Maureen, the intent is to have your PI determine the "average" cost of the
project, receive that amount annually, save money in years when she has a
surplus, and spend them when her costs will exceed the average.

I've prepared a spreadsheet for my faculty that shows "average annual
direct", with the admonition to build a budget based on planned activities,
and then "adjust" within (mostly) the first year until the average
approaches an even number of modules.

Look at:
http://views.vcu.edu/views/ospa/budgetsheet.html
If you like it, we'll send it to you with the locks removed from the
"institution" rates.

My "Modular Grant" powerpoint show, given to our faculty this week, will be
on the website in a couple of days.

Chuck

At 04:12 PM 4/28/99 -0400, McMahon, Maureen wrote:
>We are in the process of preparing the first series of modular grant budgets
>for the June 1 deadline. An issue that has arisen is whether we can only
>request variation in the number of modules each year in cases where there
>are exceptional circumstances such as purchase of equipment. We are facing
>situations where a multi-year project has no exceptional purchases, only
>standard escalations per year, and yet requesting the same number of modules
>each year of the proposed project means we will receive substantially more
>or less in direct costs (based on the detailed budget) over the course of
>the multi-year project period. This situation would be remedied by
>requesting one module more or less for one or two years of the project.
>However, per our reading of the modular grant guidelines, any variation in
>number of modules requested must be "well-justified" and reflect
>"substantial changes in expected future activities." This is not the case
>with the above example.
>
>Has anyone else encountered this situation? Your input/feedback would be
>appreciated.
>Maureen B. McMahon
>Senior Grant and Contract Administrator
>University at Buffalo
>Office of Sponsored Programs Administration
>http://wings.buffalo.edu/spa
>Tel: 716-645-2977 ext. 111
>Fax: 716-645-3730
>email: xxxxxx@research.buffalo.edu
>
>
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Herbert B. Chermside, CRA
Director, Sponsored Programs Administration
Virginia Commonwealth University
PO BOX 980568
Richmond, VA  23298-0568
Express Delivery Only:
 Sanger Hall, Rm. 1-073
 11th & Marshall Streets
 Richmond, VA  23219
Voice:  804-828-6772
Fax     804-828-2521
OFFICE e-mail   xxxxxx@VCU.EDU
Personal e-mail xxxxxx@vcu.edu
http://views.vcu.edu/views/ospa/

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