Cost Match
Cost matching or “sharing” refers to the portion of project or program costs not borne by the funding agency. It includes all contributions, including cash and in-kind, that a recipient makes to an award. If the award is federal, only acceptable non-federal costs qualify as cost sharing and must conform to other necessary and reasonable provisions to accomplish the program objectives.
SPF disallows voluntary cost-share (any amount of cost-sharing above the funder requirement). If no fixed amount or percentage of cost-share is required, but cost-share is explicitly scored as a funding criterion, SPF considers this allowable, mandatory cost-share.
If a PI wants to demonstrate institutional commitments to the project, they can be described in application documents (outside of the budget / budget justification), without quantifying these commitments in monetary terms. This allows documentation of resource commitments without formal voluntary cost-sharing.
Documentation of cost match contributions to your SPF grant/contract must be provided on a quarterly basis. A SPF Grant Analyst will contact the P.I. quarterly via DocuSign to complete a Quarterly Cost-Match Documentation for SPF. Upon completion of this form, the PI may be responsible for submitting additional documentation, depending on the type of match. Cost matching that occurred within the quarter that is not documented within 60 days of the last day of that quarter cannot be counted toward the total contribution. It is important to collect and document all applicable cost match contributions in a timely manner.
University In-Kind: This includes effort being donated to the project by faculty via non-reimbursed timesheets, equipment, supplies, services, and other materials. A. Non-Reimbursed Timesheets would be used to certify effort being donated, B. University In-Kind Equipment, Supplies, Services (along with supporting documentation) would be used for all other certifications.
University Cash: This includes university funds being provided in direct support of a grant/contract. Certification of this cost match would include a memo on department letterhead, along with the general ledger detail.
Foregone (waived) Indirect Costs: This includes overhead costs that are being donated to the grant/contract. Certification of this cost match is managed by the Post Award Grant Analyst.
3rd Party In-Kind: This includes effort, equipment, supplies, services and other materials being donated to a grant/contract by an outside entity. The C. Third Party Contribution (along with supporting documentation) would be used to certify this type of match.
3rd Party Cash: This includes all outside entities providing funds in direct support of a grant/contract. The C. Third Party Contribution (along with supporting documentation) could also be used to certify this type of match.