Grants Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

A description of the expenses, including justification for the project, and original detailed receipts are required.

Generally, expenses in the approved budget are allowable and may be charged to the grant, but keep in mind that the expenses must be integral and necessary to the project. General expenses, such as office supplies and ink cartridges, should not be charged to grants unless approved by the sponsor in the budget. These are considered overhead and are covered under our indirect cost rate. More guidance can be found on the Allowable Costs procedure.

Probably not. The Federal government does not allow the cost of local meals to be charged to a grant unless it is part of a workshop or other activity that is included in the approved budget.

Direct costs are those costs that can be identified specifically with your particular sponsored project. This includes, but is not limited to: grant salary and fringe benefits, materials and supplies, travel, consulting services, equipment, and publication charges.

Generally, the PI/PD can approve expenses. However, reimbursement to one's self requires approval from the Grants Manager in Financial Services.

Expenses are paid by Banner Payment Authorization (BPA) or by using the PI/PD's or Business Services P-card. Payments to individuals for any service must include a General Services Agreement with the BPA and W9.

All documents must have the correct index, appropriate supporting documentation, justification for the project, and proper approvals. Reimbursement to one's self requires the authorization of the Grants Manager in Financial Services.

Yes, if you have received approval from the PI/PD and the expense is allowable.  Please ensure that you have Banner Finance access to the grant index, by completing the Banner Index Access Request form.

The Grants & Sponsored Programs office will issue a subaward agreement to the collaborating institution as well as amendments to the contract as needed. You will receive a copy of the contract and any amendments. If you are a subawardee on a grant, the prime recipient institution will issue a subaward agreement to MSU Billings.

Review the invoice and approve it for payment only if the work performed is satisfactory and expenses are accurate. Once approved, send the invoices to the Grants Manager for review before payment processing. If you do not agree with the invoice, contact the Grants Manager who will work with you to contact your collaborator's institution.

Yes, if the equipment is included in the approved budget, you will need to follow Purchasing guidelines and obtain the appropriate approvals.

Follow the University Travel policies and procedures. Remember that in most cases, Federally funded projects require you to use US flag carriers for air travel. MSU Billings requires you to use coach or economy class when traveling. Foreign travel must be approved by the funding agency. Please contact the Grants Manager in Financial Services for assistance.

Often funding agencies allow the University to charge indirect costs as an expense to the grant. Usually calculated as a percentage of wages or total direct costs, indirect costs represent an estimate of MSU Billings overhead on grants (e.g. facilities costs, utilities, internet access and general network services, etc.). Please note that items such as office supplies, postage, local telephone costs, memberships and administrative support are not to be included as direct costs on your grants. These are items covered under our indirect cost rate. MSU Billings shares 20% of the indirects received with PI/PD's and deposits that portion into an indirect (IDC) fund for use by the PI/PD.

Direct costs are specifically identifiable to your project, whereas, indirect costs cannot be identified readily as related to your project.

Direct Costs include: grant salary and benefits, travel, and the cost of materials and supplies used to implement the project.

Indirect Costs include: the cost of utilities for the building where you conduct your project activities, general office supplies, and the salaries and benefits of administrative staff who support grants.

Direct costs are usually charged directly to the grant when incurred. The indirect costs charged to your grant are usually calculated as a percentage of wages or total direct costs. They represent an estimate of MSU Billings overhead on grants.

If the indirect costs are charged automatically, then they will be charged to the grants when expenses are posted in Banner. If the indirect costs are charged manually, it may be monthly or quarterly depending upon the sponsor's reporting requirements. The PI/PD portion is added to the indirect (IDC) fund at the time the indirect expense is charged to the grant.

A correcting journal entry must be completed to move the funds to the correct index.  Complete an Expenditure Correction Request or contact the Grants Manager in Financial Services for assistance.

Financial Services recommends that you review your budget and all expenses in Banner at least once a month  in order to avoid cost overruns and identify any misallocations. The Grants Manager will review the grant on a quarterly basis and provide financial updates or prepare estimates as needed.

Yes, the Operating Ledger Transactions report is available in Banner Web Reports under Finance Reports. For more information or to receive access to this report, contact Financial Services at 657-2131.

Complete the Banner Index Access Request form or contact Financial Services at 657-2131.

When a grant is setup, the PI decides who should have access to the financial information. If, after the grant has been setup, the need arises for someone else to have access, the PI can authorize this and the Grants Manager can complete the form.

The expense may not have posted to Banner or the expense may have posted to the wrong index.  Contact the Grants Manager in Financial Services for assistance.

The Grants Manager in Financial Services prepares all financial reports with assistance from the PI/PD.

The narrative reports are submitted by the PI/PD.  The Grants Manager in Financial Services submits the financial reports to the government sponsors.

A Time & Effort Report is the tool used to confirm that salaries and wages charged to the grant are reasonable in relation to the work performed as part of the funded project. The Federal government requires recipients of grants to maintain Time & Effort reports that reflect effort levels by employees on grants. The Grants & Sponsored Programs office provides effort reports to PI/PD's bi-weekly, which must be certified and returned.

The Grants Manager in Financial Services looks at the grant balance, transaction detail, salaries and benefits, and cumulative costs of each grant on a quarterly basis. This information is shared with the PI/PD, providing an opportunity to review various aspects of the grant together. While the Grants Manager reviews grants on a quarterly basis, we recommend that you review expenses in Banner monthly.

MSU Billings requires you to keep your records for a period of seven years from the date of submission of the final financial report. Generally, narrative and financial reports are due thirty (30) to ninety (90) days after the project end date.

Sponsors may provide additional time to complete the project, usually one year, if work remains to be done and there are sufficient funds left to complete the work. Contact the Grants Manager in Financial Services to start this process.

Contact your Program Manager to request the budget revision.

The Grants Manager in Financial Services will assist you by providing financial estimates based on your needs and assumptions.

Contact the Grants Manager in Financial Services. If you would like access and to learn how to view this information in Banner, please contact Financial Services at 657-2131.