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  2. Sponsored Program Services
  3. Compliance
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Compliance

What is PPASA?

The Pre-Award and Post-Award Support & Analysis (PPASA) team is part of Sponsored Program Services (SPS) and serves as a central resource for financial oversight, compliance, and operational support for sponsored research at UConn. PPASA partners closely with SPS Post Award staff, Principal Investigators, departmental administrators, and internal auditors to ensure that sponsored funds are managed responsibly and in full accordance with University policies, as well as federal, state, sponsor, and award-specific regulations.

PPASA plays a key role in strengthening institutional processes by reviewing, standardizing, and streamlining workflows. The team supports SPS Post Award, departments, and University staff to identify needs, leading development efforts, and implementing new initiatives that promote efficiency, compliance and research excellence. PPASA’s mission reflects a commitment to continuous improvement and to moving beyond traditional practices in support of evolving best practices.

PPASA provides measurable value to the University by strengthening financial stewardship, reducing institutional risk, and promoting consistent compliance across sponsored programs. Through proactive monitoring, transaction-level reviews, and early engagement with faculty and departments, PPASA helps identify and address potential compliance issues before they escalate into audit findings and/or disallowed costs. By supporting standardized practices, reinforcing internal controls, and serving as a central compliance and advisory resource, PPASA enhances UConn’s audit readiness, protects sponsor relationships, and supports the long-term sustainability and credibility of the University’s research enterprise.

Who is PPASA?

Ella Sun, Director elsun@uchc.edu
Matthew Cahill, Assistant Director matthew.cahill@uconn.edu
Michelle Owens, Grants and Contracts Specialist michelle.owens@uconn.edu
Cansu Kaya-Yavas, Grants and Contracts Assistant cansu.kaya_yavas@uconn.edu

What Does PPASA Do?

PPASA provides oversight and support through a wide range of activities, including:

  • Monitoring subrecipients to ensure institutional and sponsor compliance
  • Reviewing sponsored project transactions, including PCard and HuskyBuy purchases, to ensure allowability and consistency
  • Conducting new award outreach to support compliant Post Award setup and spending
  • Performing risk-based reviews and data analysis to identify trends and improvement opportunities
  • Participating in RFPs and providing consultative support for sponsored projects and SPS initiatives
  • Collaborating with SPS Post Award, departments, and internal partners to strengthen internal controls and enhance audit readiness
  • Managing human research participant payment system, which streamlines and automates participant payments while ensuring compliance, accuracy, and real-time tracking