See How do I request a new research fund? for the information on setting up a new research fund. Once a fund has been authorized by the appropriate Specialist, Financial Operations will create the fund and send you email notification with the new fund number. 

Using research funding typically involves hiring research personnel, purchasing goods and/or services, and arranging travel for data collection and/or research dissemination. For more information on these activities, see the links below, or contact your Post-Award Research Specialists, Bethany Penn and Ronda Appell, for guidance.  

How do I hire a research employee? 

Procurement services 

What do I need to know before I travel for university business? 

Contact the designated Specialist for assistance with extending a research fund.  

The Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration (effective April 2020) uses a principles-based approach rather than listing eligible expenses. All expenses must comply with the principles and directives in the guide and any program-specific guidelines.

The four principles that govern the appropriate use of Tri-Agency grant funds are:

• Grant expenditures must contribute toward the direct costs of the research/activities for which the funds were awarded and the benefits should be directly attributable to the grant.
• Grant expenditures must not be provided by the administering institution to their research personnel.
• Grant expenditures must be effective and economical.
• Grant expenditures must not result in personal gain for members of the grant team.

• Individuals (contractors): Submit via Connection Point Service Income Requisition e-form
• Companies: Submit via Connection Point Pay a Company e-form

First-time payees must provide Social Insurance Number, date of birth, and direct deposit form  (or wire transfer form for foreign currencies).

College of Arts and Science only:

Send invoice and research fund number to:

• Individuals: payroll@usask.ca
• Companies: finance@usask.ca

Faculty and staff can request reimbursement by:

• Creating an expense report in Concur, or
• Submitting receipts via the  Request a Reimbursement e-form in ConnectionPoint

For more information see How do I submit expenses for reimbursement?

Reimbursement must be submitted by a delegate (USask faculty or staff member):

• Through Concur (if the guest has a profile), or
• Via the  Request a Reimbursement e-form

For out-of-province travel, you must include either:

• A signed  Authority to Travel form or
• An approved Concur Travel Request (4-character travel code)

See How to Engage an Elder or Cultural Service Provider (page 2) for required information for payment. Submit via Connection Point  Honorarium e-form.

College of Arts and Science only:
Send required information to asg.payroll@usask.ca.

Submit via Connection Point Honorarium e-form with:

• Payee name, email, address and phone number
• Event name and date
• Honorarium Amount
• Research fund number(s)

First-time payees must provide SIN, date of birth, and direct deposit form (or wire transfer form for foreign currencies).

College of Arts and Science only:
Send required information to asg.payroll@usask.ca.

Most goods and services (provided by companies) up to $10,000 may be paid by PCard, with the following exceptions: 

• Some types of expenses require pre-approval, regardless of amount. See the list here.
• Some types of expenses are not allowed on a PCard at all. See the list here.

Services payable to individuals cannot be paid using PCard. Instead follow the process for paying a service provider. For general information about PCards, refer to PCard Usage and Guidelines. 

Typical steps:

1. Determine hiring category
2. Advertise (if required)
3. Select candidate
4. Prepare offer letter
5. Set up payroll

See How do I hire a research employee? for details.
Submit appropriate hiring e-forms via ConnectionPoint.

College of Arts and Science:
Send required information to asg.payroll@usask.ca.

• Check preferred suppliers list and Self-Identified Indigenous suppliers list first to see if there is an identified vendor for the good or service you require
• Goods up to $10,000: Use PCard if possible; contact your department coordinator if you do not have a PCard. If the supplier doesn’t accept PCard, submit a Purchase Request
• Services up to $10,000: A contract or written agreement is required. Use the Agreement for Servicetemplate or submit a Purchase Request for assistance.  
• All goods and services over $10,000 require a contract. Submit a Purchase Requestfor assistance. Note that multiple quotes and/or competitive bidding may be required.

For more information, see Procurement Services.

Invoices payable to independent contractors/service providers can be forwarded to asg.payroll@usask.ca along with the fund number(s) to charge and they will submit for payment. Alternatively, you can submit the invoice to ConnectionPoint directly via the Service Income Requisition e-form. Social insurance number, date of birth and a direct deposit form (or a wire transfer form for foreign currencies) is required for first-time payees.  

• Log into PAWS and select My Research Funds for a list of all your active research funds and their balances. If you do not see that option on the left-side menu when you are logged into PAWS, enter “research” into the search bar at the top of PAWS and hit enter. Once you have located My Research Funds, click the button next to it to add it to your Favourites. 
• You also receive a monthly emailed report of your active research funds and balances. For more information on viewing and understanding research balances see How do I view and read a research activity report?

Moving expenses requires a journal voucher (JV). Submit a Correct a Transaction e-form via ConnectionPoint

College of Arts and Science only:

Contact asg.finance@usask.ca)

Once the research project is complete and all eligible expenses are processed, request fund closure through:

• accounting@usask.ca or
• Contact the designated Specialist