The Office of Graduate Programs

1
The Office of Graduate Programs Research
Presents

• Creating Managing
• Research Budgets
• Monday September 25, 2006

• Guest Speakers
• Robert Olaj, Research Development and Grant
  Facilitator, OGPR, EducationJo-anne Dillabough,
  Associate Professor, EDST, Education
• Linda Leathley, UBC Hampton Coordinator, Grants
  Facilitator, Arts

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Todays Agenda

• I.  Introductions Overview.
• II. Developing Your Budget - Dos and Donts.
• III. Post-Award Budget Management.
• IV. Q A.

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General Budgeting Principles
Dont
Do
Dont ask the agency for more than the grant
maximum. Dont state that your project requires
more than the agency is able to give, unless
another source is picking up the difference then
state that clearly. Dont assume when justifying
your expenses that simply listing the expenses is
sufficient. Dont double-dip from more than one
funding source.
Do read the budget eligibility guidelines for
your granting agency AND, if available, the grant
program to which you are applying. Do ensure that
the expenses you list appear to be incurred
during the period of the grant. Do consider
whether your budget is realistic, for the project
and for the agency to which youve chosen to
apply. Do consult available resources for useful
templates/information on how to construct a good
budget.
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Salaries
Dont
Do
Dont budget for more students than a project
really needs (it may be seen as padding). Dont
forget to check your Facultys policy on Release
Time Stipends (AKA research release time), both
for typical release time values and any
procedural requirements.
Do consult your grant guidelines on eligible
salary expenses and categories. Some agencies
allow for technical and coordination help. Do
hire a student, as most agencies encourage
graduate research training. Do explain the
duties, salary, and level of expertise of
salaried personnel in the justification. Do
ensure that the activities listed in the
justification reflect activities cited in the
research methodology. Do consult available
resources on how much is reasonable to pay in
salaries and other associated costs.
5
Travel
Dont
Do
Dont apply for too many conferences in the 1st
year of the project, unless you can demonstrate
(perhaps in the methodology) that youll have
results to disseminate, and seek feedback on,
early in the project.
Do consult your grant guidelines on eligible
travel expenses. Do make sure that any
conferences you propose to attend are directly
related to the project. Do be selective in the
role of students in conferences and which ones
they should attend. Do make sure that the
activities you have planned during a travel
period are realistic. Do consult available
resources on how much is reasonable to build in
as travel costs.
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Supplies Technical Services
Dont
Do
Dont include expenses which could be deemed as
institutional infrastructure (telephone lines,
office space, office furniture, utilities, etc.).
But do check the guidelines for the individual
agency/grant program. Dont include membership
fees to scholarly or professional associations.
But do check the guidelines for the individual
agency/grant program.
Do consult your grants guidelines on eligible
supplies and expenses. Do justify all your
expenses in light of your project proposal,
explaining why each expense is necessary. Do
ensure to consider and include all potential
expenses. Do ensure that if you list a computer
as an expense, you justify the computer as being
integral to the success of the project (why wont
your office or University computer suffice?)
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Post-Award Budget Management
Dont
Do
Dont neglect to monitor your account balance to
make sure that youre not overspending your
account. Dont assume that no mistakes can be
made when charges are assigned to your account,
or that your budget does not require monitoring.
Data entry errors happen!
Do become aware of your institutional
responsibilities in terms of tracking and
managing your research budget (e.g., see UBC
Policy 90). Do inquire within your unit as to
the support assistance available for tracking
your research budget. Do inquire into strategies
for setting up a shadow tracking system that
can help in monitoring and projecting expenses,
should you need that support.
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Post-Award Budget Management continued
Dont
Do
Dont forget, for Tri-Council grants, to submit a
Final Research Report in the time required. You
will not be eligible to apply for another
Tri-Council grant until this reporting is
completed. Dont forget, for Tri-Council grants,
to inform them if you have a legitimate reason
(family, illness, etc.) for temporarily stopping
the project. Tri-Council agencies can stop the
clock on your grant and allow you an extension of
the term.
Do consult your grant guidelines on reporting
requirements. Do complete, review, and/or submit
annual financial accounting forms as required by
UBC Research Trust Accounting and your funding
agency (i.e. SSHRC Form 300). Do complete and
submit Final Research Reports as required by your
funding agency. .
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Research Budget-related Web Sites

• Tri-Council Use of Grant Fundshttp//www.nserc.ca
  /professors_e.asp?navprofnavlbif3
• Tri-Council Presentation to UBC in 2004 on Use of
  Fundshttp//www.finance.ubc.ca/rta/documents/tric
  ouncil20info20Session.pdf
• Allowable Expenses across the Tri-Councilhttp//w
  ww.ors.ubc.ca/funding/AllowableResearchFunding.htm
  
• UBC Policy 90 Over-Expenditure of
  Researchhttp//www.universitycounsel.ubc.ca/polic
  ies/policy90.pdf
• UBC Policy 83 Travel and Related Expenses (per
  diems and mileage)http//www.universitycounsel.ub
  c.ca/policies/policy83.pdf
• OGPR Research Budget Expenses Examples Page
  http//ogpr.educ.ubc.ca/faculty/budget.html
• OGPR Budget Templates (in Excel)http//ogpr.educ.
  ubc.ca/faculty/budget.html
• Faculty Release Time for Research (RTR)
  Policyhttp//ogpr.educ.ubc.ca/faculty/rtrpolicy.h
  tm