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The Office of

Sponsored Research

OSR Links

R@C Links

Contact us

104 Airport Drive Suite 2200, CB 1350
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-1350
Phone: (919) 966-3411
Fax: (919) 962-5011 or (919) 962-3352
Email: resadminosr@unc.edu
RAMSeS Help desk: (919) 843-2594

research toolkit

Toolkit 1:  Identify Funding Opportunities

GrantSource Library

The GrantSource Library at UNC-Chapel Hill is considered the collective "go-to" source for locating potential research funding opportunities. The library staff provides faculty, staff, and graduate students assistance and instruction on how to navigate many fund-finding resources, including:


Is it a "Gift" or "Sponsored Support"? (and, why is that distinction so important?)

In general, a gift indicates there are no expectations in return.  It is, essentially, a donation.  Other forms of sponsored research, however, such as grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, etc., indicate there are expectations by the sponsor in exchange for the support provided. The University and the sponsoring agency are legally bound to uphold these expectations (commonly referred to as "deliverables") which are specifically defined by each party in a written agreement. Thus, when making the determination between a "gift" and "sponsored support," there are three basic questions to ask:

If you answer 'Yes' to ONE OR MORE of these questions, then the funding is considered "sponsored support" and should be processed through the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR). For further information, consult the official UNC System Policy (PDF).


1. Does the funding agency expect you to provide deliverable(s)?

If yes, then contact OSR.

Examples of Deliverables

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2. Does the funding agency expect you to enter into a written agreement that is legally enforceable?

If yes, then contact OSR.

A written agreement may contain . . .

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3. Is there a specific and expected return in exchange for the funding?

If yes, then contact OSR.

Failure to provide these deliverables could result in unfavorable consequences to UNC-Chapel Hill.

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