Fiscal Year End Procedures & Reminders
July 10, 2026
As we approach fiscal year-end, Sponsored Research is preparing to support what is traditionally one of our busiest periods. This year also brings some added uncertainty, as the timing and volume of federal awards and Just-in-Time (JIT) requests remain difficult to predict.
We appreciate your patience, flexibility, and partnership as we navigate this evolving environment together during this important and often demanding time of year.
To help ensure a smooth fiscal year-end closeout, please review the following procedures and reminders:
Award Setup
Ancillary reviews have been sent to department contacts on all award setups on hold due to required pending items. For assistance in reviewing and responding to ancillary reviews, refer to the Ancillary Reviews and Ancillary Review Submission job aids. If an updated budget is requested, reference Reconcile Awards Budget for system help.
Until August 14, 2026, awards currently on hold due to pending items required from the department will be held. After August 14, Sponsored Research will proceed with setup with the budget restricted.
After September 1, 2026, for awards set up as restricted, departments must:
- Submit an AMR with the outstanding items
- Request the projects be rebudgeted (if applicable) and remaining account codes opened
Notices of Award
If you receive a Notice of Award (NOA) that does not list Sponsored Research on the cc line, please forward it as soon as possible to SponsoredResearch@northwestern.edu. When in doubt about whether Sponsored Research has already received the NOA, go ahead and send it. Without a copy, Sponsored Research is unaware the award has arrived and cannot initiate award setup.
Just-in-Time
Northwestern continues to receive Just-in-Time requests as well as RPPR follow-up requests for information required before issuing new or continuing awards. These requests will be routed to departments as promptly as possible. PIs are asked not to respond until Sponsored Research has reviewed the full and complete response. As a reminder, only an Authorized Organizational Representative may submit the final response to the sponsor.
Award Modification Requests (AMRs)
Award modification requests are usually processed in order of submission; however, we understand that occasionally there is an urgent deadline-driven request that needs to be prioritized. If there is a sponsor deadline for your AMR, please take the following steps:
Include the sponsor deadline in the short title of the AMR
Upload the sponsor request confirming this deadline into the supporting documents area of the AMR
If you have concerns about the timeliness of a submitted AMR, please contact Maura Cleffi at m-cleffi@northwestern.edu.
Reminder: Checking AMR Status
Please utilize the resources in CERES to look up the up-to-date status of a pending AMR. We kindly ask you to do this prior to reaching out to SR as we want to dedicate as much time as we can to processing transactions. If you need to reach out to SR, use the “Send E-mail” feature within CERES as it provides a direct link to the record and provides the greatest transparency to SR staff if a request must be reassigned. For additional help, reference the “Check Item Status in CERES” job aid.