Advance Awards

This webpage has been updated with Workday-related content.


Overview 

When a sponsor has approved funding, but the award is delayed, GCA recommends setting up an advance award, guaranteed by department funds (Alternative Department Worktag). Without an advance award, delayed award setup can result in multiple cost transfers, which increase the department’s administrative burden and can be an audit risk. 

After OSP has approved the eGC1, advance awards can be requested in SAGE.  

Types of Requests 

There are three types of advance requests: 

  • New Advance: For an entirely new award with no linkage to a previous sponsored program 
  • Renewal Advance: Will become a new award line in an existing Workday award with a new grant worktag and linked to an existing grant worktag 
  • Extension: Adds more time to an existing advance. Please note that advance award periods may not exceed 18 months in total. 

SAGE will automatically determine the type of request (New or Renewal) based on the award’s history.

Note: Please include your Workday security hierarchy in the Comments & History section of the new or renewal advance request. This is a required field in Workday and may delay setup if not included.

Returns and Corrections

GCA has the ability to return the advance request to the campus preparer. Examples of return reasons include: 

  • Missing security hierarchy notation in the Comments & History 
  • Missing cost share addendum if the anticipated award will include a cost share obligation 

When GCA returns an item, a reason will be included in the Comments & History. Once campus makes the appropriate change, the item can be resubmitted to GCA to continue processing. 

Notifications 

Once GCA processes the advance request, campus will receive a notification from SAGE or Workday depending on the type of request:

  • New Advance Request-Workday notification only
  • Renewal Advance Request-SAGE notification only
  • Advance Extension Request-SAGE notification only

If you're not sure that your request has been processed, instructions are available on our Check the Status of Your Advance Request webpage.

If there is an issue or correction needed with the advance award, please send an Award Portal ticket to GCA or an email to gcahelp@uw.edu

Things to Know 

  • Advance awards are distinguished by the Workday Award Line Lifecycle Status (“Advance Spend”) and the Grant Hierarchy (“Advance Spend”).  
  • The advance request tool is NOT appropriate for extending a fully established award. If you need to keep an award active while awaiting sponsor approval for a no-cost extension or a supplement/extension, please request a Temporary Internal Extension from OSP. 
  • Keep payroll deadlines in mind to give enough time to set up payroll costing allocations. Visit the ISC Payroll Deadline Calendar page for more information.
  • Sponsor invoices are not issued for advance awards as we do not yet have the sponsor’s official approval for expenditures.

Resources