[LTER-luq-pi] status of Renewal funding LTER 5b

[Jess Zimmerman]

Dear Group,

I write to report on the status of the renewal grant for our LTER.  The
process of awarding the grant is is currently being held up by grant
reporting issues here at UPR.

Perhaps some good news is that it is NOT being held up because of the
budget situation in Washington.  There was a suggestion during our SEAC
meeting on Tuesday that this could hold up the grant.  I have discussed the
situation with Saran Twombly at NSF and, while some funds are being held at
NSF until a new budget is approved, the renewal funding for our LTER has
been given priority over funding for other grants.

Why the reporting issues?  The grant in particular is an IGERT grant we
had.  We recently completed the final year.  The IGERT program has special
reporting requirements, including the need for every single student ever
involved in the program to log-in individually and respond to a survey.
One former student can hold up the whole process.  This has been the the
problem.  We have essentially completed our final annual report and must go
through the final report.  This, I am told, is not as extensive as the
annual reports. We are hoping to complete this without delay.

Once the reporting issues are resolved, the grant must go to the Division
of Grants and Agreements for final processing.  Saran believes this can
happen quickly as she has looked over our budget carefully and has been in
communication with officials there.

We are unlikely to receive a 1 December start date as hoped, but I do
believe we can look to a start date of 1 January.  If the award letter
arrives in early December, we should be able to have everything in place
for the New Year.

Sincerely,

jess

Jess K. Zimmerman
Professor
Lead PI, Luquillo LTER Program
Department Environmental Sciences
University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras
Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico

Direct Office Line: 787-350-0350
Or: 787-764-0000 ext. 1-XXXX-# where XXXX is:
   LTER Program Office: 2867
   El Verde Field Station: 4381
Mobile: 787-380-3311
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