leave an NSF grant early?

[redcactus]

Hi forumites - first timer here and looking for some advice. I'm almost tenured and have been really successful with grants so far - maybe too successful, as I'm co-PI on a couple of cool projects right now. It was all do-able until the pandemic, but the way my workload has shaken out this fall I am feeling really over-committed and under-performing and am looking for things I can get off my plate. There's one project where I'm not really an integral member of the team - I'm sure they would miss me but I am not critical to completing the grant's scope of work, and in some ways I think that the small bit of summer salary that I draw from the grant might serve the project better to fund someone else. There's one year left on the original three-year grant. Is it crazy to think about taking myself off the team? Does anyone ever do this? Any advice on how to maintain goodwill if I back out? I don't want to leave anyone in the lurch or otherwise undermining the project's success long-term.

[mamselle]

What are the options on talking with the PI directly about it?

Are there any online guidelines from the school where the grant is housed about this?

Any on the NSF sites? (It's been decades since I worked on them, so I don't know anymore what's up there).

Others will indeed have more up-to-date ideas.

M.

[hazelshade]

You should start by talking with the PI. If the PI is based at another institution and you're funded via a subaward (i.e. through your institution rather than directly to you), I'd also loop your sponsored programs office in right away (since, if your plan goes through, you'll be needing to close out the subaward, and you'll need their help for that). It's hard to give more specific advice without knowing the particulars, but that's where I'd start.

I think it's unlikely that NSF regulations would come into play unless you are formally described as a co-investigator on the award (in which case reducing your effort requires prior approval by the PO) or unless your departure would change the scope of the award (sounds like this isn't the case, but worth confirming with the PI; a change in scope also requires prior approval).

One thing to consider (which you may already have!): it's possible that everyone on this project is in the same boat, and a talk with the PI should clarify that. Getting a clear sense of how the whole project is moving (is the PI planning on a no-cost extension, are other people struggling with workload issues, etc.) may affect your decision.

[fizzycist]

So the only thing you are getting from the grant is a small bit of summer salary with just one summer left?

If so, I wouldn't stress it. From the PI's point of view it's probably more of an administrative burden to try and shuffle this small bit of money around than to leave it with you.

I would just let the PI know you are swamped and will not be as productive as you have been in the past. I bet they'll understand and appreciate you telling them ahead of time.

[mamselle]

So the only thing you are getting from the grant is a small bit of summer salary with just one summer left?

If so, I wouldn't stress it. From the PI's point of view it's probably more of an administrative burden to try and shuffle this small bit of money around than to leave it with you.

I would just let the PI know you are swamped and will not be as productive as you have been in the past. I bet they'll understand and appreciate you telling them ahead of time.

That may be true in some cases, but the procedure hazelshade describes above is more like the one I'd expect to have to follow.

You don't want to be casual about something like this, and then find out you're in trouble.

M.

[fizzycist]

So the only thing you are getting from the grant is a small bit of summer salary with just one summer left?

If so, I wouldn't stress it. From the PI's point of view it's probably more of an administrative burden to try and shuffle this small bit of money around than to leave it with you.

I would just let the PI know you are swamped and will not be as productive as you have been in the past. I bet they'll understand and appreciate you telling them ahead of time.

That may be true in some cases, but the procedure hazelshade describes above is more like the one I'd expect to have to follow.

You don't want to be casual about something like this, and then find out you're in trouble.

M.

Fair enough, I was too loose with my language. By "not stress it" I meant the solution will likely be simple, i.e. just agree with the PI to deliver a little less. I didn't mean to do and say nothing and use the money to pay vacation time :)

Considering the description in OP (small summer-salary role on NSF grant), I think the only way to get in "trouble" here would be to charge summer salary and do absolutely nothing. If instead OP decides to reduce/alter their role, the more important consideration to me would be working things out smoothly with their collaborators.

Hazelshade recommends contacting the PI and cc'ing the OSP. I suggest to discuss with the PI and then only contact OSP if the plan of action involves a change to the flow of money. Not too different, I guess it comes down to how much you value the input of your OSP.