College of Charleston charges rates that are in effect at the time the
salary expense is incurred.  We consider rates used in proposal budgets
as **estimates** of fringe costs....as all proposal budget figures are
estimates. Even when rates have gone up mid-project, we've never had any
questions from sponsors when we've billed the actual newer rate.  Of
course, we don't ask the sponsor to pick up the difference...most
increases are relatively small, so we've always found enough "fat" in
other categories to absorb the difference.   It seems that it would be
extremely labor intensive to apply different rates to different projects
and would open the door for more opportunities for error.  Hope this helps.

Farnsworth, Franci wrote:

>Is there a "best practices" standard for charging fringe benefits to
>sponsored projects?    Our practice in the past has been to charge sponsors
>for fringe benefits using the rates that were in effect at the time the
>budget was developed, which results in a multitude of FB rates in use at any
>given time.  A much simpler practice would be to use the rates in effect at
>the time that the salary expense is incurred.      I'd be glad to post the
>results of this quick survey to the list -- what method does your
>institution use for charging fringe benefits to grants?
>
>
>
>Frances Vinal Farnsworth
>Coordinator of Sponsored Research
>Munford House
>Middlebury College
>Middlebury, VT 05753
>
>Tel:  802-443-5889
>Fax:  802-443-2081
>Email:  xxxxxx@middlebury.edu
>Web:  http://www.middlebury.edu/~grants/
>
>
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--
==================================================================
Barbara H. Gray, Director
Office of Research & Grants Administration
College of Charleston
66 George Street
Charleston, SC  29424
Campus Location:  407-G Bell Bldg.
Office: 843.953.5673  Desk: 843.953.5885  Fax:  843.953.6577
e-mail:  xxxxxx@cofc.edu   URL: http://www.orga.cofc.edu/
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