Budget Development

Some initial questions to ask yourself and your project team include:

• What will it take to accomplish your scope of work?
• Who will be involved?
• What supplies/materials will you need?
• Does your project require large equipment?
  • If so, do you have access to this equipment?
• Do you need to hire someone outside of SU to fulfill a portion of your scope of work?
  • If so, are they a subrecipient/collaborator or a consultant/contractor?
• Will students be involved?
• How and where will the project be completed?
• How will you evaluate and disseminate your results?

Please contact OSP to discuss your budget with a Sponsored Research Officer.

All components of a sponsored project budget must be allowable, allocable, and reasonable as described in Unallowable Cost Categories Policy.

• Allowablility - Is the charge allowable? Consider:
  • Specifications of the program solicitation and funder’s financial policies
  • If federally funded, must adhere to CFR 200 federal cost principles
  • All awards must adhere to Seattle University policies
  • Is it included as an indirect or direct cost? (it cannot be both and must be treated consistently)
• Allocability - Is the item/cost allocable to this particular project only?
  • It should solely advance the work in this proposal
  • If it benefits two or more projects, it should be reasonable and proportionately paid for and documented.
• Reasonable - Would it withstand external review by a prudent individual?
  • A cost is reasonable if, in its nature and amount, it does not exceed that which would be incurred by a prudent person under the circumstances prevailing at the time the decision was made to incur the cost.
  • It reflects market prices for comparable goods or services in the geographic area.

• Personnel
  • SU faculty and staff salary 
• Fringe
  • current rate = 28.4%
  • if SU faculty or staff are paid from the award, the budget will always need to include fringe benefits at the current rate
• Student Wages
  • in accordance with SU's student employment policies
• Goods/Services
  • supplies and materials, vendor services
• Travel
  • typically field research trips, visits with collaborators, or professional meeting to disseminate your project findings
• Equipment
  • specifically allocated for this project 
• Consulting
  • external professional services that cannot be accomplished by SU personnel 
• Subcontracts/subawards
  • when collaborations with other institutions/agencies are included
  • use the subrecipient or contractor checklist on the Policies & Forms page to determine relationship of 3rd party
• Participant support
  • expenses specifically for trainees/ program attendees if hosting a conference or workshop (if allowable) 
• Facilities & Administration (or Indirects)
  • the unallocable costs of the institution to do business and accommodate the project
  • always included on federal awards at the negotiated rate
    • current rate = 42% of modified total direct costs
  • always sought on private awards at the sponsor’s allowable rate or SU’s default 15% 

 Related policies can be found on the Policies & Forms webpage.