Glossary & Acronyms
The Alphabet Soup of Research Administration
An Index of Commonly Used Acronyms
If you do not find the acronym(s) in question, try this online reference (in a new window): Acronym Finder
AAAH | American Association for the Advancement of Humanities |
AAALAC | American Association of Animal Laboratory Accreditation Council |
AAAS | American Association for the Advancement of Science |
AAC | Association for American Colleges |
AACD | American Association of Counseling and Development |
AACUO | Association for Affiliated College and University Offices |
ACC | Application Control Center |
ACE | American Council on Education |
ACLS | American Council for Learned Societies |
ACO | Administrative Contracting Officer |
ACS | American Cancer Society |
ACYF | Administration for Children, Youth and Families |
ADAMHA | Administration on Drug Abuse, Mental Health and Alcoholism |
AFDC | Aid to Families with Dependent Children |
AFOSR | Air Force Office of Scientific Research |
AHA | American Heart Assocation |
AID | Agency for International Development |
AOA | Administration on Aging |
ARI | Army Research Institute |
ARO | Army Research Office |
ASAP | As soon as possible |
AUTM | Association of University Technology Managers |
AVA | American Vocational Association |
BAA | Broad Agency Announcement |
BIA | Bureau of Indian Affairs |
BLS | Bureau of Labor Statistics |
CAS | Cost Accounting Standards |
CASB | Cost Accounting Standards Board |
CASE | Council for the Advancement and Support of Education |
CBD | Commerce Business Daily |
CFDA | Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance |
CFR | Code of Federal Regulations |
CIES | Council for the International Exchange of Scholars |
CPB | Corporation for Public Broadcasting |
CO | Contracting Officer |
COP | Certificate of Proposal |
COS | Community of Science |
COGR | Council on Governmental Relations |
CURI | College and University Resource Institute |
CWS | College Work Study |
DA | Departmental Administration |
DARPA | Defense Applied Resarch Projects Agency (formerly ARPA) |
DC | Direct Costs |
DCA | Division of Cost Allocation (HHS) |
DCAA | Defense Contract Audit Agency |
DCE | Direct Cost Equivalent |
DEA | Drug Enforcement Administration |
DEAR | Department of Energy Acquisition Regulations |
DFAR | Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations |
(D)HHS | Department of Health and Human Services |
DOD | Department of Defense |
DOE | Department of Energy |
DOEd | Department of Education |
DOT | Department of Transportation |
EDGAR | Educational Department General Administration Regulations |
EDI | Electronic Data Interchange |
EEO | Equal Employment Opportunity |
EFT | Electronic Funds Transfer |
EO | Executive Order |
EPA | Environmental Protection Agency |
ERIC | Education Resources Information Clearinghouse |
ERA | Electronic Research Administration |
ERS | Economic Research Service |
ESEA | Elementary and Secondary Education Act |
ETA | Employment and Training Administration |
F & A | Facilities and Administrative Costs (formerly Indirect Costs) |
FAR | Federal Acquisition Regulations |
FDP | Federal Demonstration Partnership |
FIE | Federal Information Exchange |
FIPSE | Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education |
FMC | Federal Management Circular |
FOIA | Freedom of Information Act |
FR | Federal Register |
FSR | Financial Status Report |
FY | Fiscal Year |
FYI | For your information |
GA | General Administration |
GAO | Goverment Accounting Office |
GEPA | General Education Provisions Act |
GPRA | Goverment Performance and Results Act |
GPO | Government Printing Office |
GSA | General Services Administration |
GSL | Guaranteed Student Loan |
HEA | Higher Education Amendment |
HEARS | Higher Education Administrative Resource Service |
HED | Higher Education Daily |
HENA | Higher Education and National Affairs |
HHS | Department of Health and Human Services |
IACUC | Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee |
IACP | Institutional Animal Care Program |
IDC | Indirect Costs (now called Facilities and Administrative Costs) |
IG | Inspector General |
IHE | Institution of Higher Education |
IPATNT | Intellectual Property Administration and Technology Transfer (at MSU only) |
IRB | Institutional Review Board |
IR&D | Independent Research and Development |
IREX | International Research and Exchanges Board |
LAR | Laboratory Animal Resources |
LEA | Local Education Agency |
MTA | Material Transfer Agreement |
MTDC | Modified Total Direct Costs |
NA | Not applicable |
NASA | National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
NCES | National Center for Educational Statistics |
NCURA | National Council of University Research Administrators |
NEA | National Education Association |
NEA | National Endowment for the Arts |
NEH | National Endowment for the Humanities |
NFAH | National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities |
NIA | National Institute on Aging |
NIAAA | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism |
NIDA | National Institute on Drug Abuse |
NIE | National Institute on Education |
NIH | National Institutes of Health |
NIHR | National Institute for Handicapped Research |
NRA | National Rehabilitation Association |
NRSA | National Research Service Award |
NSF | National Science Foundation |
OERI | Office of Educational Research and Improvement |
OFCC | Office of Federal Contract Compliance |
OMB | Office of Management and Budget |
ONR | Office of Naval Research |
OPRR | Office of Protection from Research Risks |
ORM | Office of Regional Management |
OSHA | Occupational Safety and Health Administration |
OSI | Office of Science Integrity |
OSTP | Office of Science and Technology Policy |
OTA | Office of Technology Assessment |
PA | Program Announcement |
PETA | People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals |
PHS | Public Health Service |
PI | Principal Investigator |
RDA | Recombinant DNA |
RFA | Request for Applications |
RFP | Request for Proposal |
RFQ | Request for Quotation |
SBA | Small Business Administration |
SPA | Sponsored Programs Administration |
SPIN | Sponsored Programs Information Network |
SRA | Society of Research Administrators |
SRO | Sponsored Research Office |
SEA | State Education Agency |
SRA | Society of Research Administrators |
TDC | Total Direct Costs |
TGA | The Grant Advisor |
UBIT | Unirelated Business Income Tax |
USC | United States Code |
USDA | United States Department of Agriculture |
Source: What Should I Know About ED Grants? (1995)
U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC
U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC