WCU offers several easy ways to discover grants, fellowships, and other research funding:

• SPIN Funding Database: Access thousands of opportunities tailored to your discipline. Just log into MyWCU, open Research Administration under My Apps, and click SPIN to start searching.
• Research Cat: Find Funding Hub: Explore curated opportunities, internal programs, and guidance for getting started: https://affiliate.wcu.edu/engagedresearch/find-funding/
• Join Our Faculty Research Interest Database: Help us connect you with relevant opportunities by completing the quick RASCA Form.

Whether you’re new to seeking external funding or looking to expand your portfolio, these tools make it easier to find the right fit for your research.

As we enter the final 90 days of FY 2025–2026, which ends on June 30, 2026, please be mindful of upcoming purchasing deadlines. These requirements apply to all sponsored projects, regardless of project end date, and align with university fiscal procedures and spending restrictions.

Per guidance issued by David Steinbicker on March 13, 2026, the following purchase requisition deadlines have been established to allow time for required inspections of equipment purchases over $10,000. For questions, contact Purchasing at Ext. 7203.

Requisitions Required:

• April 10, 2026: State Term Contract purchases over $29,000
• April 15, 2026: Remaining requisitions using a 4XXXXX account code
• April 24, 2026: All other requisitions

All vehicle purchases require approval from the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance.

Requisitions Not Required:

No immediate deadline; standard processing applies. Please allow 3–5 business days for Post Award review.

As the spring semester ends, the ORA Post‑Award Team will begin routing Summer 2026 Extra Compensation PAFs. Thank you to all PIs for confirming anticipated summer effort.

• Early April 2026: ORA Post‑Award will notify budget officers and key stakeholders of summer extra compensation details.
• April 20, 2026: All Summer PAFs will be routed via Adobe Sign, grouped by lead PI and following the standard approval chain (Lead PI → Dept Head → Dean/Vice Chancellor).
• May 4, 2026: Deadline for all signatures to ensure timely processing before May payroll.

Questions? Contact Ben Peters (bpeters@email.wcu.edu) or Cameron Lopez (clopez@email.wcu.edu).

We are currently working to enhance the usability and accessibility of our webpages to better support your research and compliance needs. These updates are focused on making it easier to find key information, navigate processes, and access the resources you need when you need them.

As part of this effort, we’ve expanded and organized helpful materials, including step-by-step guides, process overviews, and practical “how-to” documents designed to support you throughout the research lifecycle.

We encourage you to explore the following pages to take advantage of these resources:

• Human Subject Research
• Research Integrity
• Animal Research
• Export Control
• Conflict of Interest
• Institutional Biosafety

Your feedback is always welcome as we continue to improve.

For questions, contact: Mallory Ball mball@wcu.edu 

To help streamline review times and reduce back-and-forth during the submission process, we want to highlight a few common issues we frequently see:

• Missing or incomplete consent documentation
• Inconsistent information across study documents
• Incomplete data security/confidentiality descriptions
• Use of outdated templates or forms

Taking a few extra minutes to review your materials before submission can significantly speed up processing time.

If you’re unsure about any part of your submission, we’re happy to help before you submit.

For questions, contact: Mallory Ball mball@wcu.edu 

As a reminder, WCU requires project-specific disclosures for externally funded activities. This means that even if you have a disclosure on file, you may still need to submit or update your disclosure when you take on a new sponsored project, especially when there are changes in your role, responsibilities, or funding source.

Additionally, if you begin any new external activity for pay (consulting, speaking engagements, paid advising, contract work, etc.), it must be disclosed through WCU’s conflict of interest process. These disclosures help protect both the investigator and the institution, and they ensure we meet sponsor requirements and reporting obligations.

If you’re unsure whether an activity needs to be disclosed, it’s always best to disclose early or reach out for guidance. For information, click the following link: project-specific conflict of interest training requirements.

We also have helpful How-To Guides shown below:

• Creating and Submitting Your Self-Disclosure
• Supervisor COI Review
• Responding to Additional Information Needed

We will also be updating these to include clear language specific to both faculty and student scenarios. Stay tuned for updates.

For questions, contact: Mallory Ball mball@wcu.edu 

Don’t miss our final workshop series session of the academic year! Build your grants knowledge and connect with peers in Grants 101.

3/31/2026, 3:30-4:30 pm, Apodaca 115, Grants 101: designed for the entry-level knowledge-based faculty who want exposure to the world of grants. It covers the who, what, and how…a great place to start!

Register Now. Seats are limited.

WCU is launching the NC Innovation Pipeline Development Program, a new grant opportunity to support faculty and staff in moving early‑stage research or creative activity toward real‑world impact. The program provides $10,000–$25,000 in seed funding, along with structured support and entrepreneurial guidance, to help advance projects to TRL 3 or higher over one summer and one semester.

Projects may (but are not required to) align with priority areas such as advanced manufacturing, biohealth, computing, agriculture, defense innovation, or energy transition. Applications are expected to open later this spring, with funded projects beginning May 15. Faculty interested in discussing an idea are encouraged to reach out to John Hildreth at jhildreth@email.wcu.edu.

We are excited to announce a new addition to the site: Special Programs & More. This page is your go-to for upcoming events, workshops, presentations, and special programming opportunities. Explore what’s new and stay connected.

We are excited to share that the Office of Research Administration has launched an official LinkedIn page. Follow us to stay informed about new funding opportunities, important announcements, and the latest updates from our office. Join our growing community and stay connected with everything happening at the ORA.