Investigators are expected to adhere to the project's approved timeline, and to complete the project by the award's end date. When circumstances prevent this, the lead principal investigator must submit a written request for an extension without additional funds (referred to as a no-cost extension or NCE).

A request for a NCE must be submitted at least one month prior to the end of the project's original expiration date. The lead principal investigator must describe how and why progress was delayed, which remaining objectives are yet to be completed and a new timeline for their activities, and how any remaining grant funds will be used. The fact that funds may be remaining in a grant is not a justifiable reason for requesting a NCE.

Terms of a NCE
The typical duration for an acceptable NCE is no more than 1/3 of the original project's length (e.g., maximum NCE for a two-year project = 8 months). NYSG's ability to approve project NCE requests may be limited by conditions and limitations established in its overall award from the federal sponsor.

The project is still subject to the original terms of the award during the NCE period. Complete cost-share documentation for the final project year is still due within 45 days of the original term date of the award, regardless of the length of the NCE granted. Additional cost-share (if any) provided for the project during the NCE period must be reported to NYSG within 45 days of the NCE term date.

Depending on the length of the NCE, the lead investigator may be required to submit additional progress reports, as needed. The lead investigator will be contacted approximately 60 days after the NCE period for the required completion report detailing the results of the work.

Extension of Sea Grant Scholar Fellowships
If the project's lead investigator began the support of a Sea Grant Scholar after the project's start date, an extension of the Sea Grant Scholar Fellowship up to the original proposed duration may be possible only if requested and justified as part of the NCE request for the project. The NCE request should include specific information regarding which project objectives the Scholar will be working on, the time period this support is expected to cover (cannot exceed the original proposed duration of the fellowship), and an update on the Scholar's anticipated thesis, dissertation, or graduation dates.

An investigator may also request to return unobligated grant funds to NYSG to continue support of a previous Sea Grant Scholar who has otherwise received his/her full stipend during the grant period, but who is still working on objectives of the NYSG project. Investigators interested in this possibility should contact NYSG's fiscal officer.

NCE Request Checklist

• Must be submitted by lead principal investigator
• Must describe:
  ____ how and why progress has been delayed
  ____ which objectives have not yet been completed and a new timeline for their activities
  ____ how remaining funds will be used (provide dollar amounts)
• Must be counter-signed by the lead principal investigator's Sponsored Programs (or similar) Office
• Cost-share documentation for NYSG projects of all affiliated investigators must be up-to-date
• Progress and/or completion reports for NYSG projects of all affiliated investigators must be up-to-date
• Must be received by NYSG at least one month prior to the original project term date:
  
  JeanAnn Johnston
  New York Sea Grant
  125 Nassau Hall
  Stony Brook University
  Stony Brook, NY 11794-5001
  (faxes are acceptable at 631-632-6917)

Once a NCE request is received, NYSG staff will review the request and contact the lead investigator with a decision as soon as possible (usually within several weeks). Requests that are incomplete, or that require further clarification or justification, will require additional time.