Personnel assigned to grant-funded projects, like all other personnel, must be appointed and compensated in keeping with state and College personnel rules. The Executive Director of Human Resources should be informed of any personnel needs for grant-funded projects and coordinate any hiring process needs with the Principal Investigator. The Principal Investigator is to review any terms and conditions that the grant award may have regarding personnel with The Executive Director of Human Resources so that employees can be hired in accordance with such requirements. A copy of the grant language pertaining to the hiring, salary requirements, and duration of personnel shall be provided to the Executive Director of Human Resources.

Federal grants are governed by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A21, "Cost Principles for Educational Institutions." According to these principles, Federally sponsored projects (either awarded directly by a Federal agency or by virtue of a subcontract through another prime contractor) may not normally be charged for secretarial and administrative salaries, office supplies, postage, or telephone costs unless a particular project requires an unusual and extensive degree of administrative support.

Personnel are not to begin grant-funded projects without having all necessary pre-employment paperwork completed so that they can be set up in the College’s payroll system and be properly charged to the project.

OMB Circular A-21 also requires that the College maintains records that will substantiate the effort of each individual charged to a grant-funded project. Therefore, time records must be carefully maintained through the use of Monthly Time and Effort Report forms, provided by the Grants Development Office. Time and effort reports should be submitted on a regular schedule and be signed by those having direct knowledge of the employee’s compensated activities, i.e. the employee and the Principal Investigator or the employee’s direct supervisor. Further, the Grants Development Office will act as the final signatory of these reports. Since the great majority of costs associated with sponsored projects are attributable to labor charges, it is incumbent upon the Principal Investigator to ensure that these records are properly maintained and are consistent with the College’s core payroll records as specified by the Executive Director for Human Resources.