Frequently Asked Questions

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Residual Balance Transfers

What if we have a residual balance? Can we keep it?

In most cases, the answer is "no." However, the answer is "yes" if your award falls into one of the following categories:

  • a clinical trial award
  • a firm fixed price contract
  • has written sponsor approval to keep the unspent the balance

Unspent balances from sponsored program awards must be transferred to a residual balance worktag. Please give GCA your residual balance worktag, and we will transfer the balance when we close the award line. If the surplus is greater than 25% of the award amount, you must confirm that all the work has been completed and provide a justification. (In rare cases, surpluses in budgets other than clinical trials or fixed price contracts may be retained, but only with explicit written authorization from the sponsor.)

If you need a new residual balance worktag, follow the process in the Worktag Template UW connect article. If you have a question about residual balance worktags, contact the UW Finance Operations (Fin Ops) team.

Visit our Closing Your Award webpage for more information.

Can I use other kinds of worktags for a residual balance transfer, like a self-sustaining worktag, gift worktag, or recharge worktag?

Self-sustaining, gift, and recharge worktags cannot receive a residual balance. The residual balance worktag must have resource worktag RS100184 and fund worktag FD108.

What happens if the award is silent, GCA transfers the residual balance, and the sponsor says they want the balance back?

GCA can reverse the residual balance transfer journal and issue a sponsor refund.