Turning to my Research Administration colleagues with a question from my Grants Administration Coordinator on publication costs budgeted on federal grant proposals because I’ve had this question for some time, but haven’t pursued an answer before now as the scenario hasn’t come up in my tenure. Now it has, so here I am. J

When, exactly, would “costs associated with the documenting, preparing, publishing or otherwise making available to others the findings and products of the work to be conducted under the grant” be incurred as an allocable expense during the life of a grant award? Wouldn’t most of the efforts described as allowable be happening after (potentially long after) the end of a grant period?

I’ve copied the wording here from the NSG PAPPG for reference, but it’s the same question regardless of the agency:

b) Publication/Documentation/Dissemination (Line G2 on the Proposal Budget)

The proposal budget may request funds for the costs of documenting, preparing, publishing or otherwise making available to others the findings and products of the work to be conducted under the grant. This generally includes the following types of activities: reports, reprints, page charges or other journal costs (except costs for prior or early publication); necessary illustrations; cleanup, documentation, storage and indexing of data and databases; development, documentation and debugging of software; and storage, preservation, documentation, indexing, etc., of physical specimens, collections or fabricated items. Line G.2. of the proposal budget also may be used to request funding for data deposit and data curation costs.

Thanks everyone!

~Steph

Stephanie J. Cassavaugh

Director & IRB Administrator

PO Box 261954

Conway, SC 29528-6054

Coastal Science Center, #160-N

301 Allied Drive

843.349.5030

http://www.coastal.edu/osprs

“When it’s obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” ~Confucius

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