The budget is a PI’s good friend

This is NOT a joke!

Maria J. Wawer Prof, Dep’t of Epi

How does drafting your own budget (and budget justification) help you?

1. Helps organize your thoughts • What manpower do I need? (numbers, types)• What equipment, supplies, etc… ?• What and how many lab tests , clinical assessments, etc…?• Other resources? Etc…..

2. Acts as a scaffolding for your technical methods section

3. Provides IMMEDIATE feedback: (no need to wait for Admin turnaround): • Helps avoid terrible surprises just before the submission deadline:• Yikes! We are well over the NIH RO1 cap ($500 K), R21 cap, K cap, etc… This

thing will not be feasible!• Gives time to talk with NIH program officer and perhaps request permission

to go over the RO1 cap (min of 6 weeks before due date)

3. Study sections look at budgets/budget justifications: these must be persuasive, bolster technical narrative, and be structured to increase chance of being funded and reduce chance of a major “administrative” budget cut

• As the PI, you know your project best and are thus best placed to accomplish these goals

5. Gives you a sense of control of the process.

Common budget pitfall • PI hands an administrator a list of “stuff” and asks the

admin to “draw up a budget”• (often a week or two before budget is due “downstairs”)

• But: admin cannot read your mind• Does not know what manpower/scientific resources are

required • Does not know what discussions you may have had with

your NIH scientific program officer or collaborators• … and esp if a subcontract is required, may not have time

to do it in a logical manner

It’s really not that hard

1. As soon as you draft the specific aims, make a to-do list of every component required by the donor (such a list is very, very helpful in giving you a sense of control over a complex process)

2. Share to-do list with your admin and key collaborators and divvy up tasks

3. Fire up a draft Excel spreadsheet

4. As you work on your technical, esp the methods section (including sample sizes), have the spreadsheet open on one of your screens

5. Input key elements into the spreadsheet as you go along

Sample to-do list, NIH RO1 (2013 – NB: some modifications to NIH

forms since then)

To do list, continued

To do list, continued

Sample spreadsheet, JHSPH (edited for this presentation)

Sample spreadsheet, JHSPH, continued

Draft subcontract spreadsheet

Draft subcontract spreadsheet, continued

Draft subcontract spreadsheet, final page

NB: enrolment targets help to shape the budget- ensure that every year is feasible- ensure no year goes above the NIH RO1, R21, etc…. cap

Additional points • Budget draft is a technical planning tool (not just a yucky spreadsheet)• Does not require fancy knowledge of Excel formulas or accounting (Keep it simple:

Admin will do the fancy work)(if you know how to add, multiply, divide and copy in Excel, you will be fine)

• NB: I call this as a draft for good reason: • It is not the final polished product

• Confer frequently with admin on costs, salaries, fringe benefits rates, what is and is not allowable, etc…. (ie., share the draft budget as you go along, just like you share the draft technical)

• Your Admin will check your work, prepare the final version (including salary increments, adjustments for start and end dates, most recent fringe and IDC rates, etc….) and put it on the horrible NIH (or Gates, etc….) forms - however, you should do a final check to make sure every year is within the budget cap or other guidelines (if applicable)

• Make sure the technical, budget and budget justification are completely consistent

Good luck and thank you!

mwawer1@jhu.edu