GUIDE FOR OVERHEADS

INSTITUTIONAL COST RECOVERY

JULY 2009

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Table of Contents

Group A: 25 – 20%

Group B: 20 – 15%

Group C: 15 – 10%......

Group D: 10 – 5%

Group E: 5 – 0%......

Overhead Recovery Guide

Group A: 25 – 20%

German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

Overheads allowed / 25%of total budget
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel
Equipment (vehicles, computers, software)
Supplies and operations
International travel
Training and workshops
Training fellowships (PhD and MSc)
Office rental
Utilities
Publications/books
Taxonomic service

Research Triangle International (RTI)

Overheads allowed / 25% of total direct costs
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel Costs
Consultants
Travel
Equipment
Computers and accessories
Supplies (office, laboratory and field)
Training
Vehicle running costs
Communications

University of Florida (Osceola County)

Overheads allowed / 25% of total direct costs
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel Costs
Equipment
Vehicles
Computers, printers
Other laboratory accessories
Vehicle operating costs
Travel
Computers and accessories
Supplies (office, laboratory and field)
Communication/postage
Training

Leverhulme Trust

Overheads allowed/Associated costs (see list of Associated costs) / 25% of total budget
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Salary of Research Assistant(s) working specifically on the project
Fees and maintenance cost of PhD student(s) at the base rate for research Councils
Eligible Associated costs:
Computing, Technical- Clerical- Secretarial- staff costs/services
Travel & subsistence costs (directly related to the research activity)
Conference attendance (if it directly contributes to the research project)
Consumables
Cost of staffing replacement

German Research Foundation (DFG)

Overheads allowed/Associated costs (see list of Associated costs) / 23% of total budget (of the direct costs)
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel
Travel
Postgraduate Training (PhD/MSc)
Consumables

Group B: 20 – 15%

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Overheads allowed / 4% - 20%(based on previous funding)
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel
Equipment
Equipment maintenance
Operations (office and field running costs)
Laboratory supplies
Laboratory analysis
Travel
Communications
Library/Literature review

Ford Foundation

Overheads allowed / Between 10% – 20% (depending on the project duration and nature of grant)
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Project administration costs
Supplies
Communication
Internet costsUtility
Research costs
Personnel (including consultants, research assistants)
Travel and related costs
Equipment and furniture
Training grants (built into project proposals to improve capacity)

The Rockefeller Foundation

Overheads allowed / 7% - 18% of total direct costs
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel (scientist, technical and support staff)
Consultants
Travel
Meetings/workshops
Dissemination activities
Communication
Training (PhD and MSc)
Operations
Equipment and maintenance
Supplies

International Fund for Agricultural Development(IFAD)

Overheads allowed / 5% - 15.2%(based on previous funding)
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel costs
Travel
Operations
Capital equipment
Training and capacity building
Administrative and logistic support

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)

Overheads allowed / 15% of total direct costs
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel
Equipment (Lab and office)
Supplies (laboratory only)
Travel
Library and communication
Consultants

Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BeCANet)

Overheads allowed / 15% of total budget
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Research supplies
Subcontract for selected analyses and services
Travel expenses for scientific and research related meetings
Training

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Overheads allowed / 15%of total budget
Other Institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel costs
Fringe benefits
Travel
Consultants
Supplies (medical and laboratory)
Supplies (office, other)
Contracted services
Equipment

Global Horticulture Initiative

Overheads allowed / 15%of overhead costs
Other Institutional costs that can be accommodated / Salary expenses – exact number of days worked for the project.

Group C: 15 – 10%

Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (FAO)

Overheads allowed / 13.5% (to non-UN bodies)
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel (including local and international consultants)
Equipment (computers & laboratory)
Vehicles
Travel
Training (workshops, farmer training, exchange visits)
Publications/reports
Project review costs
Technical backstopping
Supervisory missions supplies

World Health Organization (WHO)

Overheads allowed / 13%
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Equipment (medical and laboratory)
Computers
Vehicles
Supplies (may also provide furniture in some areas)
Medical
Travel
Research fellowships
Training courses
Training fellowships
Workshops
Sponsorships to international workshops

International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Overheads allowed / 13% of total direct costs (based on previous funding)
Other Institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel
Consultants
Equipment
Travel
Training
Research costs

Global Fund

Overheads allowed / 13%
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel (scientific, technical and support staff)
Transport (fuel, car hire, vehicle maintenance)
Travel (airticket, per diem, field allowance, accommodation)
Office expenses
Communication costs
Meetings/workshops

USAID

Overheads allowed / 12%
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel costs (scientists and support staff)
Coordination and backstopping
Financial administration
Vehicle
Training courses
Publications

Conservation International (CI)

Overheads allowed / 10%
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel
Administrative
Communications
Equipment
Travel allowance
Miscellaneous

USDA

Overheads allowed / 10%
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel (scientific, technical and support staff)
Equipment (non-expendable)
Materials and supplies
Travel
Publication costs
Computer costs/ data processing
Communication
Administration

The World Bank

Overheads allowed / 10%
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel
Materials and equipment
Training
Travel
Monitoring/Evaluation/Dissemination

The Nippon Foundation

Overheads allowed / 10%
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Operational expenses:
Training expenses
Supplies and equipment
Workshops/meetings
Conference/training facilities
Administrative expenses:
Staff salaries
Staff travel
Office expenses (photocopying, printing, report writing)
Postage, phone, fax, internet
Transport & travel expenses
Trainers consultancy fee

Kenya Agricultural Productivity Programme (KAPP)

Overheads allowed / 10%
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Non expendable equipment
Materials and supplies
Stationery
Travel costs
-Transport
Fuel
Accommodation
Per diem
Communication & knowledge sharing
Communication, Training, Workshops, publications
M & E (5% of project costs)

HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY – Horticultural Research Fund (HRF)

Overheads allowed / 10%
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Salary/wages/fees for:
Consultants
Research assistants
Graduate students
Casuals

Google.org

Overheads allowed / 10%of total budget
Other Institutional costs that can be accommodated / Travel costs: Costs related to the project (economy airfare, lodging and meals

FINNISH DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

Overheads allowed / 10%of total budget
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / -Personnel costs
-Training, Communication, materials
-Construction
-Equipment (Lab & Office)
-Micro projects, Facilitators, Credit schemes
-Recruitment costs
-Vehicles
-Financing costs
-Contingencies (5%)

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Overheads allowed / 10%of total budget (including direct costs)
Other Institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel
Transportation
Field Expenses
Consumables
Insectary costs

Group D: 10 – 5%

BioVision Foundation

Overheads allowed / 7.5%of total budget
Other Institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel costs
Project administration related costs
Equipment
Vehicles
Research costs
Training and workshops
Travel
Networking Costs
Supplies

UNEP/GEF

Overheads allowed / 7.5% of total budget
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel (scientific, technical and support staff)
Travel
Computers
Equipment (field and laboratory)
Report writing
Identification services
Training

Kilimo Trust

Overheads allowed / 7%of total budget
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel (staff and collaborators)
Equipment (vehicles, computers, software)
Consumables
Office and farm supplies
Literature search/publications
International & local travel
Vehicle running costs
Training
Farmer training
Extension staff training
Student research support
Technology dissemination
Farmer exchange visits
Farmer field schools
Media costs (brochures, TV, Radio,
agricultural shows, etc)

Wellcome Trust)

Overheads allowed / 7%of total budget
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel costs for research assistants/technicians
Consultants
Materials and consumables
Equipment and maintenance
Research costs (purchase and maintenance of
animals)
Collaborative travel
Postgraduate training

System-wide Initiative on Malaria and Agriculture (SIMA)

Overheads allowed / 6.5%of total budget
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel costs
Consultants
Equipment
Research costs
Postgraduate training

Department for International Development (DFID)

Overheads allowed / 6 – 7% (based on area of interest)
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel
Equipment
Travel
Communications
Administration

The Gatsby Charitable Foundation

Overheads allowed / 6%of total budget
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel Costs (UK£ 180,000 for PI over three- year period)
Support staff personnel costs (represent 21% of total costs)
Equipment (vehicles & motorcycles)
Literature/ publications
Computers
Office and farm supplies
Travel

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Overheads allowed / 5.8%(based on previous funding)
Other Institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel (including Consultants & support staff)
Programme support and services
Documentation
Communications
Equipment and furniture
Computers
Supplies
Travel
Group training

National Science Foundation (NSF)

Overheads allowed / 8% of total direct costs
Eligible Costs include: / - Financial record keeping;
- Audits of financial records;
- Project management;
- Acquisition of permits, licenses, import or export documents required to carry out the proposed research;
- Project-specific costs for critical research services (e.g., special IT access, extraordinary water or utility costs);
- US visas required for visits associated with project activities.

National Institute of Health (NIH)

Overheads allowed / 8% of total direct costs
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel costs (scientists, technical and support staff)
Consultants
Equipment
Technical supplies
Research costs
Contract services
Consortium costs
Travel expenses
Training (PhD and MSc)
Communications
Distribution
Vehicle maintenance
Alterations and renovations
Publications and miscellaneous costs

FP7 – EU

Overheads/Indirect costs allowed / 7%(at flat rate) of eligible costs
Eligible Costs include:
(see file: EC-Costs-Annex 1)

Volkswagen Foundation

Overheads allowed / 5%of total budget
Other Institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel costs
Consumables (communication and office supplies)
Vehicle mileage
Research costs
Computer and accessories
Contingencies (10% of total cost)

Ministry of Higher Education, Science & Technology

Overheads allowed / 5%of total budget
Other Institutional costs that can be accommodated / Travel and Transportation: Expenses related to travel (scientific meetings and symposia) in line with the project.
Materials & Supplies: Expenses for materials and supplies related to the project
Special Services: Expenses for special services directly related to the project.

Group E: 5 – 0%

Government of Netherlands

Overheads allowed / 3.5% to 7.5% of total budget
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel costs (scientists, technical and support staff)
Equipment (including computers, projectors, cameras)
Vehicles
Laboratory supplies
Travel
Research costs
Meetings
Group training
Documentation and Communications
University fees
Library support
Publications
Training materials
Equipment and building maintenance
Utilities (including security)

Swedish International Development Cooperation (Sida)

Overheads allowed /
Not indicated
Other institutional costs that can be accommodated / Personnel
Travel
Training (related to the restricted project)
Field studies
Scientific Equipment
Laboratory facilities
Administration

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