RSCA funds must be expended by September 30,2017. Preparing Budgets
NOTE: If you are requesting a summer stipend, or course release time, a detailed budget is not necessary.
The budget should be constructed as carefully as possible. Once funds are in the approved budget for equipment and travel, they cannot be used for other purposes.
The following categories should be filled in directly on the webpage, followed on the webpage by the budget justification box.
Equipment
Research equipment Computer equipment
Computer hardware Supplies and services
Research-related supplies Publication costs
Per diem costs for animal care and housing Computer software
Computer software that is essential to the research project In-state travel
Reimbursement for transportation, lodging, and meals for faculty Out-of-state travel
Reimbursement for transportation, lodging, and meals for faculty; international travel is only allowable if it is currently not restricted under policies in effect for state funds (see details below)
Research Assistants
Undergraduate or graduate research assistant’s salaries or costs incurred during travel necessary to conduct research.
Printing
On-campus printing (Graphics or Quick-Print only; no printing may be done off-campus) Temporary help
Clerical assistance Assigned time
Reimbursement to college for time a faculty member is assigned to other RSCA-related duties instead of classroom responsibilities
Independent consultants
Specialized assistance by non-State employees
Toll
An account to which related phone calls from on-campus may be charged
Postage
An account to which on-campus postage, metered in the mailroom, may be charged
Further details about the budget are listed below. Specific questions about allowable expenses can be directed to Sadiq Shah (x-3898 ) in the Office of Research, Innovation and Economic Development
1. Equipment
Equipment that is essential to the research project can be purchased with mini-grant funds. In calculating a budget, be sure to include state sales tax and costs for shipping and handling. Although you may know of special "limited-time-only" offers that could provide the equipment at special prices, remember that most equipment items go through a bidding process that does not allow the University to take advantage of short-term discounts. Items that cost $500 or more, or that have a serial number and cost between $200 and $499.99 should be placed in this category. If the item does not meet this definition, it should be placed in the supplies and services category. The narrative should explain why the equipment is not available from the applicant’s department or college, or from external sources.
2. Computer equipment
Personal computers, hard disks, and other computer hardware can be purchased, but the connection between the proposed scholarly activity and the hardware must be very strong. The comments in the section on "Equipment" also apply to purchase of these items. The narrative should explain why the computer equipment is not available from the applicant’s department or college, or from external sources.
3. Supplies and services
A reasonable amount of supplies and services to support a project can be included in a proposed budget. If live animals are to be used in the work, a per diem for their care on campus should be included in the budget. The rates to be applied are as follows effective January 2017:
Breeding Colony Charges: $10.50
Mouse: $0.83 per large cage; $0.79 per small cage
Mouse Biohazard: $1.29per large cage; $1.24 per small cage
Rat: Per Animal $0.83
Rabbit: Per Animal $4.30
Guinea Pig: Per Animal $2.76
Hamster: Per Animal $0.83
4. Computer software
Software is a separate line item for budget proposals. Proposed purchases of software should be clearly separated from regular Supplies and Services. The narrative should explain why the software is not available from the applicant’s department or college, or from external sources.
5. Reimbursement of travel expenses for faculty
Travel, lodging, and meals for faculty involved in scholarly activities can be reimbursed from mini-grant funds only if they conform to State Travel policies and are allowed within any restrictions currently in place for travel (please check with your Dean’s Office). Travel must occur between the first day of fall quarter 2016 through September 20, 2017. The amount of reimbursement is limited to the per diem and mileage rates established by the state and detailed at the following link: http://www.csupomona.edu/~fas/travel.html#regulations
In presenting the budget, please be sure to separate the funding requested for in-state travel and out- of-state travel.
The project narrative should explain why travel is essential to advancing the project and identify the specific manuscript collections, research facility, professional workshop, etc. to be visited. Travel in general will only be considered to execute the research and creative activities rather than to present them. No reimbursement for travel prior to the award is allowed.
6. Student Research assistants
(For information on students supported by an Undergraduate Student supplement please see page 7, 8) Undergraduate and graduate students can be paid an hourly wage for their contributions to faculty research, but they must be hired as regular student assistants. The maximum number of working hours per month for a student varies, but it is usually between 80 and 100 hours.
In planning a project, please be aware that employing student assistants involves significant bookkeeping responsibilities for the project sponsor. All student assistant jobs must be advertised in the Career Center and officially filled through the Payroll Office, which will process all student payrolls. Please call the Career Center, ext. 2330, for information and assistance with selecting the appropriate hiring class and step for specific needs, or for other questions regarding student employment. There are no charges for benefits for students hired through the Career Center so it is not necessary to budget for this.
7. On-campus printing
Printing at Graphics and Bronco Copy ‘N Mail (Bronco Student Center) can be directly charged to a project account.
8. Temporary help
Clerical assistance in typing manuscripts or proposals can be supported by the mini-grant budget. If the person you will pay is already an employee of the University or the Foundation, you must arrange for a special contract to pay the individual through the Payroll Office. In this case, applicable benefits must be included in your budget, and taxes will be withheld from the payment. If
the person does not work for the University (or Foundation), please see the section on Independent Consultants, below.
9. Assigned time
Project directors can request funding to allow them to be assigned from some classroom duties. Colleges can be reimbursed for the replacement cost of approved faculty assigned time, so that replacement faculty may be hired. Funding should be calculated at $1312 per WTU (maximum request $5248). Prior approval of the department chair and college dean is required.
10. Independent consultants
In some cases, it is necessary to hire off-campus consultants to perform specified services.
Contracts for all individuals performing special services for the University are processed in Procurement, where contracts for a variety of services are closely monitored. For assistance with selecting the appropriate services category, and completing the corresponding required forms, please contact Procurement.
Summer stipends
RSCA Summer stipends will begin on the first day of the summer quarter (in June 2017) of the academic year. Please note that these stipends are taxable and they will be capped at $5,000.
Undergraduate Student Supplements ($5,000)
These supplements provide up to $5,000 as salaries for the student(s) and/or up to $2,000 for use by the faculty member and the student to advance their projects. However, the total supplement cannot exceed $5,000. Students hired with funds from the Student Supplements will be Foundation employees and will be paid $12.50 an hour (the benefit rate for Foundation employees is 8% during an academic quarter and during the summer it is 13%). Students can work a maximum of 20 hours per week when enrolled in classes and up to 40 hours a week when not enrolled in classes (e.g. summer quarter). The total number of hours the student(s) can work will depend upon the benefit rate that must be paid from the $5,000. Expenditures for any of the areas appropriate for a mini-grant (above) are acceptable. For example, some of these funds might be needed to purchase supplies for either project or to pay for the faculty member and/or the student to attend a professional meeting to present the results of their project. Please explain and justify the proposed use of these funds in the extra page allocated to applications that include a request for a Student Supplement.
Revised budgets and plans
When a project has been approved for support by the President at a different level than was originally requested, the Project Director must submit a new budget reflecting the actual amount of funding before an account number can be issued. In some cases, this will require the Project Director to revise the original proposal to reflect the goals that can be realistically achieved with the available funding.