigators, or the university taking disciplinary actions against the investigators.

Federal Agency Guidance

While reporting other support has always been expected, a number of federal agencies have recently published expanded guidance on what they require. Below is additional information provided by some major federal funders. While the information includes examples, the reporting requirement is not limited to these examples.

National Institutes of Health

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that Other Support - includes all resources made available to a researcher in support of and/or related to all of their research endeavors, regardless of whether or not they have monetary value and regardless of whether they are based at the institution the researcher identifies for the current grant.

Other Support Includes

  • resources and/or financial support from all foreign and domestic entities, including but not limited to, financial support for laboratory personnel
  • visiting scholars or researchers paid in whole or in part by a third party and who perform research in the investigator’s lab
  • collaborative research that contributes to the investigator’s research or results in a publication
  • provision of high-value materials that are not freely available (e.g., biologics, chemical, model systems, technology, etc.)

Other Support Does Not Include

  • training awards, prizes, gifts

NIH Resources

Ohio State Resources

National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) states that current and pending support - includes all resources made available to an individual in support of and/or related to all of his/her research efforts, regardless of whether or not they have monetary value.

  • Current and pending support includes in-kind contributions (such as office/laboratory space, equipment, supplies, employees, students).
  • If for the subject proposal, the in kind support must be included as part of the Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources section of the proposal.
  • In-kind contributions not intended for use on the project/proposal being proposed that require a time commitment must be reported in Current and Pending Support.
  • Current and pending support information must be provided for the subject project, for ongoing projects, and for any proposals currently under consideration from whatever source, irrespective of whether such support is provided through the proposing organization or is provided directly to the individual. This includes, for example, Federal, State, local, foreign, public, or private foundations, non-profit organizations, industrial or other commercial organizations, or internal funds allocated toward specific projects.

NSF Resources

Department of Defense

The Department of Defense (DOD) requires that Proposers submit, for all key personnel a list of all current projects the individual is working on, in addition to any future support the individual has applied to receive, regardless of whether the individual’s efforts under the project are to be funded by the DoD. The list should include:

  • title and objectives of the other research projects
  • percentage per year to be devoted to the other projects
  • total amount of support the individual is receiving in connection to each of the other research projects or will receive if other proposals are awarded
  • name and address of the agencies and/or other parties supporting the other research projects.

DOD Resources

DARPA-Specific Guidance

Department of Energy

The Department of Energy (DOE) has implemented a new interim COI policy (identical to the PHS COI policy):  

Council on Governmental Relations

Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) has issued two documents that summarize the requirements of the recent OSTP guidance to federal research funding agencies regarding the implementation of NSPM-33.

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