Budget Guidelines

Funding call for Seed Grants for Grand Challenges Africa (GC Aafrica) initiative.

The budget cost categories have been categorized as explained below:

Personnel Costs

This budget category covers the staff required for award implementation. Positions required should be clearly specified, including the duration of service expected and the rate charged.

The budget will include personnel who directly support the programme. The level of effort (FTE) will be indicated as a percentage of actual salaries paid and applicable institutional benefits for the positions included in the budget request.

a. Salaries

The applicant may request a salary. Salary recovery for staff at institutions in low- and middle-income countries can be considered.

b. Fringe benefits.

Fringe benefits are allowable as a direct cost (if not included as an indirect cost) in proportion to the salary charged to the grant. These benefits may include compensation for occupational injuries, life insurance, pension, health insurance, training, and staff development. For grants, these benefits should be in line with the institution’s policy for renumeration and benefits and approved pay scales.

Travel Costs

The grant shall only cover travel costs related to the scope of the project. Travel shall include a breakdown for accommodation, air travel, ground transfers, meals during travel, visas, and other travel-related expenses. The air travel shall be strictly budgeted for economy class, regardless of institutional guidelines/exceptions.

Consultants

These are costs for contracting professional/consulting services when the skills required are not available or able to be provided by institutional staff and whose services are critical for delivery of the program. Fees budgeted for services must be appropriate for the services and qualifications required.

Capital Equipment

Capital Equipment refers to items that have a life longer than one year. This line includes the cost of purchasing capital assets and equipment including laptops and/or software and related costs such as installation that is needed to implement the project. These items shall be charged at cost.

Sub Award

These costs relate to where a portion of the funding, along with a specific piece of the programmatic work, is sent to another organization to perform. This should be clear when the institutions are responding to the RFP.

Other Direct Costs

These are direct research costs that are specific to the program but are not part of the other budget categories. These costs should be specific and direct to the award and be very clearly defined and justified.

Indirect Costs

These are costs that cannot be directly attributed to the project. This should be limited to 15% of the direct award costs.

Indirect office support costs (overheads) consist of costs incurred centrally for the benefit of common or joint objectives for the Institution that ultimately benefit all programmes. They are not directly related to any single project or activity but are a necessary part of the costs of undertaking the project or activity. Below is a guideline of what should include indirect office support costs:

• Central Support Functions (CSF) costs – these are the costs of functions or departments that provide services across the Institution. They include finance, legal, human resources, IT and software, office administration, communications, etc.
• Estate and Premises – these are costs of buildings and utilities for operating the Institutions physical locations. They include rent, on, repairs, insurance, security, etc.
• Governance – these are the costs of providing oversight. They include Board costs, institutional audits, etc.

Please note that the calculation for indirect costs should be supported by the Institutional policies.

Other Notes

Budget justification is a categorical description of the proposed costs. It explains why items are essential in relation to the aims and methodology of the project as well as meeting the goals of the project. Explain the line items. Do not merely restate the proposed expenditure. Provide details sufficient to justify the rationale for acquiring the item under the proposed project.