Education & Professional Development

The ORED Seminar Series happens across the academic year. In the fall and spring semesters, events are planned that highlight trending research topics, educate the public on federal and state funding agencies, and provide research administration development for faculty and staff. These events are presented in a variety of ways.

Seminars focus on trending and timely topics with potential relevance to a large segment of the research community. Seminars will feature internal and external guests and have a secondary goal of encouraging collaboration and awareness.

The Responsible Conduct of Research workshops deliver content to help fulfill requirements for Responsible Conduct of Research credits. The Office of Research Compliance provides the content, and the programs are usually offered both in-person and virtually.

The Funder Focus events provide comprehensive overviews of a specific agency or sponsor, including a review of the agency’s priorities and major funding initiatives. These programs offer an overall picture of the development and support needed for preparing and submitting proposals to these agencies. Typically, these are in-person events.

The types of events you should attend depends on your role. Research administrators manage the operational and administrative side of grants and contracts, while grantseekers are the individuals actively searching for and writing proposals to obtain funding for their projects. 

The major goal of Departmental Administrators Working Group (DAWG) is the development and application of knowledge and skills for research administrators. DAWG operates as a course with an annual cohort of participants new to research administration or new to their role as a research administrator at MSU.

The following are the class objectives:

1. Acquire an understanding of the basic concepts of sponsored project administration;
2. Demonstrate how an understanding of sponsored project administration will enhance the participants' ability to help solve and manage their daily work environment;
3. Apply the skills in the workplace that the participant will need as a professional;
4. Increase confidence as a departmental administrator; and
5. Increase knowledge of Sponsored Projects related resources.

LevelUP provides MSU faculty and staff with free access to online training from the Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI). Short, self-paced courses cover topics across the sponsored research lifecycle, from proposal development and federal regulations to award management and compliance.

MSU has developed suggested learning pathways for a variety of roles, including Principal Investigators, Research Development professionals, Departmental Research Administrators, Pre- and Post-Award staff, Project Managers, and Compliance professionals. Whether you're new to sponsored research or looking to strengthen your expertise in a specific area, LevelUP makes it easy to choose training that fits your role and experience.

Best for: Faculty, staff, postdocs, graduate students, and research administrators who want flexible, on-demand professional development.

NCURA is a non-profit professional society dedicated to advancing the profession of research administration through education and professional development programs, the sharing of knowledge and experiences, and the fostering of a diverse, collegial, and respected global community.

https://www.ncura.edu/

SRA is the premier global research management society providing education, professional development and the latest comprehensive information about research management to professionals from over 40 countries.

https://www.srainternational.org/home

The mission of  NORDP is to advance the global capacity for and impact of research by strengthening the practice and profession of research development.

https://nordp.org/

2 CFR 200

, known as the Uniform Guidance

, is the core federal rulebook managed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). It combines administrative rules, cost guidelines, and audit standards for federal grants and financial assistance. You can read the live text on the

• Subpart A–C:
  
  Acronyms, general purpose, pre-award requirements, and federal award contents.

• Subpart D (Post Award):
  
  Financial management, procurement standards (such as simplified acquisitions), and property standards.

• Subpart E (Cost Principles):
  
  Rules for allowable, unallowable, and reasonable costs charged to federal awards.

• Subpart F (Audit Requirements):
  
  Rules for single audits, including the expenditure threshold.

   

Major Recent Updates

• Single Audit Threshold:
  
  Raised to $1,000,000 in federal expenditures per fiscal year.

• De Minimis Rate:
  
  Indirect cost rate without a formal negotiation may be elected up to 15% of modified total direct costs.

• Equipment Threshold:
  
  Raised the unit capitalization floor for equipment to $10,000.

• Effective Date:
  
  The latest major revisions apply to new awards and funding amendments issued on or after October 1, 2024.

   

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200?toc=1

COGR a prominent Washington, D.C.-based non-profit association representing over 230 major U.S. research universities, academic medical centers, and independent research institutes. Founded in 1948, the organization serves as the national authority on federal policies, compliance regulations, and financial oversight affecting federally funded academic research. 

Key Roles and Focus Areas

• Policy Advocacy
  
  : It acts as a unified voice for research institutions, working directly with federal policymakers to shape sensible research regulations.

   

• Reducing Red Tape
  
  : A core part of its mission is minimizing administrative and cost burdens on researchers so they can focus on scientific discovery.

   

• Compliance Oversight
  
  : It provides critical technical analysis and compliance advice across key areas, including financial management, research security, intellectual property (such as the Bayh-Dole Act), and research ethics.

   

• National Meetings
  
  : The association organizes regular forums—including its upcoming October Membership Meeting

  —bringing together senior university administrators to discuss evolving federal oversight.

   

https://www.cogr.edu/

The Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP)

is

a cooperative association of U.S. federal agencies, research universities, and non-profit organizations

. Its primary mission is to streamline the administration of federally funded research grants. 

Core Mission and Goals

• Reduce Burden:
  
  It aims to minimize administrative workloads for researchers.
• Increase Productivity:
  
  It maximizes the time scientists spend on actual research rather than paperwork.
• Maintain Accountability:
  
  It simplifies rules while ensuring strict protection of public funds.
• Test Innovations:
  
  It serves as a testbed for new grant management processes before national rollout.

   

Key Members

• Federal Agencies:
  
  Includes major research funders like the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and NASA.
• Academic Institutions:
  
  Features hundreds of top-tier U.S. research universities and medical centers.
• Affiliated Organizations:
  
  Includes regional colleges and non-profit research institutions.

  [

How It Works

• Demonstration Projects:
  
  Members test new, flexible policies in real-world university settings.
• Feedback Loop:
  
  Faculty and administrators provide direct feedback to federal policymakers.
• Standardized Tools:
  
  The group creates uniform templates, like the widely used FDP Subaward Agreement, to accelerate collaborations between universities.

https://thefdp.org/