Budget Preparation
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Budget Preparation
A complete and accurate budget is essential for a strong proposal. Use the following information as a guideline only — always follow sponsor-specific forms and instructions.
Need help with budget preparation? Contact the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration.
Cost Categories
Include salaries and wages for:
- Principal & co-principal investigators
- Research associates/assistants, technicians, project directors
- Undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral trainees.
- Administrative support (as allowable), such as administrative assistants and secretary time
- X-pay/lump sum payments (as allowable)
- Cost-of-living increases
All personnel must also be assigned:
- Percentage effort for each person
- Percent Credit for RIF purposes (previously known as "percent collaboration")
- Fringe benefit rates (sign in required) include health/life insurance, accidental death, long-term disability, vacation time, sick leave, etc.
- Non-UofL employees providing services, not included in personnel or subcontract categories
- Per diem or hourly amounts
- Related travel (airfare, ground transportation, lodging, etc.)
For stand-alone items $5,000 or greater, to be used one year or longer, include:
- Vendor quotes or benchmark pricing
- Installation and shipping costs (if included in total cost of equipment)
- Warranties and service contracts (if included in total cost of equipment)
If applicable, you may also need to include relevant travel costs, including:
- Number of trips, persons, and days
- Airfare and ground transportation (bus, cab, subway, rental car, etc.)
- Lodging
- Meals
- Conference fees/registrations
- Incidentals (business-related phone calls, faxes, etc.
These costs may include:
- Stipends (for non-UofL students or employees)
- Subsistence and travel (airfare, ground transportation, lodging, etc.)
- Patient care costs
Unless otherwise indicated by the sponsor, Participant Support Costs do not include any gifts or incentives being budgeted for individuals who have been enrolled in a research study.
These costs are subject to indirect costs (F&A):
- Publication/page charges
- Long-distance phone, fax, virtual conference charges
- Materials and supplies
- Rental/equipment use fees
- Small equipment and components under $5,000/maintenance costs
- Sub-contract/sub-recipients (F&A on first $25,000 of each subaward)
These additional costs are NOT subject to indirect costs (F&A):
- Student stipends, tuition, and fees (handled by the Bursar's Office)
Indirect Costs/Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs
- View detailed information on Indirect Costs, also known as Facilities & Administrative (F&A) costs.
Some funding opportunities will require cost sharing, where the university also must contribute to the project's total budget. This generally takes one of two forms:
- Cash
- In-kind (faculty time, unrecovered F&A, facilities, etc.)
Review your funding solicitation to confirm whether cost sharing is required and, if so, what forms are allowed. If a cost share amount appears in a letter of institutional commitment or support, contact resdevel@louisville.edu for guidance and approval.
Indirect costs, also known as facilities and administrative (F&A) costs, or research operating costs, represent the real expenses the University of Louisville incurs to support research and other sponsored activities. These costs include:
- Compliance and administrative support
- Library services and information technology (IT) operations
- Utilities (water, electricity, heating, and cooling)
- Facilities and equipment
- Physical plant operations and maintenance and security
- Sponsored programs administration
- Central administrative offices (e.g., Human Resources and Purchasing)