Pre-Award Costs
Costs incurred before the award start date, at the institution's own risk, in anticipation of funding.
Sponsors often let recipients charge costs incurred up to 90 days before the award's start date, useful when work must begin before the paperwork is final. Under expanded authorities, institutions can approve these themselves for many awards.
The operative word is risk: if the award doesn't materialize, or the costs are later found unallowable, the institution absorbs them. Costs earlier than 90 days generally need sponsor prior approval.
Pre-award spending is a bet the institution covers if the award falls through, so it needs a deliberate risk decision.
Track this in GrantsManager
GrantsManager gives PIs and administrators one real-time view of proposals, awards, budgets, and compliance, so terms like this stop living in spreadsheets.