Marj Townsend, CRA Research Advancement Manager School of Life Sciences Arizona State University Karin Park Grant and Contract Officer Office for Research and Sponsored Projects Administration Arizona State University

Planning!

Start early Find out who will be involved If you have other institutions involved, provide them with a specific dollar amount and stick to that amount Have a “user” friendly budget template Set a deadline for final budget Use the who, what, where and when approach

Who are the Co-I’s? Who else is involved? a. Department RA staff b. Sponsored Projects Staff c. Other institution contacts Who will be doing what?

What kind of project is it? a. Construction b. Organized Research c. Public Service What’s the sponsor budget dollar limitations?

On campus or off campus? Foreign travel? Travel to partner sites? In the field or lab?

When is it due to the sponsor? If you have subs or collaborators, when do you want to have their information sent? When (by date) do you want the final budget?

 Do I need to ask for summer effort?  Will I be using Research Assistants? Will I need other staff?  Will space be an issue?  Will there be any required match or cost sharing?  Will I need to request a reduced indirect cost rate?  Will there be any subcontracts/Consultants?

An “allowable” cost is one that is eligible for reimbursement by the federal government. Ask whether: A. Is it permissible by institution? A cost is permitted by institution, as outlined in its administrative procedures. B. Is it allowable by agency? A cost is permitted by the terms of the sponsoring agency. An "unallowable" cost is one that is not eligible for reimbursement by the federal government.

There are two parts in a basic proposal budget: Direct Costs Facilities & Administrative Costs (F&A) Also known as “Indirect Cost” or “Overhead” Direct Costs + F&A Costs = Total Budget

Overhead Indirect Costs IDC It is a rate that applies to the university as a whole Cannot be specifically identified to one project or activity

A way to look at it is if someone is just bringing a briefcase and a brain, then they are a consultant. If they have the facilities, supplies, analyze, and contribute to the scope of work they are a subcontractor. Do they have deliverables? Will they be a part of any publication?

Usually they have limited funds available making it tricky to budget Because of the limit in funding, many agencies ask for cost share Sponsors are generally Foundations with limited funds Trying to fit in a lot of work with limited funding

Cost of living increase (The typical rate used is between 2-4%) Merit Increases Materials and Supplies Travel Project needs for each specific year Tuition Remission Students Subcontractors

Multi-Dollars (Millions) Multi-Principal Investigator Multi-Partners/Subcontracts Multi-Period of Performance

Large institutional commitments Special contract terms and conditions Proposal specific personnel resources required “Go No Go” decision making

Checklist of all items needed Web based document center/site for all parties to upload their proposal documents (Sharepoint) Calendar showing critical dates and target dates – out in the open for everyone to see as a reminder Send out administrative to all including partners with deadlines Create list of “who is doing what”

Used to determine all critical issues to be addressed Cost share commitments Institution Eligibility Budget Parameters All proposal contributors can use the same tool for consistency and one voice

All cost associated with the project should be included in the proposed budget, and identified as either a request for funding from the sponsor or as a contribution from the University or other sources. Items to Watch out for: Sponsor restrictions CAS (cost accounting standards) items Foreign travel

Explanation of the factors used to determine the costs Format to follow the flow of the budget categories’ Should be tailored to sponsor-specific requirements and the specific project or activity Must demonstrate how the expense is needed for the execution of the project. Provide any other information that will aid the sponsor in evaluating and funding the proposed item of cost

Other Research Advancement Personnel Sponsored Projects Administrators Previous Proposals President/Provost/VP office Compliance Environmental Health and Safety Legal

NOT a line-by-line review Budget figures consistent with budget narrative, internal forms Period of performance consistent with budget Sponsor budget requirements (e.g. salary cap, allowable costs)

Excessive commitments Cost sharing Intra-University consulting Appropriate rates used F&A ERE Tuition remission

Planning Read the guidelines – know the rules Ready tools and resources Knowledge of the sponsor

Communicate! Transparency in expectations, what we do Mutual respect and courtesy builds trust Phone call or face time instead of

We like it when department staff… Provide sponsor guidelines EARLY on Provide budgets AND budget narrative for early review Summarize any changes after the preliminary review Final package for submission is complete and high quality

“One of the top 100 universities in the world” “nation's top 40 'coolest' schools” “Ranked in the top tier of national universities” “among top universities chosen by international students” “Presidential recognition for community service” “One of America’s top 20 institutions for research activity”