Federal Research Updates: Please see Federal Research Updates 2025 for the latest updates on executive orders and policies impacting federally funded research.

Change in Key Personnel

Key personnel are personnel designated in the application by the applicant organization. They include the program director/principal investigator (PD/PI) and other individuals who contribute to the scientific development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way, whether or not they request salaries or compensation.

Some sponsor program officials use discretion in identifying key personnel in the Notice of Award and may identify individuals that are considered critical to the project (i.e., their absence from the project would have a significant impact on the approved scope of the project).

Change in key personnel occurs when any of the following is true:

  • A change in the key personnel specified in the application or award document
  • The disengagement of key personnel from the project for more than three months
  • A 25 percent reduction in time devoted to the project by the approved project director or PI