Gift Card Payment Procedures

The University of North Dakota often conducts research projects that involve voluntary participants. Payments to incentivize participation are made primarily via Amazon e-gift cards, depending on the circumstances of the study and the dollar amounts involved. CEHD follows UND’s Human Subject Payment Guidelines. In addition, this page provides college-specific guidelines and steps for issuing payments.

Guidelines

To reduce the College’s risk of loss and of misappropriation of funds:

• Compensation to participants will only be made via Amazon eGift Cards. Other forms of payment, such as cash or check, are not permissible. 
• Vendor (Amazon) will distribute eGift Cards. CEHD will not maintain any physical or electronic inventory.
• $250 is the current maximum amount allowed per participant.

How to Request Gift Cards

1. The PI will submit a CEHD Gift Card Request Form. Include the following:
   1. Number of gift cards requested
   2. Dollar amount of gift cards
   3. Funding source providing the funding (i.e., grant name or professional development funds)
   4. Whether participants’ names are to be kept confidential
      1. To protect confidential information, the list of recipients should not be attached to the request form.
2. The form will be routed to the CEHD ADRFD and the Grant Analyst for approval; the Grant Analyst will provide the funding source.
3. Once approved, a copy of the completed DocuSign form will be routed back to the PI.
4. The PI conducts research and identifies participants to receive gift cards.
5. The PI will send a secure email to CEHD Grant Analyst Rosemary Schultz with the following attachments:
   1. A copy of the approved CEHD Gift Card Request Form
   2. A copy of the Human Subjects Payment Tracking Log
      1. If subjects are confidential, do not include subject names. Instead, enter an identification number. Send a separate secure email to the ADRFD with an identification key.
6. The Grant Analyst will:
   1. Request a gift card waiver from UND Payment & Procurement Services.
   2. Order eGift Cards through Amazon using the Amazon eGift Card template.
   3. Use a P-Card as the payment source.
   4. Send the updated Human Subjects Payment Tracking Log via secure email to the ADRFD and PI.
7. eGift Cards will be distributed to recipients via email.
8. The ADRFD will maintain the completed Human Subjects Payment Tracking Log and identification key (if required) in a secure drive, according to Records Retention and audit requirements.

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