ACES Admin Services
Grants and Contracts Frequently Asked Questions
What is Extramural Funding?
This is a general term for money that comes from outside
the established ACES budget that is used to support a program or project.
It may come from federal, state or local governments, business, private foundations,
or individuals.
What is the difference between a Grant and a Gift?
A grant is an agreement to accomplish something for the public good in exchange
for money, property or services. Most federal agencies use a grant document
for research awards to universities.
Donations and gifts are funds or resources other than money (either solicited
or unsolicited) which are provided without any formal written agreements.
Donations and gifts may be accepted and used by agents to support on-going
Extension programs as long as they do not require any additional commitment
of Extension resources or any formal accountability (i.e., reports, external
audits, etc.) to the donor. An example of a donation is funds provided by
a county cattlemen’s association for conducting a county 4-H steer
show.
Why do all grant applications need to be submitted through Auburn or Alabama
A&M?
Auburn and AAMU , as the State’s public Land Grant institutions, are
responsible for the management and oversight of all Extension funds. They
have the resources and staff to account for, and report on, the numerous
grants and other contracts awarded by the state and federal governments and
private funders.
Can a County Coordinator submit a grant application through the County Commissioners’ Office?
No. All applications for grant funding must be processed through either
Auburn or AAMU.
What are “Indirect Costs” and why do they have to be included
in the budget?
Indirect, or Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs, are real costs
of doing research, instruction and other sponsored activities that are not
easily identifiable with a particular project or activity They include
such costs as building and equipment use and depreciation, operation and
maintenance costs, and the costs of administering the grant. The rates
are continually monitored and negotiated with the government. For a
more complete description go to the Office of Sponsored Programs website, http://www.auburn.edu/research/vpr/contracts/costs.html.
I received a grant to conduct some workshops, but plan to charge a fee to
cover some costs the grant won’t pay for. If I have money left
over can I use it for another program?
In general, income from a project must be used only to support the activities
of that project. Check with your funder and with the office of sponsored
programs.
I need to travel to do workshops for a grant I’m working on, but
don’t
have enough money in the budget . Can I charge it to another grant
from the same funder?
No. All grant budgets are independent even if they are from the same
agency. You can, however, apply for a program grant that could include
salary support for the agent assistant who would work on that program.
I need funds to pay the salary of my Agent Assistant. Can I get a
grant for this?
It’s unlikely. Grants to support general operating expenses,
rather than a new program, are uncommon, particularly to support a state
agency.
Where can I get some help writing a grant application?
The Extension Grants Specialist will help with all the steps of the grant
writing process from refining the program ideas to submitting the completed
application. He can be reached by phone at 334-844-5549 or 844-744-0359
or by email at jbastusc@aces.edu.
Contact him early in the process.
How long will it take to get an application through the approval process
at Auburn or AAMU?
ACES Administrative Services and the Office of Sponsored Programs strongly
advise that applications be submitted to Administrative Services ten days
before they are due. This will provide sufficient time to obtain the
necessary signatures and to make any needed changes to the document.
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