We do not allow personal membership fees to be charged to a federal grant or
contract without specific agency prior approval.

If membership fees are included in the approved budget, then that serves as
prior approval.

Sharon A. Cole
Grants and Contracts Administrator
University of Houston
4800 Calhoun Street
Houston, TX 77204-2163
713-743-9238 Phone
713-743-9227 Fax
e-mail:  xxxxxx@uh.edu
Web:  http://www.research.uh.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: Valerie Seaquist [mailto:xxxxxx@EMAIL.UAH.EDU]
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 1999 8:07 AM
To: xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG
Subject: Personal membership costs charged to contract/grants

I would like to get a feel for how other institutions handle personal
memberships in professional organizations. OMB Circular A-21, Section J.28.
states that "costs of the institution's membership or subscriptions" is
allowed. It does not say anything about PI, Dr. John Doe, charging his
personal membership to a contract/grant account. We have not allowed this
charge to a contract or grant in the past (except in cases where the
membership fee is "buried" in a conference registration cost.)

Do other institutions allow personal membership fee cost charges on
contract/grants? If so, what is your rationale?

Thank you --

Val Seaquist
Office of Research Administration
The University of Alabama in Huntsville

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