Can I charge non-refundable travel costs and/or conference costs to a CPRIT grant not taken or attended because my employer limited employee travel or the event was cancelled due to coronavirus?

CPRIT will reimburse otherwise eligible costs associated with non-refundable grantee travel not taken because of the COVID-19 disaster. CPRIT will also reimburse otherwise allowable non-refundable registration fees for conferences, seminars, or symposiums that the event host cancelled due to the COVID-19 disaster. Grantees must maintain records and documentation to support charges to the CPRIT grants for non-refundable travel and/or non-refundable registration costs resulting because of the COVID-19 disaster. This authorization does not apply to travel booked or for event registrations made on or after March 20 (or the date that a grant organization implemented a no travel policy for its employees and students, if earlier than March 20.) The grantee should make every effort to minimize future non-refundable travel and event registration costs booked on or after March 20, and CPRITreserves the right to reject a grantee’s reimbursement request if the grantee has failed to adequately protect against future non-refundable travel and event registration costs, even those related to the COVID-19 disaster.

The CPRIT website now has a dedicated webpage for information, guidance, and frequently asked questions related to COVID-19’s impact on CPRIT grants.

Will CPRIT reimburse personnel costs (salaries and benefits) for employees assigned to the project who are not working or have reduced their level of effort on the project because of COVID-19?

CPRIT recognizes that cancer research and prevention grantee staff may be unable to work on CPRIT-funded projects now due to or related to the COVID-19 disaster. Grantees should make every effort to perform work on the grant-funded project consistent with the grantee organization’s directives to employees regarding COVID-19, such as working remotely. However, in the event that personnel is unable to work or must reduce their work level, CPRIT will allow grantees to continue to charge salaries and benefits to currently active CPRIT awards if they are paid in a way that conforms to an established policy of the grantee and that policy treats both grant-supported and other activities consistently. Grantees must maintain records and documentation to support charges to the CPRIT grants for salaries and benefits for personnel not working or reducing their amount of work because of the COVID-19 disaster. CPRIT will provide additional instructions for grantees to track these costs.CPRIT will reimburse salaries and benefits up to the level reflected on the grantee’s Personnel Level of Effort (PLOE) form in place on February 29, 2020. This authorization applies to personnel costs incurred for the fiscal quarter March 1 –May 31, 2020. CPRIT will reassess the authorization for the fiscal period beginning June 1, 2020.

The CPRIT website now has a dedicated webpage for information, guidance, and frequently asked questions related to COVID-19’s impact on CPRIT grants.