It looks like question three was well-answered but one and two may have been skipped over.

For Question number one, I'm assuming that the question is about fluctuating effort. You'll want to have it reflect the actual average over the given period rather than what was budgeted or what it at the time of certification. So for example if you were certifying for the grant year and Months 1-8 the person was at 8% effort, and then it dropped to 5% for Months 9-12, then the certified effort would be 7%  - [ (8% x 8 months) + (5% x 4 months) ]/(12 months) = (64% + 20%)/12 months = 7%.

If the question is about billing not aligning with what the person is reporting that they've worked, that's a messier answer that's not my area of expertise.

For Question two, it may depend but it's not typically going to be worth making any adjustments in advance for a new grant you're still just applying for, since you have no idea if it will be funded. My own priorities during pre-award would be to confirm that there is the capacity to complete the other projects if 20% of this person's effort is suddenly allocated elsewhere, and to note if the person is key personnel on anything where there might be an effort reduction requiring pre-approval should the grant be awarded. Assuming this doesn't raise any red flags about issues down the road I'd submit the 20% and plan to make the needed effort adjustments if and when the grant comes in.

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Katie Walker | Director, Finance & Administration | Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Boston University | Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences
mailto:xxxxxx@bu.edu  |  www.bu.edu  | 940 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215

I have some questions about effort and best practices.
 
These are all NIH related questions, we are nearly exclusively R01 subawardees.
 
First example.
A non-key personnel puts down 8% effort for year 1. At the end of the budget year we are only billing for around 5% FTE. For effort certification, is it 8% effort in year 1 or would it be 5%?
 
Second example.
2026: grant #1 55%
2026: grant #2 22%
2026: department duties 10%
2026: remaining 3%
 
The department is applying for another grant to start in 2026 and they want this individual to have 20% as that is the effort in order to accomplish the scope of work. How does this work when budgeting for 2026. Do you put in 20% and then once 2026 comes, you reduce the other grant efforts? Or do you make the adjustment now in pre-award? They must keep the 10% for department duties.
 
Third Question.
Employee reduced effort from 20% to 15%. This is a 5 percentage point decrease (20%-15%) but how does this represent a 25% decrease in effort? I saw this example some place and I don't understand the math.
 
 
 
Jennifer Escher, M.Ed.
Grants Administrator