This suggested template should guide applicants in preparing a budget that meets both the Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (NEA/PI) and Standard Form 424a requirements. A budget that includes the elements below, and complies with the description and justification for each, improves an application submitted to NEA/PI and expedites the decision-making process. NEA/PI prefers that budgets and justifications be submitted in MS-Excel or MS-Word.
Both U.S. Government (USG) and non-USG resources should be identified, detailed, and justified. USG resources refer only to amount of funding your organization is requesting. Please Note: Cost-sharing is an important element of the budget process.
We suggest that applicants present budget amounts and computations in columns (as shown below). Lines/Rows can be added under each category to specify discreet costs and justifications. The first column on the left should be the Object Class Categories; the second column should be the USG Budget; the next column(s) should be for non-USG supported requirements; and the last column should indicate the total budget required to complete the proposed project.
Budget Summary
| Object Class Categories | USG Budget (MEPI) | Non USG Budget (Cost-Share/Matching) | TOTAL |
| 1. Personnel | |||
| 2. Fringe Benefits | |||
| 3. Travel | |||
| 4. Equipment | |||
| 5. Supplies | |||
| 6. Contractual | |||
| 7. Other | |||
| 8. Total Direct Charges (Sum of lines 1 through 7) | |||
| 9. Indirect Charges (reflects a provisional, pre-determined rate and allocation use/NICRA) | |||
| 10. Program Income: | |||
| 11. TOTALS (sum of lines 8 thru 10.) |
Explanation of Object Class Categories:
PERSONNEL:
Description: Costs of employee salaries and wages.
Justification: These are employees of or volunteers (cost-share) to the applicant agency only. For each staff person, provide the title, time commitment to the project in months or as a percentage of full-time equivalent, annual salary, wage rates, etc. Identify the project director or principal investigator, if known. Do not include the costs of consultants or personnel costs of companies providing services to the project. Those costs should be detailed as contractual expenses in the appropriate line below.
FRINGE BENEFITS:
Description: Costs of employee fringe benefits, unless treated as part of an approved indirect cost rate. (See below)
Justification: Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, retirement insurance, taxes, etc.
TRAVEL:
Description: Costs of project-related travel.
Justification: For each trip, show the total number of traveler(s), travel destination, duration of trip, per diem, mileage allowances if privately owned vehicles will be used, and other transportation costs.
EQUIPMENT:
Description: Costs of tangible, non-expendable, personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit.
Justification: For each type of equipment requested, provide a description of the equipment, the cost per unit, the number of units, the total cost, and a plan for their use on the project, as well as a description of the use or disposal of the equipment after the project ends.
SUPPLIES:
Description: Office or project supplies, other than those included under the Equipment category.
Justification: Specify general categories of supplies and their costs. Provide other information that supports the amount requested.
CONTRACTUAL:
Description: Enter allowable direct expenses to sub-recipients, including consultant fees and travel expenses under the cost category format. Sub-recipients are subject to the same budget requirements and regulation as primary recipients.
Justification: Detail any proposed sub-awards using MEPI Budget Guidance, with one budget for each proposed sub-recipient organization.
OTHER:
Description: Enter the total of all other costs. Such costs, where applicable and appropriate, may include but are not limited to insurance; professional services; office space and equipment rentals; printing and publication; computer use; training, such as tuition and stipends; staff development; and administrative costs.
Justification: Provide detail, a narrative description, and a justification for each cost under this category.
INDIRECT CHARGES:
Description: This category may be used only when the applicant has an approved indirect cost rate from a U.S. Government agency. If no approved indirect cost rate exists, all anticipated expenses should go in the direct charge categories.
Justification: An applicant that will charge indirect costs should be prepared to enclose a copy of the current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA). The costs included in the indirect cost pool should not also be charged as direct costs.
PROGRAM INCOME:
Description: The estimated amount of income, if any that would be generated from this project (i.e. registration fees). Interest gained from USG funds should not be recorded as income, because it is an unallowable expense.
Justification: Describe the nature, source, and anticipated use of the program income in the budget or refer to the pages in the application that contain this information.
NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES:
Description: Amount of non-Federal (Non-USG) resources that will be used to support the project as identified in Block 15 of the SF-424. This includes any cost-sharing and matching.
Justification: The firm commitment of these resources must be documented and submitted with the application in order to be given credit in the review process. Documentation includes letters of intents, letters of commitment, etc.
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