Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Stimulus Funding

There is a lot of information being circulated about the stimulus funding ~ understandably, you have questions. Please send your ARRA questions to the Department of Contracts and Grants (proposals@ooc.usc.edu) and we will do our best to answer them and develop some FAQs for the benefit of the USC campus community.

If you have a specific question about your active award, either a:

• current grant you wish to receive a supplement on, or
• recently reviewed grants that have scientific merit but was rejected for funding reasons

We encourage you to contact your program officer directly to discuss and review the Proposal Deadline Calendar for potential opportunities to fund administrative and/or competitive supplements.  

• What is the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)?
  
• If am applying for an ARRA-related opportunity, when should I contact my campus' pre-award office?
  
• Which agencies are receiving ARRA funds?
  
• How are agencies distributing ARRA funds?
• Agency funding chart
  

• Where can I find all the ARRA-related requests for applications (RFAs)?
  
• How can I stay informed?
  
• Who can I contact with ARRA-related questions?
  
• Where else can I find information on ARRA?

What is the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)?

President Barack Obama recently signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) into law. The $787 billion stimulus bill allocates $21.5 billion for federal research and development, to be invested within two years. This Web site will keep the USC research community up-to-date on ARRA-related research announcements, agency requests for applications (RFAs), special application and reporting requirements and other pertinent information.

If am applying for an ARRA-related opportunity, when should I contact my department, School or Institute’s pre-award office?  When should I contact the Department of Contracts and Grants (DCG)?

Contact your pre-award office early in the development of your proposal(s). Research administrators are available to assist you in preparing and submitting a proposal. Specifically:

• Review the request for applications (RFA) carefully - ARRA-related announcements contain specific budget and reporting requirements.
• Traffic to Grants.gov is stressing the site. We anticipate that it will only get worse as the deadlines approach. Please submit your proposal(s) to the Department of Contracts and Grants (DCG) for review at least five business days prior to the submission deadline.  We will work with you to submit your proposal in the most efficient way possible.

Please direct ARRA-related requests to the DCG Administrator assigned to your unit: http://dcg.usc.edu/DCG/staff.cfm.

Which agencies are receiving ARRA funds?

A variety of federal agencies are receiving funds from the ARRA. For detailed information on how they are allocating ARRA funds, check the Agency Funding Chart.  For most agencies, awards will be made for two years and there will be increased reporting requirements because of increased federal oversight.

How are agencies distributing ARRA funds?

Each agency is using their own discretion to distribute funds. One of the primary goals of the NIH and the NSF is to increase the success rate of proposal acceptance. They are re-reviewing proposals that were scored but not funded. For these applications, you may not need to resubmit. Contact your program officer for specific details.

Where can I find all the ARRA-related requests for applications (RFAs)?

Grants.gov is the best source for finding information on all federal funding opportunities, including ARRA-related RFAs. You can view all ARRA-related RFAs released to-date.

Review the ARRA Proposal Deadline Calendar for a brief description of the announcement, deadlines, links to useful information, and any applicable limited submission criteria. The Calendar will be updated as new information becomes available.

How can I stay informed?

Subscribe to the DCG listserv and receive DCG NewsFlashes.

• We will issue ARRA-related breaking information, including funding opportunities. RFAs will be shared as they are released - please note, this is not an all-inclusive list and we encourage you to check in with the appropriate agency Web site regularly.
  
• Not on the DCG listserv? Please contact Donna Obeid (dobeid@ooc.usc.edu) to subscribe.

Who can I contact with ARRA-related questions?

The Department of Contracts and Grants (DCG) is available to assist USC investigators with ARRA-related questions and proposals. Please contact the Administrator assigned to your unit:  http://dcg.usc.edu/DCG/staff.cfm.

Where else can I find information on ARRA?
Many agencies have established their own Recovery Act websites.  Review ARRA Key Websites to learn more about how the different agencies are spending ARRA funds.  Check often for updates ~ ARRA related information is being released on a daily basis. 

National Websites:

• President Obama's Recovery.gov Web Site
• Association of American Universities (AAU) Economic Recovery Legislation
• Appropriations Committee (PDF with a breakdown of the $311 billion science investment)
• Summary of Stimulus Bill from Speaker Pelosi