National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Indirect Costs Policy for Applicants

Indirect Costs in Project Budgets

An organization may include indirect costs in their project budgets if they meet the following conditions:

1. the organization has a federally-approved indirect rate;
2. the organization submits documentation* of their federally-approved rate with their full proposal application;
3. the indirect costs line item in the project budget does not exceed 15% of the total direct costs requested from the Foundation (even when the federally-approved rate is greater); and,
4. the project was approved no earlier than January 1, 2010. 

*Documentation includes the Indirect Cost Negotiation Agreement or the notification from a Cognizant Agency to an organization formalizing the approval of a final or provisional indirect cost rate.

Indirect costs as Matching Contributions

If an organization does not include indirect costs in their request from the Foundation, the organization and their project partners may include their full federally-approved indirect rate as matching contributions for a Foundation award. 

If an organization’s federally-approved indirect rate exceeds 15% of the direct costs requested from the Foundation, they may include indirect costs up to 15% of the direct costs in their budget and use the balance of the indirect rate as matching contributions.

Effective date:  The matching funds policy applies to all NFWF projects submitting final reports after January 1, 2010.

 

Calculating Indirect Costs for a National Fish and Wildlife Fund Application

Draft Project Budget (does not include matching funds) in Full Proposal Application

Direct Costs

Salaries and Benefits                          $75,000

Contractual Services                         $120,000

Supplies and Materials                           $6,500

Travel                                                  $1,500

Total Direct Costs:                        $203,000

Applicant’s Federally-Approved Indirect Rate = 34.3%

Total Indirect Allowable per Federally-Approved Rate:   $203,000 X 34.3% = $69,629

Total Indirect Allowable per NFWF Policy (cannot exceed 15% of Request to NFWF):   $203,000 X 15% = $30,450

Final Project Budget (does not include matching funds) in Full Proposal Application

Direct Costs

Salaries and Benefits                        $75,000

Contractual Services                      $120,000

Supplies and Materials                       $6,500

Travel                                              $1,500

Total Direct Costs:                    $203,000

Indirect Costs:                            $30,450

Total Request to NFWF:            $233,450

When the applicant’s indirect costs exceed the Foundation ‘s 15% cap, the waived indirect costs can be used as match.  In the example above, the applicant’s total indirect costs per their approved rate totaled $69,629.  The applicant can include indirect costs up to 15% of the direct costs ($30,450) in the Full Proposal Application budget.  Thus the remaining indirect ($69,629 – $30,450), $39,179, can be applied by the applicant as matching funds.