A Budget Excel-abration! PART I

ERA EMPOWERMENT SERIES

October 2013

P R E S E N T E D B Y: M E G A N D I E T R I C H & J O N L AV I G N E

Learning ObjectivesBy the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Identify the most essential elements to discuss with your PI in order to build an optimal budget.

• Correctly set up the Start tab fields based on: a. the relative sponsor and solicitation

b. your faculty’s specific proposal

• Correctly input personnel needs in the Personnel and Tuition tab.

• Correctly input non-personnel needs in the Other Direct Costs tab.

• Identify how to utilize the Summary tab.

• Identify how to utilize the NSF export feature.

So Your PI Wants to Submit a Proposal…

1. Type of sponsor

2. Period of performance

3. Total allowed amount (in either total or direct costs) for which one may request

4. Human and/or animal costs

5. Personnel needs

6. Travel needs

7. Consumable (supply) needs

8. Computer needs

9. Equipment needs

10.Subcontracts

11. Other direct cost needs (e.g. publications, participant support costs etc.)

Fantastic!  What essential items do you need to discuss to build an optimal budget? Let’s start with the following:

Type of Sponsor

• Federal or Non-Federal?

• What is the applicable IDC rate?

Ask… Possible Answers…

For what type of research will this proposal be?

• Organized Research• Sponsored Instruction• Other Sponsored Activity

Where will the work occur?

• On campus• Off campus

Does the sponsor and/or specific solicitation have any IDC restrictions?

• If yes, is the sponsor and relative program on the Stanford Preapproved F&A (Indirect) Cost Waiver List?

• If yes, is the preapproved reduced IDC rate applicable to Total Direct Costs (TDC) or Modified Total Direct Costs (MDTC)?

• If no, consult with either your Snr RFA and/or TL.

Period of Performance • Many solicitations specify the duration for which a project may

be proposed (e.g., 2 years, 3 years, etc.) as well, if applicable, if the total duration should be presented in a format other than equal 12 month increments.

• Many solicitations also specify the earliest possible start date of projects.

• Some sponsors, such as NIH, have standard start dates based on when proposals are submitted.

• For a sponsor/solicitation which does not specify a start date, six months from the time of proposal is often recommended (NSF).

Total Allowed Amount• Most solicitations specify either the total costs or total

direct costs which may be requested for a project.

• Some sponsors, such as NIH, require different budget formats.

• Example: Modular vs. detailed based on the amount being requested per budget period.

Human and/or Animal Costs• The inclusion of human and/or

animal subjects on projects requires substantial additional documentation.

• Generally has significant impact on the preparation of a proposal budget.

• Very important to ascertain whether either or both will be included in a proposal as soon as an RFA is notified of a faculty’s intent to apply for an FOA.

Personnel Needs• Who will be needed to work [measurable amounts] on

the project in order to complete the science being proposed? • PI(s)• Co-PI(s)• Post docs• Students• Hourlies• Staff• Etc.

• At what level is it expected each person will work?

Travel Needs• Some solicitations specify mandatory travel such as site

visits, annual PI meetings, etc.

• Some sponsors, such as the DOD, often limit and/or restrict foreign travel.

• Work with the proposing faculty to estimate the travel needs and costs of the work being proposed.

Questions to ask: • To where would potential travel occur?

e.g., foreign and/or domestic?• Who will be traveling?

e.g., PI only, PI and students, etc.

Consumable (Supply) Needs• Will the work being proposed have consumable supply needs?

Examples: • Software and software upgrades• Computer peripherals• Lab supplies related to data storage and networking• Hard drives • Chemicals, reagents• Plastic ware, glassware, etc.

• Most faculty have a good idea of the amount of consumable supplies their projects will require based on prior experience.

Computer Needs• Will the working being proposed

require dedicated computers?

• It is not appropriate to charge 100% of any computer for a person to a sponsored project unless it can be easily demonstrated that 100% of said computer is being dedicated to the relative project.

• You may request partial funding for computer(s) which will be used partially on a project.

• However, the amount requested must coincide with a reasonable estimate of the amount the computer(s) will be used on the relative project.

Equipment Needs• Capital equipment = equipment costing more than

$5,000 with a useful life in excess of one year.

• Will the work being proposed require dedicated capital equipment?

Subcontracts• The inclusion of subcontracts on

projects requires substantial additional documentation.

• Generally has significant impact on the preparation of a proposal budget.

• It is paramount to ascertain whether any will be included in a proposal as soon as an RFA is notified of a faculty’s intent to apply for an FOA.

• If yes, how many subcontracts?• Domestic and/or foreign?

Other Direct Needs • Other direct needs may include publications,

participant support costs, etc.

• If participant support costs (PSCs)will be included, be sure to consult with an ERA PSC expert early in the proposal preparation process, as they can be tricky to correctly budget.

Budget Demo!

Start Tab FieldHow do I correctly set up the Start Tab field…

• Based on the relative sponsor and solicitation?

• [Demo]

• Based on your faculty’s specific proposal?

• [Demo]

Personnel and Tuition Tabs• How do I correctly input personnel needs in the

Personnel and Tuition tabs?

• Should escalations be applied?

• Enter regular 9 month faculty salaries as annualized formulas e.g.• =100,000/9*12

• [Demo]

Other Direct Costs Tab• How do I correctly input non-personnel needs in the

Other Direct Costs tab?

• [Demo]

Summary Tab• How do I utilize the Summary tab?

• Printing to PDF and providing to the faculty for review

• [Demo]

NSF Export Feature• How do I utilize the NSF export feature?

• [Demo]

Reference Tools• Budget Tool manual

• Sponsor Solicitation / Funding Announcement / Sponsor Website

• Do Research Website: https://doresearch.stanford.edu/

• Your Team Lead and Colleagues

Review of Learning ObjectivesCan you now…. ?

• Identify the most essential elements to discuss with your PI in order to build an optimal budget.

• Correctly set up the Start tab fields based on: a. the relative sponsor and solicitation

b. your faculty’s specific proposal

• Correctly input personnel needs in the Personnel and Tuition tab.

• Correctly input non-personnel needs in the Other Direct Costs tab.

• Identify how to utilize the Summary tab.

• Identify how to utilize the NSF export feature.

Thanks for attending!

Coming soon…

The Power of You: Writing Effective EmailsOctober 21, 9:30-11AM

Huang Rm. 305