Glossary
Costs for goods or services that are chargeable or assignable to the grant in accordance with relative benefits received. If the goods or services benefit both the purposes of the grant and other activities, it must be possible to determine what percentage should be charged to the grant in accordance with the benefits received. For example, electricity is not an allocable cost because it is not possible to determine how much of an electric bill should be charged to the grant. A staff member who splits time between the grant and other activities is an allocable cost because it is possible to determine the percentage of time the person works on grant-related activities.
Costs that are necessary for the performance of the award, conform to the limitations specified in the grant, and conform to University policies.
A document that justifies why each line item in the budget is needed. Generally, the items are listed in the same order in which they appear in the budget. Details include what each item entails and how the dollar amount was determined and calculated. For example, for paid personnel and consultants, a one- to two-sentence summary of work to be performed is normally included, along with rate of pay and time to be devoted to the project.
Camp housing is processed through Campus Services. Student (or campus) housing is processed through Residence Life. Camp Housing is used when a group of students is receiving housing, such as students participating in the ALLIES in STEM and McNair programs. Student housing is intended for individual students who are responsible for their own housing costs.
An entity that has agreed to provide expertise or resources to the project. For federal grants, the collaborators submit separate proposals that link to each other in the system. (Also see Subaward).
Services that are limited in scope and provided by a vendor or consultant.
An arrangement whereby Cal ĢƵ, or another entity other than the funder, pays for specific costs related to the project. Cost sharing can be deemed mandatory, voluntary or prohibited by the funder.
Reduction of a faculty member’s teaching load in order to work on grant activities. Grant funding for course release compensates the University based on the value that is lost by not having the faculty member teach his/her course(s). The amount is based on the faculty member’s salary; it is not based on the cost to compensate another professor to teach the course. Course release arrangements must follow the funder’s policy and University policy. When considering requesting course release, faculty members must consult with their respective department heads and deans to receive approval prior to grant submission.
A set amount of money provided for activity (usually research) over a limited period of time that contributes to the professional development of the fellow. Fellowships can be part-time or full-time, residential or non-residential.
A set amount of money provided for research over a limited period of time that contributes to the academic development of the fellow. Student fellowships are considered participant costs. (See also Participant Costs).
A set 12-month period that is used for accounting and auditing purposes. Cal ĢƵ’s fiscal year is from June 1 to May 31. Dates for fiscal years vary among funders.
The benefits an employee receives, such as FICA, workers’ compensation, health insurance and retirement benefits. Fringe rates vary depending on the individual and the hours of work.
If a funder gives money to Cal ĢƵ and meets any one of the follow criteria, it is considered a grant: 1) the funding was requested through a competitive application process; 2) an award letter, memorandum of understanding, or other similar document outlines how the money will be spent and what the reporting requirements are; or 3) the funder requires a final report of how grant funds were spent and the funds have to be kept in a separate account. If none of these criteria are in place, the money is considered a gift. Please note that funders often use the words “grant” and “gift” interchangeably and cannot be relied upon to determine how Cal ĢƵ defines these terms internally.
Start and end dates for the grant activity, which are part of the legal agreement with the funder. A request to deviate from the grant period, such as extending the period in order to complete grant activities, must follow the funder’s policy.
A Cal ĢƵ form that is completed by the principal investigator or program director that provides basic information about the project, grant and funder. This form is used to obtain internal approvals before the proposal is submitted to the funder.
A flat amount of money paid to a Cal ĢƵ employee to complete grant-related work that is not tied to a specific number of hours. Examples include mentoring, lending expertise, and participating in learning circles. Non-exempt employees, including adjunct professors, cannot receive incentive pay. Rates for presentations are separate from incentive pay. (See also Overload Pay and Presentation Pay).
Facilities and administration expenses, otherwise known as overhead. Different funders have different policies regarding what percentage of the direct costs can be requested for indirect costs. If a funder sets a maximum grant request amount, indirect costs must be included as part of the maximum amount.
A learning experience at a place of employment outside of Cal ĢƵ to help a student gain experience and knowledge in a chosen field.
A letter sometimes required from a funder for the purpose of estimating how many proposals will be submitted for a particular funding opportunity. The funder provides no feedback on a letter of intent.
A letter required by some funders that briefly introduces a project proposed for grant funding. If interested, the funder will then request a full proposal.
A calculation that deducts participant support/training costs, equipment over $5,000, and contractual services over $25,000 from the direct costs. The indirect cost percentage is then applied to the Modified Total Direct Cost Base.
In the field of grantwriting, the narrative is the heart of the proposal that explains all of the details of the research or project. Funders usually provide a set of questions to be answered, as well as formatting guidelines and word counts. The narrative along, with the budget and any other requested attachments, such as a budget narrative, CV and official University documents, make up the proposal or application package.
An extension of the grant period beyond the original grant end date with no additional funds. A no-cost extension must be requested according to the funder’s policies, and the funder has the right to refuse the request.
An amount of money provided to an employee for work above and beyond the normal workload. Pay is calculated based on annual base salary and time devoted to the grant. Duties that represent an employee’s obligation to the University are not eligible for overload pay. Non-exempt employees, including adjunct professors, cannot receive overload pay. University policy states that employees cannot be compensated for more than 20% over their normal work hours. (See also Incentive Pay).
An individual who is participating in, and receiving benefit from, a grant program.
Costs that go toward supporting or training participants who will receive the primary benefit of the activity. Participant costs can include mileage reimbursement, housing, meals, research supplies, tuition remission, fellowships, scholarships, and conference costs. These costs are not included in the base when calculating indirect costs, so they must be tracked separately.
The reimbursable amount a person spends on food and incidentals per day while traveling. Reimbursements for per diem costs must follow the funder’s policy and University policy. Current per diem rates are listed by location on the of the U.S. General Services Administration website.
The individual who is primarily responsible for the administration of grant activities. Principal Investigator is used for research grants and Program Director is used for program grants.
Payment for presentations, panel participation, lectures, etc. usually paid on an hourly basis. For Cal ĢƵ faculty, the hourly presentation rate is $45 for assistant professors, $49 for associate professors, and $53 for full professors. Presentation pay for staff is determined on a case-by-case basis, using the individual’s salary as a base to determine an hourly rate.
The process of purchasing goods and services, including writing requests for bids, securing quotations and bids, selecting vendors, and signing contracts and purchase agreements. Procurement of goods and services must conform to funder’s policies and University policies. For federal grants, Uniform Guidance requires depending on the size of the purchase, known as “thresholds.” (See also Uniform Guidance).
The mechanism used to apply for a grant. A proposal normally includes a narrative and budget, as well as other documents that vary by funder.
Costs that the University would normally incur for the specified purposes and amounts in the normal course of business.
The agreed upon monetary compensation from Cal ĢƵ for an exempt employee, excluding benefits. If a grant provides funds toward salary that is not considered overload, the PI or PD does not receive additional salary. The money goes to Cal ĢƵ to cover salary for time spent on the grant activities. (See also Course Release, Incentive Pay, Overload Pay and Speaker Pay entries).
Money provided to a student to cover any portion of costs related to education, such as tuition, room and board, university fees, and textbooks. Scholarships are considered Participant Costs (see Participants and Participant Costs entries).
An amount paid to someone who is not a Cal ĢƵ employee or student to provide incentive to participate in an activity. External stipends are never used to compensate people for work performed. An example is professional development activities for K-12 teachers who receive stipends for attending a training.
A portion of a grant that goes to a subrecipient to carry out a substantial part of the grant-related work. Subawards are commonly used when a co-PI is housed at another academic institution. Cal ĢƵ can both receive and grant subawards. Federal and University policies apply to subawards. When applying for federal grants, the lead entity submits the proposal and includes the subaward in its budget.
A vendor or consultant who signs a contract with the University to perform a specific and limited service as part of the grant. Subcontractors have low levels of discretion and authority.
An entity that receives a subaward from a pass-through entity to carry out a part of the grant. Subrecipients have higher levels of discretion and authority than those afforded to a subcontractor.
Periodic reports filed by personnel who perform duties funded by a federal grant that state the percentage of effort that was spent on grant activities relative to total hours worked for each reporting period. Federal policies must be followed regarding approvals and submission of the reports.
Rules and regulations from the federal Office of Management and Budget that apply to all federal grants. The official title is “,” and it can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 2, Subtitle A, Chapter II, Part 200.