Advanced Budgets

Advanced Budgets Advanced Budgets Jim Little Danielle McElwain Spring 2008 Course Objectives Advanced Budgets 1. You will gain insight into the SC EPSCoR Program and it’s opportunities a. SC legislative funding to “assist” in the Cost share b. How to “build” the Cost Share budgets to maximize return and minimize Departmental and College obligation. 2. You will become familiar with issues related to the development of center budgets. Spring 2008 Advanced Budgets SC EPSCoR SC Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research http://www.scepscor.org/ Spring 2008 SC Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research Advanced Budgets Is currently part of 25 States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Spring 2008 What it is: Advanced Budgets • EPSCoR stimulates sustainable R&D infrastructure improvements at the state and institutional levels Significantly increase the ability of EPSCoR researchers to compete for federal and private sector R&D funding Accelerates the movement of EPSCoR researchers and institutions into the mainstream of federal and private R&D support Spring 2008 • • Organization & Administration Advanced Budgets • Currently operates under the South Carolina Research Authority • The Executive Board is made up of the three major Research Universities in SC and SCRA – University of South Carolina – Medical University of South Carolina – Clemson University Spring 2008 Participating Agencies Advanced Budgets • • • • • National Science Foundation Department of Energy Department of Defense Environmental Protection Agency National Aeronautic and Space Administration • Department of Agriculture Spring 2008 OK, but NOW what do we do with it? Advanced Budgets • Faculty are encouraged – Signup on the SC EPSCoR web site to be included in program/solicitation notices – Develop collaboration with other departments and research universities in their discipline area – Collaborate with HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) institutions Spring 2008 Advanced Budgets A solicitation the PI can apply for! Now WE need to develop a budget. Spring 2008 Federal Budget Advanced Budgets • It starts here, and we’re all good at this! • BUT this time it will probably need to be re-done. • The Total Project Budget will need to balance both the Federal and Cost Share budgets. • Cost Share? Say what? Spring 2008 Cost Share Advanced Budgets • Most all EPSCoR proposals require varying Institutional cost sharing to improve the R&D infrastructure at the selected institutions, usually 50% or 1:1. Spring 2008 Advanced Budgets SC EPSCoR To The Rescue! Well, kind of…….. Spring 2008 How is EPSCoR funded? Advanced Budgets • SC Legislature appropriates funds to the SC EPSCoR office to help institutions that have active EPSCoR grants meet Cost Share commitments. • Based on the number of projects and the appropriated amount, this usually amounts to 60-70% of the “allowable” cost share needs in a project. (more on “allowable” later) Spring 2008 IMPORTANT! Remember this slide! Advanced Budgets • This is Institutional commitment! • SC EPSCoR has NO commitment to meet cost share institutional commitments if it receives little or no funding from the Legislature. Spring 2008 Advanced Budgets Now – To The Budgets Spring 2008 Advanced Budgets Allowable Budget Items Not everything “Qualifies” Spring 2008 Allowable Advanced Budgets • • • • • • Faculty Summer Salary Graduate Student Salaries Postdoc Salaries Travel Supplies Equipment (shared) Spring 2008 Unallowable Advanced Budgets • Faculty Academic Time • Graduate Student Tuition • Secretarial (unless Cooperative Agreement) Spring 2008 Benefits of EPSCoR Advanced Budgets • The Cost Share requirements ADD funding to the total Project Costs • Always consider the “Allowable” budget items even if they are “hard” commitments of resources. • Minimize OR eliminate ALL unallowable budget items. BUT what happens if there are NO SC EPSCoR Funds available? Spring 2008 How to Meet Cost Share Shortages Advanced Budgets • Policy has been to allow the conversion of budgeted Summer Salaries for the PI and Co-PI’s to assist in meeting a shortfall. – Multiple Senior Faculty on the project aids this. • Cost Share Tuition paid for students on the project. – If paid with “A” or “E” funds Spring 2008 SPEND ALL THE SC EPSCoR FUNDS! Advanced Budgets • Mid June of each project year is VERY important! – – – – SC EPSCoR office notifies PI of the deadline date All expenditures for that project year must be made NO EXCEPTIONS! There is NO carry-forward and the funds are retracted. • Each Dollar not expended translates to TWO dollars lost! – The Cost Share total commitment remains the same – Each dollar “lost” of SC EPSCoR funding means a real dollar of cost to the department or loss of federal funding Spring 2008 NSF Benefit of Being An EPSCoR State Advanced Budgets • NSF/EPSCOR CO-FUNDING – Proposals submitted from an EPSCoR state are marked automatically by FastLane with a specific code. – The proposal is recognizable by the Program Officer and considered a potential candidate for EPSCoR co-funding, depending on the outcome of the merit review process. – Submission of NSF Form 1404, "Certification of EPSCoR Co-Funding Eligibility," is no longer required for a proposal to be eligible for co-funding by NSF EPSCoR. Spring 2008 Advanced Budgets Center and Complex Budgets Danielle McElwain Spring 2008 Center Grants Advanced Budgets • Definition of Center – A Multi-project Application is a Confederation of Interrelated Research Projects, Each Capable of Standing on its Own Scientific Merit But Complementing Each Other Spring 2008 Common Features of a Center Grant Advanced Budgets • Collaboration and Interaction Among Investigators to Achieve a Common Goal • A Single PI With Sufficient Scientific Stature to be Responsible For the Group's Research Effort • A Single Applicant to be Legally and Financially Responsible For the Use and Disposition of Funds • A Single Application Submitted by the Applicant in the Name of the Principal Investigator Spring 2008 Components of a Center Grant Advanced Budgets • Administrative Core – PI Responsible For the Application and For Collaborative Research Activities – Request Funding For Overall Administration, For Example, Administrative Services, Expenses For Publications For Collaborative Efforts, and Communication Expenses. • Scientific Core(s) – Resource For the Whole Grant – Application Must Indicate the Projects it Will Serve – Provide a Clear Picture of the Facilities, Techniques, and Skills the Core Will Provide and the Role of the Core Leader and Each Key Participant – State the Percentage of Total Dollars Required to Support Each Project That Will Use Each Scientific Core Spring 2008 Example of Center Structure Advanced Budgets Administrative Core Research Core Outreach or Education Core Recruitment Core Project 1 Project 2 Structure Varies Depending on Sponsor Guidelines and Center Needs. Spring 2008 Advanced Budgets Review of Center Proposal Guidelines Spring 2008 Center Grant Process Begins Advanced Budgets • RFP is announced • Office of Research in conjunction with faculty determine level of interest and expertise available • Invite interested parties to attend preliminary meeting • Organize faculty into core teams and determine core leaders • Select PI to lead the project Spring 2008 Center Grant Development Advanced Budgets • Proposal Development Office facilities the process • Core Teams meet to determine the focus of the groups • Develop time line • Assign individual tasks • Core leaders interact with PI to assure cohesiveness of the proposal Spring 2008 Center Budget Sample Format Consolidated Direct Cost Budget for All Years of Support Example Without Escalation Component CORE A: Administrative Core Core B: Vaccine Production Core Project 1: Vector Development Project 2: Immunology Studies in Mice Project 3: Attenuated Vectors as Vaccines TOTALS Year 01 60,000 175,000 182,000 167,000 Year 02 60,000 175,000 182,000 167,000 Year 03 60,000 175,000 182,000 167,000 Year 04 60,000 175,000 182,000 167,000 Year 05 60,000 175,000 182,000 167,000 Total Project 300,000 875,000 910,000 835,000 149,000 149,000 149,000 149,000 149,000 745,000 733,000 733,000 733,000 733,000 733,000 3,665,000 Center Budget Sample Format • Consolidated Direct Cost Budget for All Years of Support • Example With 3% Escalation Component CORE A: Administrative Core Core B: Vaccine Production Core Project 1: Vector Development Project 2: Immunology Studies in Mice Project 3: Attenuated Vectors as Vaccines Totals Year 01 60,000 175,000 182,000 167,000 Year02 61,800 180,250 187,460 172,010 Year 03 63,654 185,658 193,084 177,170 Year 04 65,564 191,277 198,876 182,485 Year 05 67,531 196,964 204,843 187,960 Total Project 318,548 929,099 966,263 886,626 149,000 153,470 158,074 162,816 167,701 791,061 733,000 754,990 777,640 800,969 824,998 3,891,597 Conclusion Advanced Budgets 1. You will gain insight into the SC EPSCoR Program and it’s opportunities a. SC legislative funding to “assist” in the Cost share b. How to “build” the Cost Share budgets to maximize return and minimize Departmental and College obligation. 2. You will become familiar with issues related to the development of center budgets. Spring 2008