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Effort Certification

Beginning with Summer 2026 Effort Certification, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ will use the new Effort Certification (ECC) module. Faculty will certify their effort directly in ECC, with research support staff providing guidance and support throughout the process.

Summer 2026 certification will open October 5 and close December 9. Faculty with effort to certify will receive an email notification when certification opens with instructions on how to access ECC, review their effort information, and complete certification.

Access ECC: .

Additional guidance, resources, and support information are available below. If you have questions during the certification period, contact effort-certification@andrew.cmu.edu.

Get Ready for Summer 2026 Certification

For Faculty

Faculty are responsible for reviewing and certifying their own effort in ECC. The resources below will help you understand what is changing, prepare for certification, and complete your certification when it opens.

• Watch: for an introduction to what is changing and what the certification experience will look like.
• Get Ready: Summer 2026 Certification Overview for key dates, what to expect, and where to get help for Summer 2026 certification.
• Follow: for step-by-step instructions to review and complete your certification.

For Research Support Staff

Research support staff will continue to review effort information, support faculty, monitor certification progress, and help resolve or escalate issues throughout the certification period.

• Watch: for an overview of the new process, the faculty experience, and the research support role.
• Get Ready: Research Support Summer 2026 Certification Overview for key dates, responsibilities, resources, and support information for Summer 2026 certification.
• Follow: & for detailed system instructions, reports, and common tasks.

Additional Resources

• Find Answers: Effort Certification FAQs
• Review: 

Reach out to effort-certification@andrew.cmu.edu for additional help.

The effort certification process is organized into three periods: spring, summer, and fall. Each certification period adheres to a strict schedule. The table below lists the date when each certification system opens  and closes. 

Federal statues, regulations, and sponsor-specific requirements governing sponsored awards require institutions to maintain internal controls that ensure salaries and wages charged to those awards accurately reflect work performed. Effort certification is the University’s primary mechanism for demonstrating that:

• Salary charges to sponsored projects are reasonable, allocable, and allowable.
• Effort commitments made to sponsors are met, documented, and accurately reflect the work performed. 
• Committed cost sharing is properly documented and supported.

Teaching, research, service, and administration are often interrelated in academic settings; therefore, effort certification represents a reasonable estimate of effort rather than a precise accounting of hours.

At the end of each reporting period, effort information is prepared for certification in ECC. Research support staff review effort information throughout the reporting period and can help address questions or corrections as needed. For additional information on effort certification requirements and procedures, review ,, and . 

When certification opens, faculty with federally sponsored effort and awards requiring certification will receive an automated email from ECC. Faculty will:

1. Access ECC using ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ single sign-on.
2. Review their effort statement. Principal Investigators may also be responsible for reviewing and certifying award statement(s).
3. Contact their research support staff if something does not look correct.
4. Certify directly in ECC.

Research support staff will continue to support faculty throughout the certification period, monitor outstanding certifications, and help resolve or escalate issues as needed.