So Do I Really Need A Budget

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So Do I ReallyNeed A Budget?

• Dr. Penny Coggins
• Vice President for Grants Development
• and Applied Research
• Redlands Community College
• Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
• Summer Grant Writing Institute, 2006

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The Truth About Budgets

• Each source has specific requirements

Read The RFP!!!
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DO NOT GIVE READERSA REASON NOT TO FUND YOUR
PROPOSAL BECAUSE OF ABUDGET ISSUE!
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Typical budget categories

• Personnel
• Benefits
• Travel
• Equipment
• Supplies

• Contractual
• Construction
• Other
• Indirect Costs
• Stipends

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Budget Sections

• At least two budget sections
• Forms
• Summary form
• Detail form
• Justification
• Narrative explaining each budget item

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Personnel

• Salaries in line with salaries for similar
  positions
• Plan NOW for after the grant
• Do not overload the application with personnel
• Will you need secretarial support for the
  project?
• Be realistic, dont cut the personnel short

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Benefits/Fringe

• Show a breakdown of all fringe benefits
• Different levels will have different benefits
  calculations
• If it is not in the application, the grant will
  NOT pay for it.

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Travel

• READ THE RFP!!!!
• Who is allowed to travel, where are they allowed
  to go and why are they traveling
• Asking for travel that is not in compliance with
  the guidelines will kill your funding chances!

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Equipment

• RFPs define equipment based upon cost.
• For example a RFP may state that Equipment is
  defined as any individual item that costs 5,000
  or more. Many RFPs will also state that you
  should use this amount unless your institution
  defines equipment at a lower cost. You are
  obliged to use your institutions definition or
  the 5,000, whichever is the LOWER figure.

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Supplies

• Usually for items under 5,000
• Computers can be purchased here unless
  specifically prohibited in the RFP or over 5,000
  individually
• You may want to differentiate between consumable
  teaching materials and consumable office
  supplies
• Do NOT overload this section. Be reasonable, but
  plan for a full year.

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Contractual

• Any fee-for-service situations required to be
  successful in the grant
• Some guidelines place evaluation services here
  (include travel expenses for evaluator)
• Other examples Guest speakers, program
  consultants, architectural services

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Construction

• BE VERY CAREFUL HERE! This is a touchy thing
  for most agencies!
• Is this allowable and to what extent?
• If it is allowable, generalize the narrative
  --dont create future problems for yourself
• Most grants are non-construction grants, meaning
  you cant build a building
• many grants will allow for renovation of a
  relating to the objectives of the grant

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Other

• This category often has a specific definition so
  read and ask questions if you are not certain
  what goes here
• Items in this category should be specific and
  minimal
• This is NOT a catch-all category

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Indirect Costs

• Each RFP has specific guidelines for this
  category
• Are indirect costs allowable?
• If allowable, is their a maximum? If so, USE IT!
• Know if and at what level your institution has
  negotiated indirect costs

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Indirect Costs

• If you institution has does not have a negotiated
  indirect cost figure, be very reasonable about
  what you add to the grant
• Indirect costs are not add on funds. They must
  be accounted for within the maximum funding limit
  of the RFP.

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Stipends

• Few grants allow for stipends
• If allowable, the guidelines are specific as to
  their use
• Indirect costs are (typically) not calculated on
  stipends

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When in Doubt, READ THE RFP!!!