Funding for any given sponsored research project can originate from a variety of sponsors (e.g., federal, state, and local governments, non-profit organizations (including foundations and other universities), and private organizations (including for-profit corporations). It is important to know the original source of funding for a particular project as the terms and conditions from the original funding document, as well as the regulations of that funding sponsor will apply to the project (i.e., if the funding source is the federal government, federal regulations apply).
The entity that awards the University of Pittsburgh the research project may not be the organization from which the funds originate. This means that the University of Pittsburgh sponsor (i.e., entity sending funds to the University) may be acting as an intermediate or a pass-through funding source. The original funding mechanism is known as the Prime Funding Source. The Prime Sponsor is the organization from where the research funds originate (for Federal grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts, this is the Federal agency providing the research funds). The number of organizations that the funds pass-through before reaching the University of Pittsburgh is inconsequential - the important factors are the funding mechanism (i.e., grant, contract, etc.) and the original funding sponsor.
Examples:
- The University of Pittsburgh received a Subcontract from University of XYZ. This Subcontract states that the University of XYZ had entered into a contract with Company ABC. Company ABC had received a Cooperative Agreement from the US Department of Defense.
* The Prime Funding Source was a Federal Cooperative Agreement and the Prime Sponsor was the US Department of Defense. - The University of Pittsburgh received a Subaward from Company 123. The Subaward states that Company 123 received a grant from the Pittsburgh Foundation.
* The Prime Funding Source was a non-profit foundation grant and the Prime Sponsor was the Pittsburgh Foundation. - The University of Pittsburgh received a contract from the National Institutes of Health.
* The Prime Funding Source was a federal contract and the Prime Sponsor was the National Institutes of Health