Research Grant Budget Calculator
Research grant budgets must account for both direct costs (personnel, supplies, travel, equipment, subcontracts) and indirect costs (facilities and administrative or F&A costs). This calculator sums your direct cost line items, applies your institution's F&A indirect cost rate to compute indirect costs, and gives the total grant amount. You can optionally exclude equipment and large subcontracts from the F&A base (as is standard in MTDC calculation). Enter your values in US dollars.
Grant budget formulas
Total Direct Costs = personnel + supplies + travel + equipment + subcontracts + other
MTDC = Total Direct Costs - equipment - subcontracts above $25,000
Indirect Costs = F&A rate * F&A base (MTDC or TDC)
Total Costs = Total Direct Costs + Indirect Costs
The MTDC base definition comes from 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance), the federal regulation governing federally funded grants. Equipment is defined as items with unit cost of $5,000 or more and a useful life of more than one year.
Key grant budget considerations
- Personnel fringe benefits must be budgeted separately from salaries; typical fringe rates range from 25 to 40% for full-time employees.
- Graduate student tuition is excluded from the MTDC base under 2 CFR 200.1.
- Patient care costs and participant stipends are excluded from the MTDC base.
- NIH salary cap: the 2024 NIH Executive Level II salary cap is $221,900 (verify current cap at grants.nih.gov).
- Always confirm your institution's current F&A rate agreement before finalising a budget.
Research grant budget: frequently asked questions
What are direct costs in a research grant budget?
Direct costs are expenses that can be directly attributed to a specific research project, including personnel salaries and fringe benefits, supplies and materials, travel, subcontracts, and equipment. Direct costs are the primary line items in a grant budget.
What are indirect costs (F&A costs) in a research grant?
Indirect costs (also called facilities and administrative or F&A costs) are institutional overhead expenses not directly attributable to a single project, such as building maintenance, utilities, library services, and administrative support. They are calculated as a percentage of modified total direct costs (MTDC) or total direct costs (TDC) depending on the award.
How is the F&A indirect cost rate calculated?
F&A indirect costs = F&A rate * modified total direct costs (MTDC). MTDC excludes equipment, subcontract costs above $25,000, patient care costs, and tuition from the base. The F&A rate is negotiated between the institution and the federal government, typically every 2 to 4 years.
What is a typical F&A indirect cost rate for a US university?
F&A rates vary widely by institution and cost type. On-campus research rates typically range from 40% to 65% MTDC. Off-campus rates are generally lower (20 to 26%). Clinical trials and industry-sponsored research rates differ from federal rates. Always use your institution's current negotiated rate.
What is the NIH modular budget?
NIH modular budgets are used for applications requesting up to $250,000 per year in direct costs. Instead of detailed line items, researchers request funding in $25,000 modules. They are simpler to prepare but are replaced by detailed budgets for larger awards or when specific budget justification is required.
Official sources
- 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance) - federal grant cost principles: eCFR: 2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance.
- NIH Grants and Funding, budget basics: NIH Office of Extramural Research: Budget Basics.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 14 June 2026. See our methodology.