NSF Project Reporting and Monitoring Guidelines

NSF Project Reporting and Monitoring Guidelines

Responsible Offices: Sponsored Projects Accounting & Office of Sponsored Research Services
Effective Date: October 2023

The National Science Foundation (NSF) requires that all Principal Investigators (PIs) submit reports in a timely manner for all projects receiving NSF financial assistance:

• an Annual Report within 90 days preceding the end of the current budget period for the award.
• a Final Report within 120 days following the project period end date.
• a Project Outcomes Report for the general public within 120 days following the project period end date.

Annual Report

An Annual Report is required for every 12-month period of the total award within 90 days preceding the current budget period end date and is considered overdue on the first day of the following budget period. NSF sends reminder emails to the PI for Annual Reports approximately 90, 60, and 30 days preceding the end of the project period.

Final Report

The Final Report is required within 120 days following the project period end date. NSF sends reminder emails to the PI for Final Reports approximately on the project period end date and every 30 days thereafter until the report is submitted.

Project Outcomes Report

A Project Outcomes Report is required within 120 days following the project end date. NSF sends reminder emails to the PI for Project Outcomes Reports approximately on the project end date and every 30 days thereafter until the report is submitted.

In addition to the NSF monthly reminders, the Office of Sponsored Research Services (OSRS) monitors the Research.gov website on a monthly basis to identify projects with overdue reports and notifies Departments of the need to submit reports. Failure to respond to reminders  about timely report submissions will lead to the delinquencies being escalated to the Chair, Dean, and/or Vice Chancellor for Research at the discretion of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance and Sponsored Projects.

Descriptions of NSF reports and submission deadlines can be found at Report Your Progress and Outcomes.

Failure to provide these reports on a timely basis will delay NSF review and processing of pending proposals for all identified PIs and co-PIs on a given award (Proposal and Award Policies & Procedures Guide, Section VII.D.1 (NSF 23-1). In some instances, the NSF may withhold payments until the report has been submitted and approved.

Required reports must be submitted through Research.gov.

Contact Maureen Patterson (pattersonm@wustl.edu) in the Office of Sponsored Research Services if you have any questions about the reporting requirements process.