USC Department of Contracts and Grant

University of Southern California

The Department of Contracts and Grants
3720 S. Flower Street, 3rd Floor
Los Angeles CA, 90089-0701
Phone (213) 821-6622 Fax (213) 740-6070

DCG Office Hours
DCG Office Hours:  Wednesday mornings 9am-10am via Zoom.

Name, Title Email Phone
Aimee Barnard
C&G Officer		 (213) 740-6119
Jean Chan
Associate Director, Health Sciences		 (213) 821-7134
Vi Chang
Subcontract Officer		 (213) 821-8235
Noah Congelliere
Director, Training & Development		 (213) 740-7392
Jack Dam
AE Specialist		 (213) 821-6455
Dragana Davidovic
Senior C&G Officer		 (213) 740-1855
Sherrie Dennehy
Principal Subcontract Officer		 (213) 740-6061
Belinda Galvan-Cruz
AE Specialist		 (213) 740-6054
Cynthia Garcia-Arndt
Administrative Assistant, Closeouts		 (213) 821-7111
Tamela Gould-Porter
Senior C&G Officer		 (213) 740-1812
Ebony Hall
Office Manager		 (213) 740-8336
Vicki Iwata
Senior C&G Officer		 (213) 740-6056
Emi Kamei
C&G Officer		 (213) 821-6779
Diana Kapadia
Subcontract Officer		 (213) 740-6058
Joe Magallanes
Learning and Development Specialist		 (213) 821-2137
Steve Misuraca
C&G Officer		 (213) 740-8207
Jeri Muniz
Executive Director		 (213) 740-6487
Janet Ng
C&G Officer		 (213) 740-6478
Susan Palomino
Administrative Assistant, Closeouts		 (213) 740-4922
Andrew Probasco
Principal C&G Officer		 (213) 821-2289
Amanda Reguengo
Principal C&G Officer		 (213) 740-6064
Lillian Rivera
C&G Officer		 (213) 821-7120
Katie Rountree
Associate Director, University Park		 (213) 740-1894
Ivan Rukavina
Subcontract Officer (Audit&Compliance)		 (213) 740-6173
Erin Ruml
C&G Officer		 (213) 821-2136
Lisa Villaflores
AE Specialist		 (213) 821-7127
Evan Weisman
Principal C&G Officer		 (213) 740-6069
Kalief Washington
C&G Officer		 (213) 740-2875

DCG – Marina
4676 Admiralty Way, Suite 1001
Marina del Rey CA, 90292
Phone (310) 822-1511 Fax (310) 448-9108

Teri Hansen
Associate Director, Marina		 (310) 448-8344
Colleen James
Principal C&G Officer		 (310) 448-8723
Sapphire Masterson
C&G Officer		 (310) 448-9161
Cathy Morgan
C&G Officer		 (213) 740-6071

DCG – Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI)
9860 Mesa Rim Road
San Diego, CA 92121

Kimberlee Eudy
Director, ATRI		 (858) 964-0730
Quin Revel
Subcontract Officer		 (858) 964-0799
Samantha Roe
Subcontract Officer		 (858) 964-4560
Michael Selsnik
Subcontract Officer		 (858) 964-0797

DCG Training

The Department of Contracts and Grants (DCG) provides training and resources to help USC faculty and research administrators navigate the sponsored research lifecycle—from proposal preparation through award closeout. Explore online programs, certification opportunities, system guides, and MicroLearning videos below. New resources are announced through DCG NewsFlashes and added to this page.

Faculty

Training for Principal Investigators

Grants Management Training for Faculty

Principal Investigators have a central role in managing sponsored research. DCG’s Grants Management Training Program for Faculty introduces the fiscal administration and research ethics responsibilities that support effective project oversight.

This program is required for faculty proposing research and non-faculty designated as a PI/PD, Co-PI, or a Multi-PI.

Grants Management Training Program Information

The Grants Management Training Program for Faculty is approximately 3 hours in total duration and consists of eight small course modules that are broken down into two major sections. The first section (Fiscal Administration) consists of four 30-minute lessons (totaling 2 hours in duration) and covers the following topics:

  • Principal Investigator (PI) Responsibilities
  • Funding Mechanisms
  • Federal Cost Principles
  • USC Regulatory Bodies
  • USC Internal Systems
  • Award Management
  • Effort Certification
  • Subcontracting with Outside Entities
  • Award Closeout

The second section (Research Ethics) comprises four 15-minute lessons (totaling approximately one hour in duration) and covers the following topics:

  • Conflict of Interest
  • Research Misconduct
  • Data Sharing and Management
  • Authorship and Attribution, Peer Review, and Mentoring
How Do I Launch the Grants Management Training Courses?

Popups must be enabled to launch the courses.

  • Point your browser to the Trojan Learn portal and log in using your USC ID.
  • Click the Contracts and Grants link on the right side of the page.
  • Click on the Request button next to the program title (Grants Management Training for Faculty Program).
  • The program will be added to your Transcript.
  • From your Transcript, click Open Curriculum.
  • Click the Launch button to begin the lessons.

Once you click “Launch”, the class may take a couple minutes to load. Please note that you can exit either class at any time and your progress will be saved. At the end of each class, you will be presented with a short quiz that will need to be completed in order to obtain credit.

How Long Do I Have to Complete the Program?

You have until the time your grant is awarded to complete the training. If the grant is awarded and you have not completed the program, the award will not be processed. We suggest you complete the program as early as possible to avoid any delays in processing an award.

Contact Information

For Technical Assistance

Please review the TrojanLearn Get Help page for frequently asked questions and resources or contact the HR Service Center (uschr@usc.edu).

For Program Assistance

Contact: Noah Congelliere
Phone: (213) 740-7392
Email: Congelli@usc.edu

Research administrators

Training for Research Administrators

Grants Management Training for Staff

DCG’s Grants Management Training for Staff builds foundational knowledge in research administration and award management. The program consists of two online courses and is mandatory for research administrators and other support staff seeking approval privileges on sponsored projects accounts.

Program Information

The Grants Management Training for Staff program is approximately 3 hours in duration and consists of two separate classes:

The Fundamentals of Research Administration

This introductory course will welcome you to the world of research administration at USC and will assist you in mastering key concepts necessary for effective management of sponsored projects.

The course covers: the USC research environment and its principles; roles and responsibilities among the research community; general terms and policies associated with USC’s research and creative endeavors; and the lifecycle of a proposal and award.

And the Award Goes To…

This course will unlock the mystery of the award setup process and focus on post-award management issues. Discussion includes pre-award negotiations and actions such as revised budgets; the award acceptance process; project changes; rebudgeting; award administration policies; fulfilling project reporting obligations; and award closeout.

At the end of each class, you will be presented with a short quiz in which you need to score a 70% or higher to obtain completion credit.

Both of the above courses are also part of a comprehensive training program, The Cardinal & Gold Curriculum. Upon completion of the above two classes, users will earn credit for two of the six required courses needed to earn a Certificate in Research Administration. Participation in the C&G Curriculum is completely optional but strongly encouraged.

How Do I Launch the Program?
  1. Point your browser to the Trojan Learn portal and log in using your USC ID.
  2. Click the Contracts and Grants link on the right side of the page.
  3. Click on the Request button next to “Grants Management Training for Staff”. The program will be added to your Transcript.
  4. From your Transcript, click Open Curriculum.
  5. Click the Required for Completion tab (on the left side of your screen) and then click the Launch button to begin the course(s).

Please Note: Once you click “Launch”, the course may take a couple minutes to load.

Contact Information

For Technical Assistance

Please review the TrojanLearn Get Help page for frequently asked questions and resources or contact the HR Service Center (uschr@usc.edu).

For Program Assistance

Contact: Noah Congelliere
Phone: (213) 740-7392
Email: Congelli@usc.edu

Professional development

Cardinal and Gold Curriculum

DCG’s Research Administration Certification Program

The Cardinal & Gold Curriculum offers USC employees a structured opportunity to strengthen their research administration knowledge and skills. Through core and optional courses, participants explore practical approaches to proposal preparation, award management, and their responsibilities in supporting sponsored research.

What is The Cardinal & Gold Curriculum?

The C&G (Cardinal and Gold) Curriculum is a comprehensive online training program developed to meet the needs of today’s evolving research environment. Our training program allows participants to:

  • Develop Greater Competency
  • Increase Efficiency
  • Improve Compliance According to USC and Sponsor Requirements

Instructional courses have been designed to foster an interactive learning environment while embracing new technologies. Moreover, the certification program ensures a standard level of expertise among those who support the research endeavor at USC.

Who Can Benefit from the C&G Curriculum?

The C&G Curriculum is a valuable resource for administrative or other support staff working at a program, department or dean’s office level. All university employees whose responsibilities bring them in contact with any aspect of contracts and grants will benefit from attendance.

C&G Curriculum Description

The C&G Curriculum consists of four core courses and eight optional courses offered through Trojan Learn, USC’s new university-wide online learning and development platform. Participants may enroll in as many courses as they choose. Each course lasts from one to three hours and makes use of real-life scenarios, case studies, course discussion and review exams.

It is not necessary to complete the classes in any particular order, however, we recommend that all students take Fundamentals of Research Administration course to learn the basic terms and definitions associated with research administration. The program is not mandatory, however, it is highly recommended to those involved in the academic research community.

List of Courses

Please Note: Once you complete the two core courses “The Fundamentals of Research Administration” & “And the Award Goes To…”, you will have satisfied the requirements for the Grants Management Training for Staff program. These two courses are present in both the C&G Curriculum and the Grants Management Training for Staff program such that completion of either course in one program applies completion to the other.

How Do I Sign Up for the Curriculum?

Signing up for the C&G Curriculum is simple:

  1. Point your browser to the Trojan Learn portal and log in using your USC ID.
  2. In the search bar on the upper-right portion of the screen enter “C&G Curriculum” and click search.
  3. The C&G Curriculum will show up in your search results along with a button next to it that says “Request Training”.
  4. Click the “Request Training” button and the C&G Curriculum will automatically be added to your My Transcript module.
  5. From your My Transcript module, you can launch the C&G Curriculum and take the offered courses.
Earn a Certification

Participants who wish to earn a Certificate in Research Administration will be required to take a total of six courses: four core courses and two optional courses. Certificates are sent out at the end of every month to students who have completed the program.

Contact Information

For Technical Assistance

Please review the TrojanLearn Get Help page for frequently asked questions and resources or contact the HR Service Center (uschr@usc.edu).

For Program Assistance

Contact: Noah Congelliere
Phone: (213) 740-7392
Email: Congelli@usc.edu

Systems & quick guides

Training for Cayuse Sponsored Projects

Preparing Proposals in Cayuse Sponsored Projects

Online Training Course to Assist with Navigating the Cayuse SP System

Program Information
Preparing Proposals in Cayuse Sponsored Projects course

Cayuse Sponsored Projects (SP) is USC’s cloud-based system for pre-award and non-financial post-award administration.

DCG’s training course and supporting guides help proposal preparers, approvers, and Principal Investigators navigate the system, create and route proposal records, and review award information.

Some of the detailed guides include:

  • Reviewing Your Cayuse SP Profile
  • Understanding the Cayuse SP Dashboard
  • Creating a Proposal Record
  • Routing a Proposal Record
  • Certifying a Proposal Record (PIs/Co-PIs)
  • Approving a Proposal Record
How Do I Launch the Course?

Popups must be enabled to launch the courses.

  • To access the course directly, click here
  • Click on the Request button next to the program title.
  • Click the Launch button to begin the lesson.

Once you click “Launch”, the class may take a couple of minutes to load. Please note that you can exit either class at any time and your progress will be saved.

How Long Do I Have to Complete the Program?

Preparing Proposals in Cayuse Sponsored Projects is a training course and is designed for at-will use. There is no timeline to complete the course and the user may return to any point of the program as needed.

Contact Information

For Technical Assistance

Please review the TrojanLearn Get Help page for frequently asked questions and resources or contact the HR Service Center (uschr@usc.edu).

For Program Assistance

Contact: Noah Congelliere
Phone: (213) 740-7392
Email: Congelli@usc.edu

Cayuse SP Pre-Award Resources

Please visit our Cayuse SP Pre-Award Resources Page for guides on developing proposals in the Cayuse SP system.

Cayuse S2S Training Resources

Below are user guides for navigating Cayuse S2S, downloading funding opportunities, and submitting proposals directly to Grants.gov through the Cayuse S2S interface.

Click on the guide to download:

Cayuse SP Post-Award Resources

Please visit our Cayuse SP Post-Award Resources Page for guides on navigating the Cayuse SP post-award module, reviewing award records, and more.

Cayuse SP: FAQ

Please visit our Cayuse SP FAQ page for frequently asked questions regarding issues proposal preparers may encounter when using the system.

Cayuse SP Slack Channel

Visit the DCG Cayuse SP Slack Channel (#help-cayuse) to submit your question or issue. Our training team is ready and willing to assist in answering your question and/or connecting you with a subject matter or technical expert.

Focused learning

MicroLearning Videos

DCG’s MicroLearning videos provide focused guidance on common research administration topics. Each video explains why the topic matters, who is involved, and when actions or approvals may be needed, while connecting viewers with relevant policies, documentation, and support.

23 videos. Select a featured video below, or expand the alphabetical list to browse the complete collection. Each video opens in a new tab.

MICROLEARNING

Making Sense of Research Terms: Non-Federal Awards and Service Agreements

Watch Video
Browse all 23 videos (A–Z)

The complete collection is listed alphabetically below, including the featured videos above. Each video opens in a new tab.

Newsflash Alerts!

View More

DCG Directory

Helpful Resources

Cayuse SP

General Institutional Information

DCG Service Commitment

Proposal Rates at a Glance

Who Does What for Contracts and Grants?

Roles and Responsibility Matrix

USC’s Guide to Research

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