Purpose: This is meant to serve as a complementary table to the Policy on Distinguishing Gifts vs. Sponsored Awards and as a reference in the event of questions. The table highlights general characteristics of these two funding categories. In the event of questions, please contact Alumni and Development Services at ads@harvard.edu or the Office for Sponsored Programs at osp@harvard.edu.
Gift | Sponsored Award | |
---|---|---|
Benefit received by funder from activities funded |
Serves philanthropic or personal interest of funder, but does not serve the primary business purpose of the funder No benefit received |
Serves the primary business or mission interest of the funder, whose basic activities are integrally related to the research plan Benefit received |
Specificity of intent of funder | Funder seeks advances in a general area of research or education; or seeks advances in a specific area, but without prescribing specific strategies or workplans | Funder seeks implementation of a specific research or education plan, with well‐defined objectives, strategies, workplans and/or deliverables |
Value exchanged |
Funder essentially receives no personal or institutional value in return for the funds given, other than intellectual satisfaction that the activities have been undertaken No deliverables provided |
Funder expects and receives implementation of, and a report of, the University’s funded activities; funder’s own mission and/or research agenda is advanced through the University’s funded activities Deliverables provided |
Scope of work | More generally defined; typically no time frame or period of performance | More specifically defined with a clear period of performance |
Persons performing funded activities | Often left to discretion of University, school, department or one named individual | Key personnel (or the equivalent project leadership team) are named in proposal, and changes to key personnel must be pre‐approved by funder |
Budget specificity and restrictions | Budgeting is general in nature and terms, and funder pre‐approvals are not required as long as funds are used for the stated purpose | Budgets are specific, and variances from proposed budgets (within designated parameters) require funder pre‐approval |
Progress reports | May be required but are most often general in nature and content | Required, and must outline progress toward the specific research or project plan |
Terms of funding | Less detailed | Often detailed, with standard, detailed terms and conditions for all funding from that sponsor |
Accountability for use of funds | More moral than legal | More legal than moral |
Ability of funder to recoup funds | Generally very difficult to recoup, except in cases of deliberate, proven use of restricted funds inconsistent with terms of a restricted gift | Established ability of funder to terminate the agreement and/or demand repayment of funds, if specific research or project plans have not been implemented |
Method of documentation | Letter of intent of funder in making award | Binding (often signed) agreement between University and funder, binding University to implement specific research or project plans |