The Business of Budgets
SSHRC - Insight Grant Preparation
Workshop
Diane Dobbins, MA
Manager, Research and Partnerships
(ddobbins@uoguelph.ca or ext 52152)
July 6, 2011
Quick Tips
• Review SSHRC guidelines on eligible (and ineligible)
expenses – if you are not sure, ask!
• Estimate costs of research realistically
• Check past competition results, by committee, to gage
possible funding patterns
• Link proposed activities or anticipated milestones to
budget where possible
• When you need a break from grant writing, work on
your budget. Don’t leave until the end. The budget is
now part of the adjudication process!
SSHRC 2010 Budget Template
•
Personnel costs
– Student salaries and benefits/Stipends *(mandatory stipend amounts no longer exist)
•
•
•
•
Undergraduate
Masters
Doctorate
Non-student salaries and benefits/Stipends
– Postdoctoral
– Other
•
Travel and subsistence costs
– Applicant/Team member(s)
•
•
•
Canadian travel
Foreign travel
Students
– Canadian travel
– Foreign travel
•
Other expenses
– Professional/Technical services
– Supplies
– Non-disposable equipment
•
•
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Computer hardware
Other
Other expenses (specify)
– Ex. Communication/Dissemination
SSHRC 2010 Budget Justification
Budget Justification:
– 2 page maximum
– Use the same headings within the SSHRC budget
template and include a short statement/justification
for each component
– Example #1. “One undergraduate research assistant
per year at $6,000 is included in the budget”.
– Example #2. “One Ph.D. student is supported for 3
years at $12,000 per year. Four Masters students are
engaged in the program. Three are supported by this
program, each for two years (1 starts in Year 1; 2 start
in Year 2) at $8000 per annum”.
– Be realistic and specific when possible.
Items to Consider
Personnel Costs (including salaries and wages, vacation
pay and benefits)
- Faculty Members *NOTE POLICY ON FACULTY PAY*
- Support Staff
- Students
- Technicians
- Post Doctoral Fellows
- Project Managers (if applicable, if appropriate)
- Benefits *NOTE RATES PUBLISHED BY FINANCIAL
SERVICES annually*
Items to Consider
Travel, Accommodation & Living Expenses
* NOTE POLICY ON TRAVEL *
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Airfare
- Transportation (Non-Airfare)
- Incidental Travel Expenses
Items to Consider
Operating Expenses
- Office Supplies
- Laboratory Supplies
- Field Supplies
- Publication Charges
- Audit Costs (if applicable)
Items to Consider
Equipment Expenses
* NOTE PROCUREMENT/PURCHASING POLICY*
Consultant's Fees (outside University of Guelph)
*NOTE PROCUREMENT/PURCHASING POLICY*
Items to Consider
Costs of research subcontracts with collaborators
(sending funds outside University of Guelph)
- Office of Research rule of thumb: if the collaborator is
identified as a scientific/technical contributor, we can
issue a research subcontract
- For all other personnel involved in the projects who
are external to the University, usual procurement
processes would apply
Items to Consider
Other Costs
- Computer Charges (specify rate & computer
type)
- Rental
- Audio Visual Costs
Items to Consider
Indirect Costs – not applicable on SSHRC
grants
SSHRC Budget Template
• SSHRC budget template and the online application should be available by
mid-July.
Resources
Procurement Policy March 2011 - http://www.fin.uoguelph.ca/sites/default/files/FI1802011Mar29_0.pdf
Travel Policy May 15, 2011 - www.fin.uoguelph.ca/sites/default/files/Travel%20Policy%20&%20Procedure%20V%201.06%20%20Apr%2028,%202011.pdf
Benefit Allocation Rates 2011-2012 - www.fin.uoguelph.ca/sites/default/files/20112012%20Benefit%20Allocation%20Rates.pdf
Faculty Collective Agreement - www.uoguelph.ca/vpacademic/documents/CAupdateApr11.pdf
Undergraduate Student Wages - www.uoguelph.ca/hr/admins/student-wages
GSA Wages - $37.56hr www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/graduatestudies/index.cfm?regguide/working
GSA Definition
Graduate Service Assistant (GSA)
Typically, the services provided by GSAs fall into two categories:
•
Work that is directly related to the academic enterprise but not properly a GTA or
GRA.
•
Examples of these services include the preparation of academic or administrative
reports and the compilation of statistics for departmental use. This work may not
contribute to the student's thesis research.
•
The GSA(i) rate of pay is established annually.
•
Work that is not directly related to the academic enterprise. Examples of these services
include locking/unlocking doors, cooking, cashiering, snow removal, and lifeguarding.
Students are paid at the appropriate hourly rate set by Human Resources for the appropriate
kind of work.
•
The university provides a T4 tax information slip each year to students with GSAs.
GRA Definition
Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)
• Graduate students may be supported through research grants
received by faculty members from external agencies or
governments.
• The student's research must contribute to the research of the
faculty member under whose direction it is conducted. It must be
used in the preparation of the student's thesis.
• The dollar value of GRA stipends are no longer determined by the
external granting agencies' guidelines on support of graduate
students through research operating grants.
• GRAs must be approved by the department chair or school director
on the recommendation of the adviser.
• The university provides a T4A tax information slip each year to
students with GRAs.
Questions?
Diane Dobbins, MA
Manager, Research and Partnerships
College of Management and Economics
ddobbins@uoguelph.ca or ext. 52152