Application Budget Guidelines

Allowable direct costs may include, but are not limited to, salaries for personnel involved in the study, research related travel, equipment, software, creative materials, data collection, participant or stakeholder incentives, web designers, rent for performance space, and supplies directly benefiting the proposed project. It may also include utilization of University-based cores and other support services, and development of educational materials. External research/scholarship support services may be allowed with proper justification.  

Please work with your departmental administrator to ensure your project budget costs are allowable. 

• Costs are allowable if they meet the following criteria: 
  • Necessary and reasonable for the success of the project 
  • Allocable 
  • Consistent with UM policies (umiami.policystat.com) 
• Unallowable costs are those that do not meet the above criteria. They can include: 
  • Alcoholic beverages 
  • Contributions and donations 
  • Entertainment, unless specifically provided for in the award 
  • Fines, penalties, damages, and other settlements 
  • Goods and services for personal use 
  • Memberships in business, technical, and professional organizations 

Please refer to the RFA for specific guidelines.  

Personnel salaries should be budgeted as either summer salary or as a salary release to the schools/departments. Overloads are strongly discouraged. 

In accordance with University principles, all salaries paid to UM employees (faculty, staff, postdocs, other trainees) are subject to a fringe benefit cost. The fringe benefit rate can be found at https://www.ora.miami.edu/forms-and-rates/facilities-and-administrative-rates/index.html. In accordance with University principles, all salaries paid to UM employees (faculty, staff, postdocs, other trainees) are subject to a fringe benefit cost. The fringe benefit rate can be found at https://www.ora.miami.edu/forms-and-rates/facilities-and-administrative-rates/index.html. 

Please refer to the RFA for specific guidelines. 

Consultants and/or University approved vendors may be used to accomplish the goals of the project (e.g. transcription services, developers, licenses, etc). As a reminder, University employees cannot be considered vendors; they should be budgeted under personnel and not other direct costs. 

If planning to travel, recipients must comply with the University of Miami travel guidelines, https://travel.miami.edu/business-travel/travel-policies/index.html. Research related travel excludes travel to conferences. Travel for the purposes of obtaining archives may be allowed with a justification and evidence that the archives are not available online. 

Expenses should be itemized, and a justification should be provided for each line item.  

Any equipment purchased using internal funds is property of the University of Miami and will be housed in the PI’s home department or library. 

For inquiries, please contact Eva Olivares (eolivares@miami.edu) or Frances Freire (f.freire@miami.edu).  

For specific questions about your project budget, please contact your departmental administrator.