•    Begin planning the budget when the first draft of the proposal text is completed.
  •    Keep the Finance Officer and Chief Academic Officer informed of budget content
    •    Will matching funds or release from teaching be required?
    •    Will a university match be needed? If yes, Chief Academic Officer will need to know in order to secure that match.
  •    Identify for each year of the project (unless considered unallowable, as per the RFP):
    •    Estimate of project effort for Principal Investigator (PI) and other project personnel (percentage of time to be spent on project during the grant period).
    •    Supplies and equipment, if needed (cost breakdowns or prices will be needed).
    •    Travel, if needed (including destination, number of days, and purpose of trip).
    •    Matches required from campus, college, or university.
    •    Reasonable and accurate costs. Project budget should never be inflated based on the assumption the funder might cut the budget.
    •    Budget for each proposal subcontractor.
      •    Include a plan of work and contact information from each subcontractor
        • Explain in detail what work will be performed
        • Verify that the budget items match the staffing and activities discussed in the narrative
      •    Contact the Manager of College Grant Relations for assistance if needed.
  •    Send budget items to the Manager of College Grant Relations at least three weeks before proposal is due for processing and submission to the agency or foundation.

IMPORTANT REMINDER:
The Budget must match the staffing and activities discussed in the narrative. Inconsistency between the proposal and the budget is a significant cause of proposal rejection.