Develop a Budget

Developing a budget is an important part of the proposal process, and your budget must conform to established federal, UNH, and other sponsor requirements.

Grant and Contract Administrators (GCAs) provide one-on-one assistance with budget development. Contacting your GCA early and often will smooth the budget development process for you.

GCAs are assigned responsibility for specific departments/programs/campus offices.

 

View Proposals Knowledge Base

The Knowledge Base contains forms, instruction and training material, minutes, policies, tools and other resources to support your research efforts by topic area.


Costs, Considerations & Resources

Common Elements of a Budget

Budgets generally include two different types of costs: (1) direct costs and (2) facilities and administrative (F&A) costs.

Common Direct Costs include:

Salaries and Wages

Salary and wages for faculty, technicians, graduate students, and other personnel, including (occasionally) administrative and clerical personnel

  • Faculty Salary & Effort

Proposals should accurately represent the amount of direct research effort that key personnel are committing to the project.  The amount of effort committed to a sponsored project is based on a best estimate of the actual effort required to meet the goals and outcomes of the proposed project.

For federally funded projects, effort for all key personnel and in particular for faculty must be budgeted minimally at 1% or greater.  For more details, see the policy entitled,  Proposing, Managing, and Certifying Effort for Employees Engaged in Externally Sponsored Programs.

Personnel effort on all ACTIVE awards plus teaching load cannot exceed 100%.  In other words, summer salary + committed academic year research effort + Teaching load + Outreach + other obligations = 100%.

Faculty academic year (AY) and summer effort should be budgeted as separate line items.

Show basis of effort in accordance with sponsor guidelines – this is either represented on either a “person month” basis or % of effort. 

Effort charged to sponsored projects must be allocable, allowable, reasonable, and if awarded consistently reported and tracked in the Banner effort reporting system.

Some sponsors have salary caps or limitations on the amount of salary that may be charged to a grant.  Refer to sponsor guidelines.

Research Faculty/Other Key Personnel may not request, in a single proposal, to receive externally-sponsored salary support for more than 95% of his/her IBS.

Course Buyouts

With the approval of the Department Chair and Dean, faculty who wish to propose a course release to conduct research may do so at a cost of 1/8 of their nine-month academic salary.

Salary Caps

DHHS Salary Cap: An annual notice is provided by NIH that states the salary limit (expressed as a maximum institutional base salary) as well as the period that the salary limitation is effective. The applicable cap takes effect on the Project Start Date for new and competing awards, and the Budget Start Date for non-competing awards.  For additional information refer to the DHHS Salary Cap FAQ's.
 

The current Salary Cap rate and historical rates can be found at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/salcap_summary.htm

Department of Justice Salary Cap:  DOJ has a salary cap applicable to awards above $250,000 that limits the rate of compensation to 110% of the annual maximum salary payable to a member of the Federal Government’s Senior Executive Service (SES) at an agency with a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System for that year.

https://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/PostawardRequirements/chapter3.9b.htm

Executive & Senior Level Employee Pay Tables:

https://www.federalpay.org/ses/2018

 

Summer

If budgeted as summer effort, effort must be committed during the summer.  If budgeted as summer salary, effort cannot be committed during the academic year and paid out as summer effort/compensation.

Keep in mind that if 3 months of summer effort is budgeted in any given year, no non-sponsored project activities can take place during the period of compensation (no vacation, course planning, etc.)

  • Administrative/Clerical Positions

Non-federal sponsors: Administrative/clerical costs may be budgeted on non-federally funded projects as long as there are no restrictions in the sponsor guidelines and funding is not also prime federal.  Be aware of federal flow downs in the guidelines.

Federal Sponsors: Departmental administrative and clerical staff salaries are considered Facilities and Administrative costs (indirect costs) and are not typically charged to sponsored projects. If the sponsored agreement has specific requirements that mandate the use of administrative and clerical staff, or if the project requires significantly more administrative effort or expense, this need must be documented in accordance with the OMB Uniform Requirements and specifically identified in the sponsored agreement. These atypical administrative costs must be described in the budget justification.

  • Graduate Assistant Stipends

A full time graduate assistant devotes one-half time to studies and one half-time to graduate assistant duties.  During the summer, graduate assistants can work 40 hours per week. Graduate students should be budgeted at the minimum levels reflected on the rate sheet.

NIH Awards: maximum amount awarded by NIH for graduate students supported on research grants or cooperative agreements is tied to the zero level National Research Service Award (NRSA) postdoctoral stipend in effect at the time the grant award is issued.

Fringe Benefits

The fringe benefit rate covers expenses associated with salaries, such as insurance, retirement benefits, etc. These are a direct cost to a sponsored project, are clearly related to the salaries and wages to be paid, and are shown as a separate entry in the budget.

Current Rates

Equipment

UNH has adopted the definition of equipment as an article of non-expendable, tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5000 or more.

UNH’s equipment policy provides a comprehensive explanation. Purchases of major equipment are subject to agency/sponsor regulations and award terms and conditions.  Estimates should be based on written quotations or catalog prices

Before budgeting equipment on a sponsored project, assure that the:

  • Equipment is necessary for the performance of the project
  • Equipment is allowable
  • Cost of equipment is reasonable
  • Equipment purchase is allocable to the project (i.e., equipment benefits this particular project)
  • Timing of the purchase is consistent with the project's period of performance

 

General purpose (non-scientific) equipment budgeted in a proposal will require an especially careful budget justification. A similar type of justification is needed if you are proposing to purchase general purpose equipment. Office equipment is normally considered an indirect cost. 

Equipment is excluded from the F&A cost base

Fabricated Equipment

Many research projects include the design, development, and building of equipment that is not available commercially. Equipment that cannot be purchased “off the shelf,” and is built by the research team, is called “fabricated equipment.”

If fabrication of equipment at UNH is anticipated, a cost estimate of the completed equipment should be developed based on required materials and components.

Characteristics of fabricated equipment:

  • Unique, specialized equipment
  • Not commercially available
  • Useful life of more than one year
  • Aggregate cost of materials and services is $5,000 or more May require sponsor approval.

Fabricated equipment is considered equipment for F&A purposes. If the cost of the fabrication is more than $5,000, the fabricated equipment is excluded from the F&A calculation. If the cost of fabrication is less than $5,000, the fabricated equipment is included in the F&A calculation.

Fabricated items delivered to sponsors or sponsor directed third parties are not be considered Fabricated Equipment. Instead the items will be coded as Sponsor Deliverable Equipment and will incur F&A.

Please refer to Fabricated Equipment guidance and Sponsor Deliverable Equipment guidance for further information.

Supplies

Supplies are defined as expendable property with an acquisition cost of less than $5,000 per unit and/or a life expectancy of less than one year.

  • General Purpose Supplies 

General-purpose office supplies are usually considered facilities and administrative costs, and are therefore not allowed as direct costs. When items normally considered office supplies are purchased for technical or scientific use on a project, charges may be allowable as direct costs if appropriately justified. Office supplies paid from a sponsored project must be consumed within the life of the project.

The category of office supplies also includes general-purpose software and site licenses (e.g., Word, Excel, GroupWise, etc.), and these items are not normally allowable as direct costs. Software is only allowable if it is special-purpose software required for data acquisition or interpretation for a sponsored research project.

The budget narrative should list each item being requested along with its unit cost. A justification is required which describes the circumstances of the project and demonstrates why the items are needed and how these charges comply with university policy

General purpose supplies can be proposed to non-federal sponsors that do not prohibit it as long as they directly benefit the project.

  • Technical Supplies

Technical supplies is a broad category of costs that contains the following.

  • all non-capital items
  • laboratory materials and supplies
  • chemicals

The project needs will drive what you can budget in this cost category. The costs must benefit the project, and be specifically identifiable to the project. 

  • Communications (Cell phone/Telephone)

Due to the difficulty in identifying portions of a communications bill to a specific award or other university activity with a high degree of accuracy and certainty, communication expenses are generally included in the indirect cost calculations and treated as indirect costs. 

What communication costs can be charged as a direct expense?

Communication expenses that can be linked to a specific sponsored project with a high degree of accuracy and are used primarily for the sponsored project may be charged as a direct expense.  Examples of communication expenses that may be charged as a direct cost include the following: 

  • Itemized long distance telephone charges for communication related specifically to an award
  • Communication devices used exclusively for conducting surveys
  • Telephones and PDAs used exclusively to manage a multi-site research project
  • Dedicated telephone lines set up to receive data feeds from the field or conduct surveys
  • Incremental expenses for international coverage for UNH employees in travel status
  • Cell phones in remote locations where communication infrastructure is limited

Computing Devices

Computing devices are defined as machines that cost less than $5,000 and are used to acquire, store, analyze, process, and publish data and other information electronically, including accessories or peripherals for printing, transmitting and receiving, or storing electronic information.

University policy which reflects the Uniform Guidance defines computing devices as supplies that may be charged directly to federal and non-federal sponsored awards.

Federal Sponsor Proposals - Computing devices can be charges as supplies, however, the rules governing their allowability and allocability has not changed and may be direct charges to the project under the following circumstances:

  • Essential for the purposes of carrying out the specific aim(s) of the project
  • Above and beyond what is normally provided by the department for academic use; and
  • Charged to the grant in some reasonable proportion relative to how much it is used for the funded project.

All three items should be addressed in your budget justification.

Non-Federal Sponsors - Budgeting of computing devices to a non-federal sponsor is appropriate if the computing device benefits the project.  Some non-federal sponsors may have specific requirements for direct charging of computing devices. 

Consultants

Consultants are independent contractors, not employees, who provide a service that cannot be performed satisfactorily by existing University personnel during the performance of the project.  The consultant costs should include the period of service or the number of days on the project, the professional fee, travel expenses and other related expenses.

Note that some sponsors limit the rate at which consultants can be paid.

Travel

Domestic and foreign travel should be shown separately.

List the name, destination, and purpose of the trip. Include transportation costs (e.g., coach airfare), registration fees, accommodation fees, and other related expenses. Base the estimate on actual projected costs for the likely destination.

Budget all travel estimates in compliance with the USNH Travel Policy

In addition to meeting institutional policy requirements, travel costs charged to grants and contracts are subject to specific limitations and restrictions, in accordance with terms set by the sponsor. Travel policies of federal and non-federal sponsors vary. Travelers on University trips that are funded directly or indirectly by a federal grant or contract must abide by the federal rules on air travel.

Fly America Act: For international air travel, federal requirements state that American carriers be used when a traveler is flying between the U.S. and another country or between other countries to the maximum extent possible. Convenience and/or expense are not considered appropriate reasons for not using U.S. carriers. Foreign travel paid from federal contracts and grants requires advance approval by Accounting and Financial Compliance and often the sponsoring agency.

Subawards

Subawards (or subcontracts) are agreements by which some scientific or programmatic aspects of an award made to the University are contracted out to another organization or institution under the direction of a non-University investigator.

The subrecipient (subcontractor or subawardee) is expected to work with autonomy and take full responsibility for its portion of the work. This level of independence and participation in the development and execution of the project distinguishes the subrecipeint from the provider of a purchased service (vendor).

The primary proposal submitted to the sponsor should include evidence of commitment from the subawardee, including a statement of work, proposed budget and evidence of institutional endorsement.

The subrecipient budget is inclusive of the subrecipient's F&A. The subrecipient's direct and indirect costs are included in the University's budget as direct costs.

The University applies F&A on the first $25K of the total subcontract budget.

Other

Other costs could include items such as animal care, long distance telephone charges, duplicating costs, leases/rentals, etc.

Tuition

According to Uniform Guidance, tuition remission for students is an allowable direct charge on federal grants and contracts.  For institutions of higher education, fringe benefits in the form of graduate tuition is allowable, provided such benefits are granted in accordance with established university policies and are distributed to all non-federal entity activities on an equitable basis.

The following conditions must be met in order for the graduate student to be eligible for tuition from grants and contracts:

  • The student is performing research services that are necessary for the completion of the grant or contract objectives.
  • During the academic period, the student is enrolled in an advanced degree program at the University of New Hampshire, and the activities of the student in relation to the award are related to the degree program.
  • The total amount of compensation, including tuition paid to or for a student, is reasonable for the services performed and is conditioned explicitly upon the performance of necessary work; and
  • Tuition remission and other support is provided in accordance with the established educational institutional policy. 

Graduate Student Tuition – Budget as a Direct Cost

  • In circumstances where sponsors allow for full tuition and fees, the amount for the fall and spring semester (excludes the J-Term which cannot be charged to a grant or contract) must be budgeted at the proposal stage either as a sponsor paid cost or as cost sharing when the student will receive tuition assistance directly from the university. Tuition and fees charged in this manner are exempt from indirect costs (IDC).
  • In circumstances where sponsors have an explicit policy stating that tuition charges are not allowed on grants and contracts, the university may provide comparable tuition scholarships for students supported on such grants and contracts as cost-sharing contribution by the university.
  • NIH requires that the total Graduate Research Assistant compensation (the sum of stipend plus the tuition remission and associated allowable fees) not exceed the Year 0 Postdoc salary (currently $50,004).
  • All months of the semester for which tuition is being charged to the grant must be within the grant's period of performance.

Current Rates

 

Participant Support Costs

Direct costs for stipends or subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in connection with conferences or training projects.

Participant support costs are allowable if the project includes an education or outreach component, the costs are separately budgeted, and the agency approves the cost.

Include the following in budget justification: “The inclusion of the participant support costs in the budget and the subsequent award by agency will be considered prior agency approval.”

Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs

Facilities and Administrative (F&A)  costs, also known as "indirect" or "overhead" costs, are project-related expenses that cannot be identified readily and specifically to a particular sponsored project, e.g., the costs of heat and air conditioning, electricity, building maintenance, security, libraries, administrative services, etc. Accurately attributing each of these costs to each sponsored project would be very difficult. Nevertheless, indirect costs are real costs to the university and the government recognizes the university's right to claim them as expenses related to sponsored projects.

To this end, the university and the federal government negotiate rates for F&A cost reimbursement based on a.) the type of work being done, i.e., research, instruction, other sponsored activities (public service/outreach) and b.) whether the majority of the work is being done on- or off-campus, with “off-campus” defined as facilities not owned or leased by the university.

How to determine which F&A rate to apply

At the University, the majority of externally sponsored projects (i.e. grants, contracts and cooperative agreements) support Organized Research activities, but a smaller amount may be classified as Instruction or Other Sponsored Activities.  The categorization of the sponsored activity determines the appropriate facilities and administrative rate (F&A) to be applied. Within each category, projects are further defined as on-campus or off-campus, based on the primary location of a majority of the project’s activities and UNH personnel effort.

F&A rates applicable to each type of sponsored project are outlined in UNH’s negotiated rate agreement.  If a project includes any Organized Research component then the project must use the Organized Research F&A rate.

The Office of Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) is responsible for determining applicability of the appropriate F&A rate. Principal Investigators who believe an off-campus F&A rate is applicable to their project should carefully review this guidance. If an off-campus rate appears applicable, the PI should contact their GCA early in the proposal/budget development process to secure SPA approval of the off-campus rate. This approval must be in place prior to routing a proposal for submission to the sponsor.

Definitions

I. Organized Research

Organized Research and related scholarship activities include the rigorous inquiry, experiment or investigation to increase the scholarly understanding of the involved discipline. These activities may be sponsored by federal and non-federal (i.e. private, foundation) organizations.

The following are examples of Organized Research (OR):

  • Scientific laboratory or field research
  • Searching for applications of new research findings or other knowledge
  • Conceptual formulation and design of possible product or process alternatives
  • Statistical studies
  • Literary interpretations or criticisms
  • Health-related studies
  • Research on teaching effectiveness
  • External funding to develop and maintain facilities or equipment and/or operation of a center or facility which will be used for research
  • Creation of academic and professional publications
  • Scholarship or writing of books, when the purpose of the writing is to publish research results
  • Awards to departments, centers or schools for the support of the training of research techniques of students or postdoctoral scholars, e.g., research training grants

II. Other Sponsored Activities

Other Sponsored Activities are defined as projects funded by sponsors that involve the performance of work other than Organized Research. These activities may be sponsored by federal and non-federal (i.e. private, foundation) organizations.

The following are examples of Other Sponsored Activities (OSA):

  • Health service projects
  • Community service projects
  • Community health clinics
  • Public broadcasting services
  • Museum and gallery exhibits
  • Conferences, seminars and workshops
  • Special events open to the public
  • Travel Grants

III. Instruction

Instruction means the teaching and training activities of an institution financed by federal, state and private agencies and organizations. Except for research training as described above, this term includes all teaching and training activities, whether they are offered for credits toward a degree or certificate or on a non-credit basis, and whether they are offered through regular academic departments or separate divisions, such as a summer school division or an extension division. It includes activities that are part of the University’s instruction program to communicate educational content for-credit and not-for-credit courses.

Examples include:

  • Teaching
  • Course and curriculum development
  • Academic advising and development

III. Off-Campus

  • Activities performed in facilities not owned by UNH and to which rent is directly allocated to the project.
  • More than 50% of the project activities and effort are performed off-campus.

In cases where activities are performed in facilities not owned by UNH and space-related costs are not directly charged to the program, the determination of off-campus or on-campus will be based on project facts and circumstances presented within the proposal, consistent with the categorization of costs as submitted in the F&A rate proposal.

All federal sponsors are expected to pay the federal negotiated indirect rates; exceptions will be documented in the Program Announcement or Solicitation. All direct nonfederal sponsors (i.e. funds are being "passed through" from a federal agency) are expected to pay the university's fully burdened F&A rate.

Please view detailed information on the F&A Rates.

Estimating the cost of a research project is an inherently unpredictable exercise; primarily because the manner in which a research endeavor progresses is itself unpredictable.   Experience makes the exercise easier to carry off and liberal rebudgeting authority from sponsors (when it is offered) makes precise estimating less critical.

Federal agencies will generally provide either a form or a prescribed format for estimating and presenting cost; it is important to follow their instructions explicitly. Many agencies that haven’t developed their own forms use this as their standard format.

Budgets have to be built obeying the rules of both Uniform Guidance disclosed cost accounting practices. 

Cost Sharing

Cost sharing is the portion of the total project costs of a specific sponsored agreement that is borne by the University rather than the sponsor.  Cost sharing normally represents a reallocation of resources, e.g., RC Unit to partially support an externally sponsored project.  You can propose cost sharing for only those expenses that would qualify as allowable project costs.

Step One:     Determine if cost-sharing is mandated by the sponsor.
 

Cost share only when required by the sponsor.  Unless mandated by the sponsoring agency, do not cost-share.

Unnecessary cost sharing adds an administrative cost and burden to the principal investigator, the college, the Controller’s Office, and other administrative functions on campus due to the need for creating an adequate and auditable trail for those costs.

Undocumented or improperly documented cost sharing leaves UNH vulnerable to audit findings. Mandatory or voluntary?  Cost sharing is classified as either “mandatory” or “voluntary”.

  • If the published sponsor guidelines include language that either requires cost sharing, cost sharing is considered “mandatory.”
  • In the absence of sponsor published guidelines supporting the need to cost share, cost sharing would be seen as “voluntary” and therefore strongly discouraged by the University.
  • Some sponsors require proof of “institutional commitments,” but this requirement does not necessarily mandate the inclusion of quantifiable cost sharing.  Instead, it generally calls for non-monetized commitments in support of the project.  For example, a statements from the Principal Investigator’s Chair for protecting a faculty member’s time for research that would ordinarily be committed to teaching.  When cost sharing is not mandated by the sponsor, but institutional commitments are required, do not provide monetized descriptions of institutional support. When in doubt, consult with your Grant and Contract Administrator.

Conclusion:  the sponsor must have a requirement within the solicitation in order to cost share.

Step two:      Identify eligible budget categories to cost share and secure approvals. 

Mandatory cost sharing can include direct cost budget items and F&A (indirect) costs, depending upon the specific requirements of the sponsor. 

Important considerations:

  • Cost sharing must be from non-federal sources
  • Cost-shared personnel and items must contribute directly to the project
  • Cost sharing is expended during the project's period of performance

Contributed Time and Effort

 

Faculty Time/Effort: The value of faculty time/effort can be offered as a cash contribution as long as this cost sharing occurs during the project period and while the faculty member is under a continuing contract with the University. Federal regulations prohibit the use of unpaid summer months for faculty and staff with nine-month appointments.

For example, if the project period is from January 1 to December 31 (a calendar year) the typical faculty member would be able to cost share his or her effort during the nine-month academic year (AY) but not during the summer months when he or she is not under contract with the University. Note: This would be true even if the faculty member elects to have their nine-month salary paid/spread out over a twelve-month period.

By approving the cost share form, the dean/director is approving the faculty member’s total effort (contributed and sponsored) on the project as described in the proposal. The dean/director also is agreeing to ensure that the faculty member’s effort on sponsored projects combined with his/her other University duties and responsibilities will not exceed 1 FTE if the project is funded.

Administrative Staff Effort: Administrative costs typically are charged to a sponsor as part of the University’s F&A rate. In order to cost share the value of administrative staff time on a federal project, the administrative activity involved must be above and beyond the individual’s normal administrative duties and clearly be project related, i.e., “integral” to the project. The department/unit also must be able to document the administrator’s specific time and effort on the project. PIs are strongly encouraged to discuss this type of cost sharing with your GCA prior to including this type of cost sharing in a proposal.

In Summary:

  • All cost sharing amounts and their associated account numbers must be listed on the Cost Sharing Form. This cost sharing must also be authorized with a signature, where indicated, by the individual authorized to commit the shared funds.  Typically for salaries, it is the department head or dean. 
  • Cost sharing of salaries is allowable for the portion of salary associated with any UNH employee's effort committed to the proposed project.
  • Cost sharing of salaries must be from a non-federal account.

Fringe
Only cost share fringe that is associated with cost-shared salary. 

Equipment
Equipment can be cost shared only if it meets the following criteria:

  • Has not already been purchased.
  • Will be purchased specifically for exclusive use on the project.
  • Purchased during the project’s period of performance.
  • Ownership of equipment will remain with UNH at the end of the project period.
  • Must be cost shared from a non-federal account, and approved by the account owner on the Cost Sharing Form, typically the department chair if shared with departmental funds. The form must include account number from which the equipment will be paid.

Other Direct Costs

Examples of Allowable Cost Sharing:

  • Travel
  • Material and supplies
  • Other project expenses

F&A (Indirect) Costs

  • Unless the guidelines explicitly state otherwise, cost sharing can be claimed on the indirect costs associated with the direct charges being shown as UNH’s cost share.
  • Should the indirect cost rate the sponsor allows be lower than the University’s negotiated rate, the difference between the two rates may also be used as University cost share. In the event of an indirect cost waiver from the Senior Vice Provost for Research, those indirect costs may also be cost shared.
  • If it is anticipated that an Indirect Cost Waiver or reduction will be requested, follow the Procedure for Indirect Cost Waiver. (section 7)

Subcontractor Cost Share
If the budget includes a subcontract to another organization, that organization can include shared costs in their own budget if the following is observed:

  • The cost sharing is specifically signed off by the authorizing official of that organization, their SPA equivalent.
  • Costs must be auditable.  A rule of thumb to follow is to show only those type of costs allowed by UNH (salaries, fringe, F&A costs, etc - items with audit trails).

Third Party Cost Share
When necessary to meet mandatory sponsor requirements, cost share provided by third parties is allowed.  Please note, should it not come through, or be disallowed by the sponsor, the amount of cost share must come from other University sources, or will result in a cost disallowance and payback to the sponsoring agency.

The third-party cost-share request should include:

  • The third-party contributor must provide SPA with a letter of support/commitment. This letter would provide detail about the resources committed and should be signed by the individual authorized to make such commitments.
  • Shared costs must be auditable and directly allocable to the project and documented in the letter of support/commitment.
  • Third-party cost sharing offered voluntarily in a proposal—as with all UNH-offered voluntary cost sharing—becomes a commitment under the terms of the award, and represents a binding obligation of the University.

Cautionary Guidance
Cost sharing is normally stated in the budget. However, cost sharing commitments can be stated in the budget explanation or justification or in the text of the narrative. No matter where cost sharing commitments are found within the proposal, statements of cost sharing commitment can be legally binding on the institution should the proposal be funded, even when not required by the sponsor. By using language in proposals that cites percentage of time, salaries, or specific levels of support, PIs can commit to cost sharing, often unintentionally. In all instances where cost sharing is specified and quantified in a federal proposal, the PI and University will be obligated to account for and document these commitments along with funds awarded by the federal sponsor.


Examples of Suggested Language

The examples below may be used in proposals to address the issue of academic or programmatic contributions or support when cost sharing is not required or intended. Also below are examples of language not to use when cost sharing is required by the sponsor.

COST SHARING NOT REQUIRED - EXAMPLES (Use when there is no cost sharing commitment required by the sponsor.):

  • The University of New Hampshire fully supports the academic year salaries of Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors, but makes no specific commitment of time or salary to this particular project.
  • Professor X will be providing expert advice and consultation to the project, as needed.
  • The University demonstrates support to the project through the availability and expertise of the Project Director (or PI).
  • Professor X is PI and requests 25% salary support for this project. She will provide additional support to the project, as needed.
  • Professor X will direct all research activities associated with the project [specify...]
  • Professor X will oversee [all aspects of] the project.
  • Dr. Y will participate in the project at every stage [specify...]
  • Professor X will provide scientific direction and supervision for the project [including...]
  • Professor X will have significant involvement through the project. She will be providing expert advice and consultation on all aspects of the research.
  • Dr. Y is PI and requests 30% salary support to the project. He will provide additional support as needed.
  • Professor X’s laboratory is 800 square feet. She also has access to the departmental [equipment name] that is beneficial to the research.
  • The University demonstrates support to the multistage project through the availability and expertise of the project director.
  • Dr. Y will be integrally involved in the project. He will have access to equipment that will ensure the successful execution of the proposed research and she will see the data analysis and report writing through to completion.
  • The PI will have access to additional resources, such as [equipment name], to ensure the successful execution of this scope of work
  • No salary support is being requested for Professor X; however she will provide intellectual direction for the project, will have direct and significant involvement throughout the project, and will co-author publications.

Terms to Avoid

The following are “Red Flag” Terms that suggest cost sharing is present. (Avoid using these terms unless cost sharing is required by the sponsor.)

  • Cost sharing
  • Sharing
  • Matching
  • In-kind
  • Donate
  • Commit % or $
  • Allocate % or $
  • Exclusive Use
  • Volunteer
  • Support at no cost
  • Contribute

COST SHARING REQUIRED - EXAMPLES (Only use when a cost sharing commitment is required.):

  • The University of New Hampshire is highly supportive of this project and agrees to be responsible for the salary of the PI for its duration.
  • Effort equivalent to $xx,xxx in salary and benefits will be provided by the Professor X.
  • An annual stipend of $xx,xxx is requested for one full-time Graduate Student Researcher. In addition, the University of New Hampshire will cost-share the graduate student’s out-of-state tuition at an amount approximately totaling $xx,xxx per year.
  • Professor X will devote 20% of her time to the project at no cost to the sponsor.
  • Dr. Y is PI and will devote 40% effort (30% salary support requested) to the project.
  • The department will purchase a [equipment name] (cost $xx,xxx) for exclusive use in support of Professor X’s project.
  • The University demonstrates support and will contribute to the multistage project through partial salary for the project director.
  • Dr. Y will contribute a week of field work and the time required for data analysis and report writing, and he will supply all equipment.
  • The PI will be contributing funds from other sources for use of [equipment name] to ensure that this scope of work can be performed on the proposed budget.
  • Professor X will provide intellectual direction of the project and co-author publications. Her time (5% effort) will be contributed by the College.

 

 See also:

 

F&A Costs/ Waivers

Facility and Administrative (F&A) costs are actual cash expenses of the university, related to research and other activities. Funded sponsored projects need to pay their share of these costs. It is the university’s policy that the appropriate F&A cost rate shall be used with each funded project. In rare instances, the principal investigator may feel there are extenuating circumstances that warrant an exception to the recovery of full F&A costs. A waiver may be requested and justified in writing by the principal investigator, and approved by SPA and the RC Unit.

There are certain programs where a sponsor either prohibits or restricts F&A costs to less than the university’s negotiated rates. This does not require a specific waiver request. A copy of the sponsor’s published rates should be attached to the proposal when it is processed. In addition, if a new faculty member is transferring awards from their previous institution, the previous institution’s F&A rate will be honored if it is less than UNH’s federally negotiated F&A rate.

When a sponsor allows for the recovery of full F&A costs, but the principal investigator wishes to request a waiver or reduction of these costs, the Request for F&A Waiver form must be completed and submitted to SPA. The approved waiver form should accompany the proposal, but additional time should be allowed for review and approval, and the PI should be prepared to provide a revised budget based on the approval or denial of the request.

There are certain times, however, when it is necessary for the university to grant either a reduction in the amount of the F&A charged on a grant, or to alter the distribution of the non-federally-mandated portion of the F&A funds in order to meet the requirements of an opportunity.

 See also:

Contact Information

Sponsored Programs Administration
Service Bldg. Room 111
51 College Road
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: (603) 862-4865
Fax: (603) 862-3564

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