BUDGET JUSTIFICATION
[PROJECT NAME]
[ORGANIZATION NAME]
Budget period: [START DATE] to [END DATE]
Total project cost: [$TOTAL]   Amount requested: [$REQUEST]   Other sources (cash and in-kind): [$OTHER]

A. PERSONNEL   Total: [$AMOUNT]   Requested: [$AMOUNT]
[POSITION TITLE] ([NAME, or "to be hired"]): [$ANNUAL SALARY] x [% EFFORT or FTE] x [MONTHS/12 if less than a year] = [$AMOUNT]. [ONE OR TWO SENTENCES ON THE ROLE IN THIS PROJECT AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES.]
[HOURLY POSITION]: [NUMBER OF STAFF] x [HOURS] x [$RATE/HOUR] = [$AMOUNT]. [ROLE.]
[REPEAT FOR EACH POSITION.]

B. FRINGE BENEFITS   Total: [$AMOUNT]   Requested: [$AMOUNT]
Fringe is calculated at [RATE%] of salaries for [BENEFIT-ELIGIBLE STAFF] and includes [LIST: FICA, health insurance, retirement, workers' compensation, unemployment insurance]. [$SALARY BASE] x [RATE%] = [$AMOUNT].
[PART-TIME OR SEASONAL STAFF]: [RATE%, e.g., payroll taxes only] x [$SALARY BASE] = [$AMOUNT].

C. TRAVEL   Total: [$AMOUNT]   Requested: [$AMOUNT]
[LOCAL TRAVEL]: [MILES] miles x [$RATE/MILE, per organization's travel policy] = [$AMOUNT]. [PURPOSE.]
[OUT-OF-TOWN TRAVEL]: [NUMBER OF TRAVELERS] x [TRIP: airfare $X + lodging $X x nights + per diem $X x days] = [$AMOUNT]. [PURPOSE, e.g., required grantee convening.]

D. EQUIPMENT   Total: [$AMOUNT]   Requested: [$AMOUNT]
[ITEM]: [QUANTITY] x [$UNIT COST] = [$AMOUNT]. [WHY IT IS NEEDED AND HOW IT WILL BE USED.]
[NOTE: For federal awards, equipment is tangible property with a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit cost at or above the lesser of your capitalization threshold or $10,000. Items below that threshold go under Supplies.]
[If none: "No equipment is requested."]

E. SUPPLIES   Total: [$AMOUNT]   Requested: [$AMOUNT]
[ITEM OR CATEGORY]: [QUANTITY] x [$UNIT COST] = [$AMOUNT]. [PURPOSE.]
[REPEAT FOR EACH ITEM OR CATEGORY.]

F. CONTRACTUAL   Total: [$AMOUNT]   Requested: [$AMOUNT]
[CONTRACTOR OR SERVICE]: [BASIS, e.g., hours x rate, or fixed fee] = [$AMOUNT]. [SCOPE OF WORK AND HOW THE CONTRACTOR WAS OR WILL BE SELECTED.]
[SUBAWARD, if any]: [SUBRECIPIENT NAME]: [$AMOUNT]. [ROLE IN CARRYING OUT PART OF THE PROJECT.]

G. CONSTRUCTION   Total: [$AMOUNT]
[If none: "No construction costs are requested."]

H. OTHER   Total: [$AMOUNT]   Requested: [$AMOUNT]
[ITEM, e.g., participant incentives, event costs, rent, software subscriptions, printing]: [CALCULATION] = [$AMOUNT]. [PURPOSE.]

I. TOTAL DIRECT COSTS   Total: [$AMOUNT]   Requested: [$AMOUNT]

J. INDIRECT COSTS   Total: [$AMOUNT]   Requested: [$AMOUNT]
[CHOOSE ONE:]
[Federal, negotiated rate:] Indirect costs are calculated at [RATE%] of [BASE, e.g., modified total direct costs] per our negotiated indirect cost rate agreement with [COGNIZANT AGENCY], effective [DATES]. [$BASE] x [RATE%] = [$AMOUNT].
[Federal, de minimis:] [ORGANIZATION] does not have a current negotiated indirect cost rate and elects the de minimis rate of [RATE%, up to 15%] of modified total direct costs (MTDC) under 2 CFR 200.414(f). MTDC of [$AMOUNT] (total direct costs of [$AMOUNT] less excluded costs of [$AMOUNT] for [LIST: equipment, participant support costs, rent, subaward amounts over $50,000, etc.]) x [RATE%] = [$AMOUNT].
[Foundation:] Indirect costs are calculated at [RATE%] of [BASE], consistent with [FUNDER]'s indirect cost policy, and support [ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS, e.g., finance, HR, facilities, and executive oversight].

K. TOTAL PROJECT COST   Total: [$AMOUNT]   Requested: [$AMOUNT]

L. COST SHARE / OTHER SOURCES   Total: [$AMOUNT]
[SOURCE]: [$AMOUNT] — [CASH or IN-KIND] — [SECURED or PENDING]. [WHAT IT SUPPORTS.]
[IN-KIND ITEM]: [VALUATION METHOD, e.g., fair market rent of $X/month x months] = [$AMOUNT].