1. Budgeting for Research
Grad Grants Center
November 7, 2018

2. Outline Thinking about a grant budget Know funder restrictions
Common expenses to include
Formatting/Sample Budget
Budget Narratives
Where to find information

3. Make your budget part of your grant process
Know what you need to accomplish the research (materials, space, staff, travel, etc.)
Opportunity to walk through your plan step-by-step noting potential expenses
Look at examples of past budgets

4. Your budget is part of the agency’s evaluation
Budget appears thoughtful and appropriate to scope of project
Ensure reviewers take the grant seriously
Varies whether reviewers see budgets (or just administrators)
Funding agency may adjust your budget (e.g., Fulbright Hays)
Make it realistic, and well justified

5. Getting Started Determine the budget requirements Does the program:
Require matching funds?
Allow indirect costs (F&A)?
Exclude or limit certain costs?
Common exclusions: staff support, consultant fees, computers and hardware, food and alcohol, travel
Require certain costs?
What are the maximum and minimum awards?
What is the anticipated budget period?

6. Restrictions What are valid expenses according to the funder?
Funder’s online FAQs almost always list these
Are you limited on how you spend the money?
Funder’s sometimes limit the amount to be spent on things like travel
May require you to spend a portion on attendance at their own conference
Do you need to report additional funding you receive?
Most funders ask for info about additional funding
May adjust amount of your award based on additional funding
Can you hold multiple fellowships simultaneously?
Large fellowships (e.g., dissertation research/writing) often disallow acceptance of other awards

7. Common grant expenses Institution fees
Home Institution Tuition
Student Fees
Foreign or other domestic institution fees
Domestic or International travel expenses
flights, train rides, bus passes, taxis, Uber, etc.
Insurance
travel, health

8. Common expenses continued…
Research Expenses
Research Assistant Payments
Travel assistance for research assistant
Tech supplies (cameras, audio recording equipment, flash drives)
Room and board (housing and meals)
Per Diem (food, travel, living)
U.S. Dept. of State per diem webpage
Textbook/Educational Expenses
Course textbooks
Learning supplies

9. Other common expenses…
Other Expenses
Communication/mailing (internet, phone, postage, etc.)
Printing and Duplicating
Reproduction/duplicating (printing, CD-ROM, etc.)
Supplies and Equipment
Limited
No computers, but storage media is generally okay
Usually no items that outlast the funding period (e.g., cars, cameras, etc.)
Miscellaneous
Gifts to study participants

10. Other Sources of Funding
If total research costs require multiple awards, specify all potential funding sources
Applying to other grants/fellowships shows determination
It won’t count against you!

11. Sample Funder Guidelines
GPSG Travel Grant Budget Instructions
Budget [5 Points]
Provide and justify your budget. High scores given to applicants who provide a reasonable and complete budget (travel, lodging, associated expenses)…
So, budgets are part of some scoring rubrics!
And instructions are often quite limited.

12. Sample Budget

13. Budget Narrative Other names What it is:
Budget detail, budget description, budget justification
What it is:
Explains what the budget numbers represent
Shows how you arrived at the numbers
Forces you to get into the nitty-gritty details
Who will accomplish what/when?
How did you arrive at the costs?
Tells the funder how you will spend its investment
Item by Item detail

14. Narrative continued… Ask yourself (because reviewers will):
Did you make sure your numbers are reasonable and well thought out?
Solicit info from previous researchers
Cite amounts from preliminary research
Do diligent web research
Is your grand total within the funder’s giving range?
If not, what additional funds are you planning to seek?
When to write it:
After you have thoroughly thought out your research plan
Write the narrative simultaneously with the budget
START WRITING EARLY!

15. Sample Budget Narrative Components
Travel – Explain reason for travel expenses for personnel
e.g., staff to training, field interviews, advisory group meeting, etc.
show the number of personnel and unit costs involved.
Identify the location of travel.
EXAMPLE:
Regional/Statewide Meeting:
Three people to funder-required three-day training in Chicago, IL.
3 people x $500 airfare = $1,500
3 people x 3 days x $40 per diem = $360
3 people x 2 nights x $100 hotel = $600

16. Sample Budget Narrative Components
Supplies - List expendable items by type and show the basis for computation.
EXAMPLE:
Meeting Supplies: For administrative meetings, workshops, etc.
$75 x 12 months = $900
Office Supplies: binders, file folders, printer paper, toner, staples, etc.
$100 per month x 12 months = $1,200
Phone/Internet Service: Will be used to stay connected to collaborators/staff.
$125 per month x 12 months = $1,500

17. Line item budget narrative

18. Paragraph budget narrative

19. Award Management Not all awards are managed in the same way!
Some will require full records of expenses (receipts)
Others are much more flexible (e.g., Fulbright)
Work with your department’s fiscal officer to manage your award!

20. Additional Notes Some awards require students to work with
the Office of Research Administration (ORA)
e.g., NSF, NIH, other gov. awards
Indiana University 509 E. 3rd Street Bloomington, IN

21. How the GradGrants Center Can Help
In-person and Skype consultations
Provide GGC with draft materials 48 business hours in advance of consultation
Brainstorming, drafting, editing grant proposals
Searches for external (non-IU) funding opportunities

22. Weekly Walk-In Hours 12:00pm to 2:00pm, Tuesdays & Fridays
Wells Library, Room 544 (5th floor, East Tower)
Internal and external grants, funding searches,
and general questions

23. Contact the GGC
GradGrants Center an office of the University Graduate School Herman B. Wells Library East Tower, Office 544E On Facebook: IU GradGrants Center