Grant / Project Management

What is project management and why is it important for your research?


Key Points

  • After a grant is awarded, successful project management is important to ensure all objectives are met on the established timeline. 
  • It is very important to decide on a consistent system to manage and store documents,  track project progress, and record research decisions (often called an ‘audit trail’).
  • Depending on your needs and institutional resources, online project management tools (for example, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Trello) and/or shared document programs (e.g., Box, Google Docs) can be very useful. Many tools/programs have a free option, although often with fewer features.  
  • Budget tracking and monitoring are especially important. Accurate and complete financial records must be kept in accordance with institutional and funder requirements.
  • Every funder is different and will have different reporting and financial requirements. Be sure you understand the expectations and adhere to all requirements! 
  • Complete and submit all required funder reports and updates on time.
  • The Principal Investigator (PI) should schedule regular meetings with all team members and establish a clear plan to communicate project responsibilities and progress. It is important to set clear expectations about who is responsible for doing what and when.


Helpful Links, Videos and Online Courses

Overview


Videos

  • Good Practice in Grant Management and Reporting.
    • This is a good, general overview of grants administration and management, especially regarding financial reporting. It is not clinical research/health-specific, but more focused on charities and non-profit organizations. However, many key principles still apply.  


Relevant Publications