Rural Youth Development
Grant Program
Budgets and Accounting
Nancy Valentine, Ed.D.
National Program Leader, 4-H
Rural Youth Development Grantee Training
June 2011
Crowne Plaza at Historic Union Station
Adapted by National FFA 6/22/11
Budget Writing Tips (1 of 5)
• Use Budgetary Details Information Sheet
• Explain budget requests in proposal
narrative
• Link budget requests to project outcomes
• Provide more rather than less information
• Cost must be reasonable
• Include purpose, # people, # miles, unit
cost, total cost, how often
Budget Writing Tips (2 of 5)
• Line items must add & multiply correctly
• Categories must sub-total correctly
• Sub-totals must add correctly
• Correct sub-totals must transfer accurately
to budget form
• Use round numbers; .50 or more up; less
than .50 down
Budget Writing Tips (3 of 5)
Group and explain items
Items to establish a community garden
5 garden rakes @$15.00
$75.00
100 metal stakes @ $5.00
$500.00
20 rolls wire fencing @ $20.00 $400.00
Sub-Total
$975.00
Budget Writing Tips (4 of 5)
Group and Explain Items
Food Preservation Workshops
•5 pressure cookers @ $30.00
$150.00
•5 large canning kettles @ 15.00
75.00
•5 food blenders @ $20.00
100.00
Sub-Total
$325.00
Materials and Supplies Total
$1,300.00
Budget Writing Tips (5 of 5)
Questions:
National organization office first;
they can contact staff at NIFA
Budget Categories
Salaries (1 of 2)
• Show work by academic & summer or
calendar months
• Give total months--1 person 100% for 12
mos.; 1 person 50% for 6 mos. = 18 months
• Salary & fringe only for project budget
period
• Salary cannot exceed regular rate of pay
Budget Categories
Salaries (2 of2)
• Not allowable at Chapter level
•Include role, FTE%, how fringe was
calculated
• Secretarial staff must be significantly above
regular duties to count on grant
Budget Categories
Nonexpendable Equipment (1 of 2)
• Items equal or more than $500 (lower than
NIFA - $5,000) and useful for more than 1 yr.
•Items less than $500 go in “materials &
supplies”
• Justification needed for similar equipment
purchased before
• Purchase early in the project
Budget Categories
Nonexpendable Equipment (2 of 2)
• Include descriptions, purpose, costs, time
used
• General purpose items (office equipment)
not allowed
Budget Categories
Materials & Supplies
• Materials & supplies to conduct community
projects
• Materials & supplies for learning activities at
meetings (markers, notebooks, paper)
• Curriculum
• Give purpose, # youth & adults, cost per
unit, # meetings
Budget Categories
Travel (1 of 2)
• Must relate specifically to grant
• Youth travel needs measurable purpose &
outcomes
• Include number of people, costs, purpose,
destination, dates, mode of transportation
• Foreign travel needs prior NIFA approval
Budget Categories
Travel (2 of 2)
• Overnight should include per diem meals &
lodging
• Must follow organization’s written travel
policies
Budget Categories
Formal Publications Costs
• Publishing in journal or program related
publication
• Commercial printing for program materials
• Give cost for layout, design, printing,
#copies, purpose
Budget Categories
Student Assistance/Support
• Training programs for youth & adult
volunteers to implement program
• Include purpose, # youth & adults, duration,
location, travel, & all other costs
Budget Categories
Other Direct Costs-Equipment/Facility Rental
•Provide type of equipment/facility to be
rented, purpose, length of time needed,
rental rate, how rental rate was established
Budget Categories
Other
• Used for other costs not listed above
• Purpose and cost details are needed for
each item
Budget Categories
Other—Communications
• Mailings, postage, express mail, faxes, long
distance phone
Other—Photocopying
• In-house photocopying of materials
Budget Categories
Other—Conference/Meetings
• Conference/meeting not related to training
youth & adults
• Includes facility rental, equipment, travel, per
diem for participants
• Include purpose, cost per item, # people,
amount of time
• Ex: Community education workshops on food
preservation
Budget Categories
Other—Speaker/Trainer
• Speakers are discouraged due to limited
short-term impact
Other—Honorariums
•For staff who are working in excess of
salaried time; policies must allow