Budgeting Information for Research Grant Proposals

Budget Template

You must use this template to develop your NSF Budget.  (Be sure you are working with the current year’s version as noted at the top, or your figures will not be accurate.) Please note cells for calculating salary increases as well as institutional commitments for equipment maintenance. Visit Develop Your Budget for information on NIH Modular Budgets.

About Summer Salary

When supplemental summer salary is allowed by the funding agency (e.g., NSF), it should be calculated at a rate of one-ninth of your annual salary per month of summer salary (and prorated for fractions of a month devoted to summer research). NSF sets a maximum of two-ninths of annual salary for summer salary.

Generally speaking, you should project an estimated 4.0% annual increase when calculating summer salary. This is not a commitment on the part of the College to increase salaries at this level, and indeed salary from grants cannot exceed the actual salary level established by the College.

Fringe Benefits

Fringe benefit rate for faculty: 32.97 percent
Fringe benefit rate for student researchers during summer: 8.0 percent
Fringe benefits for students during the school year: 0 percent

These rates are valid through June 30, 2023.

Student Research Stipend & Subsistence

The 2024 student summer research stipend is $6,500 for 10 weeks participation.  In your grant proposal, request the maximum amount for each student: $6,500. This assumes participation for the full 10 weeks. If you know in advance that a student will work less than 10 weeks, pro-rate the budget request – for example, $5,200 for 8 weeks (@ $650 per week).

NB: in order to pay students by stipend, the PI must attest that the research is an educational experience.  Otherwise, the student will be paid as an hourly employee with 8% FICA withheld.

The 2024 campus housing rate is $31 per day, or $2170 for ten weeks.

The 2025 campus housing rate is $32 per day, or $2240 for ten weeks.

You may budget this under participant subsistence on your proposal.

Indirect Cost Recovery (called “Facilities and Administration” by NSF)

50 percent of salary and student wages, if the research takes place at HMC; 25 percent, off-campus. Indirect cost recovery is not applied to fringe benefits.

Indirect cost recovery is not always allowed by the funding agency, or the agency may specify a different method of calculation.

Sales Tax

Use 9.75% as the estimated sales tax rate for purchasing materials and equipment (even if materials are purchased outside of CA). For NSF proposals, include the estimated sales tax in the cost of the equipment as you enter it in Research.Gov (if applicable). You may wish to show a breakdown (item cost vs. tax) in the budget justification.

As of January 2023, the applicable sales tax for Claremont California is 9.5%.

Budget Revision (PDF)

P.I.’s may find it necessary to revise their budget for their grant or contract. Some situations require prior agency approval.

Cost Transfers (PDF)

When the need for transferring costs between accounts involving a federally funded grant or contract is necessary, care should be taken that any transfer of costs into or out of federally funded accounts are handled appropriately.