What are Temporary Cash Advances?
A temporary cash advance is issued to a permanent university employee to support specific business needs when other payment methods are not feasible. These advances are primarily used for human-subject incentive payments that require cash or for approved change funds.
Cash advances may not be used for gift card purchases. For gift cards, refer to the Procurement Shopping Guide. Travel-related expenses are also not eligible under this process.
Any permanent employee may submit requests; a Principal Investigator (PI) designation is not required. OPS employees, student employees, and graduate assistants are not eligible.
The individual receiving the advance, referred to as the “advance holder”, is responsible for safeguarding the funds, using them only for approved purposes, maintaining appropriate documentation, and reconciling and returning any unused funds in a timely manner. Funds must not be commingled with personal or departmental accounts, and failure to properly manage or reconcile an advance may result in loss of future access.
Updated 8/26/26
