Option 1: Individual Registration
To register as an individual learner, select the Register button at the top right of this screen. Your one-year access period begins when you log in and access your first element of the program.

Option 2: Group / Institutional Registration
If your organization would like to register multiple learners, the purchaser may register for seats in bulk. After completing the group purchase, the purchaser will receive registration discount codes to distribute to individual staff members. A sample email will be included in your confirmation.

Each learner’s one-year access period begins when they log in and access their first element of the program.

This group registration option allows institutions to purchase seats in advance, enjoy bulk savings, and use discount codes at any time—making it easy to support onboarding, cross-training, and professional development as needs arise.

No problem. If you’d like to add seats after your original purchase, email lifecycle@ncura.edu with the number of seats you would like to add.

We’ll add them to your initial registration, arrange payment for the balance due, and provide new discount codes for the additional learners.

Individual Registration
(One-year access begins at first login)

Group / Institutional Registration
(Each learner’s one-year access begins at first login)

Yes. We’re happy to invoice your organization and accept payment by purchase order. Once payment is received, the purchaser will receive login details and/or registration discount codes needed to get started.

No. Registrations are not transferable once the course has been started. Access is assigned to the individual learner and may not be transferred after any learning segment is accessed.

No. Bulk registration discounts are intended for use within a single institution only and may not be shared or combined across systems, consortia, or multi-entity arrangements.

The program uses a variety of learning formats, including short, focused videos, written content, and practical summaries, designed to support flexible, self-paced learning and accommodate different learning styles.

Yes. Knowledge checks follow each session to help reinforce key concepts and support learning. Successful completion of these knowledge checks is required to earn milestone and program certificates, and feedback is provided to explain incorrect responses.

Yes. Learners may retake knowledge checks as needed as part of the learning experience, allowing time to review content, strengthen understanding, and progress with confidence.

Yes. You can pause and resume your progress at any time within your one-year access period. The program automatically saves your place so you can return whenever it works best for your schedule.

The Life Cycle of the Award curriculum was developed by NCURA’s Professional Development Committee in collaboration with a dedicated development team and more than 100 expert presenters from across the research administration community.

Content is reviewed on an ongoing basis throughout the year by subject matter experts to ensure it remains current, accurate, and aligned with evolving regulations and best practices in research administration.

Yes! Each milestone includes a feedback survey that you can submit at any time. We’re committed to continuously improving and expanding the Life Cycle of the Award to meet the evolving needs of the research administration community.

Throughout this program, you’ll move through nine core Milestones that follow the full Life Cycle of the Award, from proposal development through closeout. You’ll also have access to two optional Enrichment Sessions and Wellness Experiences throughout.

These include:

• Milestone I: Setting Out on the Journey: Welcome to NCURA's Life Cycle of the Award
• Milestone II: Laying the Foundation: Proposal Development Essentials
• Milestone III: Igniting Innovation: The Power of Pre-Award
• Milestone IV: Critical Compliance Checkpoints: Animals, Biosafety, Export Controls, and Research Security
• Milestone V: Decoding the Rules: Uniform Guidance, FAR, and Allowable Costs
• Milestone VI: Protecting Integrity and Ideas: Understanding COI and IP Responsibilities
• Milestone VII: Stewardship in Action: Non-Financial Compliance and Post-Award Administration
• Milestone VIII: Financial Stewardship After the Award: Managing Research Funds
• Milestone IX: Navigating Audits in Research Administration
• Milestone X: Enrichment Session: The Art of Leadership, Communication Skills, and the Importance of People
• Milestone XI: Enrichment Session: An Introduction to AI

The total time commitment for this program is approximately 41 hours. This includes 36 hours across the nine core Milestones and about 5 hours optional Enrichment Sessions. There are Wellness experiences throughout.

Breakdown of the 9 Core Milestones (~36 hours):

• Milestone I: Setting Out on the Journey: Welcome to NCURA's Life Cycle of the Award: 16 minutes
• Milestone II: Laying the Foundation: Proposal Development Essentials: 8 hours
• Milestone III: Igniting Innovation: The Power of Pre-Award: 4 and a half hours
• Milestone IV: Critical Compliance Checkpoints: Animals, Biosafety, Export Controls, and Research Security: 3 and half hours
• Milestone V: Decoding the Rules: Uniform Guidance, FAR, and Allowable Costs: 6 hours
• Milestone VI: Protecting Integrity and Ideas: Understanding COI and IP Responsibilities: 2 hours
• Milestone VII: Stewardship in Action: Non-Financial Compliance and Post-Award Administration: 3 hours
• Milestone VIII: Financial Stewardship After the Award: Managing Research Funds: 5 hours
• Milestone IX: Navigating Audits in Research Administration: 3 hours

Breakdown of the 2 Enrichment Sessions (~5 hours):

• Milestone X: Enrichment Session: The Art of Leadership, Communication Skills, and the Importance of People: 2 hours
• Milestone XI: Enrichment Session: An Introduction to AI: 3 hours

The Life Cycle of the Award is delivered through NCURA’s learning management system (LMS), Elevate. The program includes a combination of video-based content and written materials designed to support flexible, self-paced learning.

Watching video on demand (VOD) requires a reliable internet connection, a modern device, and an up-to-date browser.

Internet speed requirements:

• Standard Definition (SD): Minimum 3 Mbps
• High Definition (HD / 1080p): Minimum 10–20 Mbps for a stable experience

Note: Speed requirements are per device. If multiple users are streaming simultaneously, a higher-speed plan (100–500 Mbps) may be needed.

Supported browsers and devices:

• Desktop: Latest versions of Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Safari, and Firefox
• Mobile: Safari (iOS 14+) and Chrome (Android)

Yes. The course is mobile-friendly and can be accessed through your mobile device’s web browser. However, the program is optimized for desktop use, and we strongly recommend using a desktop or laptop for the best experience.

If you experience technical issues, we recommend reviewing the following common troubleshooting considerations first:

Why is my video buffering even though my internet speed is high?

• Device cache: An overloaded browser or app cache can slow performance.
• Wi-Fi interference: Wireless connections can be unstable; a wired Ethernet connection is often more reliable.
• Outdated apps or browsers: Be sure your app or browser is up to date.
• ISP throttling: Some providers deprioritize streaming traffic during peak hours.

Why is the video quality dropping suddenly?

Most platforms use adaptive bitrate (ABR) technology. If network congestion occurs—such as another device starting a large download—the video resolution may automatically lower to maintain playback.

If issues persist, please contact lifecycle@ncura.edu. We will respond within 24–48 business hours.

You will have one year of access to the Life Cycle of the Award from your first login. While the full program content is accessed online, each session includes a “What I Learned” summary that you can download and save for offline reference.

Yes. The Life Cycle of the Award will be continually updated and refreshed to reflect changes in policies, guidance, and best practices. When updates are made, all registered learners will be notified so you can stay current.

You will earn digital badges and CEU certificates at multiple points along the way, including:

• Core 9 Milestones: CEU certificate and digital badge for each milestone
• Enrichment Sessions: CEU certificates
• Completion of the Core 9 Milestones: digital badge
• Completion of the Core 9 Milestones and Enrichment Sessions: digital badge

To earn a milestone certificate, you must complete all sessions within that milestone, including the required knowledge checks.

Once you complete all nine milestones and the final evaluation, you will earn the full Life Cycle of the Award Certificate of Completion.

In addition, learners who complete both enrichment sessions—AI and Leadership—will receive a special Enrichment Certificate recognizing completion of the Life Cycle enrichment experience.

It takes approximately 41 hours to complete the course components. A detailed breakdown of each milestone and its length can be found on the Life Cycle Overview tab.

Yes. Once you complete all requirements for a badge, it will become available in the course. You can claim it by clicking “Badge Earned.” This page will show your badge (with an image you can download), the CEUs earned, and a shareable URL.

You will also receive an email confirming the badge, which includes a direct link to share it on LinkedIn.

For bulk purchases, if your manager would like an update on your progress or proof of completion, the purchaser of the seat(s) may request your progress and/or completion status at any time by emailing lifecycle@ncura.edu with the subject line “Participants Progress.”

You may also keep your manager informed by forwarding the badge notification emails you receive throughout the course.

Yes. After completing a milestone, you can access your certificate under the corresponding badge. To view or print your certificate, click “View or Print Your Certificate.”

This is a certificate program with milestone-based completion requirements, offering certificates for each milestone, a full program certificate, and a special enrichment certificate for completing the AI and Leadership sessions.

Yes. You can earn up to 4.1 CEUs by completing the core milestones in this program, which represent approximately 41 contact hours.

CPEs are not currently available for this program.

Credits are calculated at a rate of 1 CEU for every 10 hours of instructional time. CEUs are awarded proportionally based on the length of each milestone:

• Milestone I (0.5 hours): 0.05 CEUs
• Milestone II (8 hours): 0.8 CEUs
• Milestone III (4.5 hours): 0.45 CEUs
• Milestone IV (3.5 hours): 0.35 CEUs
• Milestone V (6 hours): 0.6 CEUs
• Milestone VI (2 hours): 0.2 CEUs
• Milestone VII (3 hours): 0.3 CEUs
• Milestone VIII (5 hours): 0.5 CEUs
• Milestone IX (3 hours): 0.3 CEUs
• Milestone X (2 hours): 0.2 CEUs
• Milestone XI (3 hours): 0.3 CEUs

Participants who complete all milestones will earn a total of 4.1 CEUs. Forty one (41) credit hours are reflected on earned certificates.

You will receive a digital badge that can be shared on LinkedIn, as well as an official NCURA certificate that can be viewed or printed for your records.

No. Credits are awarded only upon full completion of the required sessions and knowledge checks associated with each milestone. Partial completion does not qualify for credit.

Yes. The Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC) recognizes NCURA as an authorized provider of research administration–related professional development meetings, programs, courses, and activities for credit toward certification and recertification for the CRA, CPRA, and CFRA certifications.

Individual registrations: You may request a refund before your first login to begin the course by sending an email to lifecycle@ncura.edu with the subject line: Cancellation Request.

Group or institutional (bulk) registrations: Bulk purchases are not refunded on a per-learner basis once discount codes are issued. However, if a discount code has been assigned to an individual who has not yet logged in or started the course, that discount code may be reassigned to another learner at your institution.

If a bulk registration discount code has been assigned to the wrong individual who has not yet logged in or started the course, that discount code may be reassigned to another learner at your institution. Please contact lifecycle@ncura.edu for support.

Cancellation is not available once you begin the course.

Sharing logins or course materials is prohibited. Access to the Life Cycle of the Award is provided for individual use only, and content may not be shared, distributed, reproduced, or reused outside the registered learner. Recording any portion of the program is also prohibited.

Yes. All recordings and materials in the Life Cycle of the Award are for personal use only by the registered learner and may not be shared or distributed.

NCURA’s webinar programs are designed for that purpose and can be found here.

Purchasers of bulk seats may request to see the progress of participants associated with those seats by emailing lifecycle@ncura.edu with the subject line “Participants Progress.”

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