Quick reference guide for proposal preparation
Below is standard institutional data required by sponsors and needed for grant proposals. Also included is pertinent information for budget preparation such as F&A rates, fringe benefit rates, graduate assistant stipend and tuition rates, and postdoctoral scholar/fellowship salaries.
Board of Regents, NSHE, obo University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno
Office of Sponsored Projects
1664 North Virginia Street
204 Ross Hall/Mail Stop 325
Reno, NV 89557-0325
Phone: (775) 784-4040
Fax: (775) 784-6680
Email: spadmin@unr.edu
Grant applications must arrive at Sponsored Projects a minimum of five business days prior to the submission deadline and must be entered into InfoEd and routed for internal approvals through InfoEd. Application packages should include the following:
- Completed MANDATORY Transmittal form (in InfoEd.
- Complete proposal including scope of work, budget and budget justification.
- Complete URL or uploaded copy of RFP/FOA/program announcement.
- If cost match required, a completed and signed SP-11 Cost Share form and letters of commitment for any third-party cost share (upload to InfoEd proposal record).
- Documentation of sponsor's F&A rate (if it varies from the full, applicable University rate).
Katie Tracy, Executive Director, Sponsored Projects
Tom Landis, Associate Director, Sponsored Projects
Ella Chavez-Harbrecht, Manager, Post-Award
Kandice Doerring, Manager, Grants & Contracts
Effective date: 9/21/16
Cognizant federal agency
Department of Health & Human Services
Division of Cost Allocation
Washington, DC 20201
(202) 401-2808
Cognizant federal auditor
Department of Education
Office of the Chief Financial Officer
400 Maryland Ave, SW
Washington DC, 20202
(202) 401-0085
Unless specifically prohibited by the sponsoring agency, the rates below should be used on all proposals submitted to federal and nonfederal agencies and organizations for research and instruction grants and contracts and other sponsored activities. A copy of the University's F&A rate agreement is available on the General Information tab of the .
| Effective dates | Activity | Rate | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07/01/2023 – 06/30/2025 | Research | 47% | On-Campus |
| 07/01/2020 – 06/30/2025 | Research | 26% | Off-Campus |
| 07/01/2021 – 06/30/2025 | Instruction | 47% | On-Campus |
| 07/01/2020 – 06/30/2025 | Instruction | 26% | Off-Campus |
| 07/01/2021 – 06/30/2025 | Other | 31% | On-Campus |
| 07/01/2020 – 06/30/2025 | Other | 26% | Off-Campus |
F&A is calculated on modified total direct costs (MTDC) which excludes the following expenditures:
- Participant support
- Capital expenditures
- Equipment (any one item over $5,000)
- Patient care
- Rental costs of off-site facilities
- Scholarships and fellowships
- Subcontract portion in excess of $25,000
- Tuition remission
Off-campus rate
Per the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno's F&A rate agreement, an off-campus rate is applicable only when a project meets the following definition of off-campus: "An off-campus program is one where the preponderance of the program is conducted by the University (1) in leased facilities where space related costs (e.g., rent, utilities and maintenance) are charged directly to the program, or (2) in facilities made available (at no costs) to the program by a non-university organization, or (3) a minimum of 50 miles away from the University over an uninterrupted period of time in excess of 90 days per program year for field work. Short duration events such as workshops are generally considered to be on-campus."
Agency specific rates
State of ÁùºÏ±¦µä: For information regarding F&A rates for proposals submitted to the State of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, please see the .
Cognizant federal agency
Dept of Health & Human Services
Office of Inspector General
Office of Audit Services, Region IX
San Francisco, CA 94102
Point of contact: Karen Wong, (415) 437-7820
See the F&A and fringe rate FAQ for answers to common F&A questions.
When budgeting salaries in sponsored project proposals, please use the following approved fringe rates. Please note that the FY25 rates are proposed rates awaiting approval from the cognizant federal agency, and should only be used for proposal estimates.
| Employee type | FY25 fringe rate |
|---|---|
| Professional Use the Professional rate for postdocs, resident physicians, and faculty EDA (with retirement). |
31.6% |
| Classified | 41.6% |
| Graduate Assistant Graduate assistant health insurance is included in the fringe rate. |
15.1% |
| Letter of Appointment Use the Letter of Appointment (LOA) rate for all LOA appointments including LOA with benefits. Also use the LOA rate for temporary hourly wages regardless of FTE. |
9.8% |
| Wages Use the Wages rate for the following scenarios
|
2.5% |
Graduate Assistant salaries
The University has a 4-tiered base salary for graduate assistants based upon the type of degree (master's versus doctoral) and the discipline of the student's graduate program (humanities, social sciences/professional, or STEM), as indicated below.
When budgeting graduate assistant salaries on grant proposals, please use the salary amounts below.
| FTE (hours) | Monthly pay | Amount (base salary) | Prorated salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25% (10) | $850 | $40,800.00 | $10,200.00 |
| 37.5% (15) | $1,275 | $40,800.00 | $15,300.00 |
| 50% (20) | $1,700 | $40,800.00 | $20,400.00 |
| FTE (hours) | Monthly pay | Amount (base salary, minimum for all disciplines) | Prorated salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25% (10) | $1,050 | $50,400.00 | $12,600.00 |
| 37.5% (15) | $1,575 | $50,400.00 | $18,900.00 |
| 50% (20) | $2,100 | $50,400.00 | $25,200.00 |
| FTE (hours) | Monthly pay | Amount (base salary, all disciplines) | Prorated salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25% (10) | $1,075 | $51,600.00 | $12,900.00 |
| 37.5% (15) | $1,612.50 | $51,600.00 | $19,350.00 |
| 50% (20) | $2,150 | $51,600.00 | $25,800.00 |
| FTE (hours) | Monthly pay | Amount (Base salary, all disciplines) | Prorated salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25% (10) | $1,100 | $52,800.00 | $13,200.00 |
| 37.5% (15) | $1,650 | $52,800.00 | $19,800.00 |
| 50% (20) | $2,200 | $52,800.00 | $26,400.00 |
| FTE (hours) | Monthly pay | Amount (base salary, all disciplines) | Prorated salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25% (10) | $1,475.32 | $70,815.12 | $17,703.78 |
| 37.5% (15) | $2,212.97 | $70,815.12 | $26,555.67 |
| 50% (20) | $2,950.63 | $70,815.12 | $35,407.56 |
Graduate Assistant tuition
Please use the rates below for budgeting graduate assistant tuition on grant proposals.
| Assistantship type | Rate |
|---|---|
| 20-hour | $344.25 |
| 15-hour | $258.19 |
| 10-hour | $172.13 |
- Graduate assistantships must provide tuition remission and are not subject to non-resident fees.
- Principal Investigators should budget for a minimum of 16 credits per year. The maximum that could be budgeted is 21 credits per year (9 credits in the fall semester, 9 credits in the spring semester, and 3 credits in the summer semester). Please note that graduate students must enroll for a minimum of 6 credits per semester to maintain assistantship eligibility.
- Graduate assistant health insurance is included in the graduate assistant fringe benefit rate used for grant proposal budgeting.
Further assistantship information can be found through the Graduate School.
- EIN/University Tax ID#: 88-6000024
- EIN# FOR DHHS: 188-6000024A1
- DUNS Number: 14-651-5460 (for Grants.gov, key in without dashes: 146515460)
- Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): WLDGTNCFFJZ3
- System for Award Management (SAM) Expiration Date: 12/04/2024
- CAGE Code: 00ZM7
- ÁùºÏ±¦µä Legislative District: NV-002
- ÁùºÏ±¦µä State Vendor #: D35000816
Board of Regents, ÁùºÏ±¦µä System of Higher Education, on behalf of the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno
Acceptable abbreviations:
- Board of Regents, NSHE, on behalf of the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno
- Bd of Regents of the NSHE on behalf of the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno
- BOR, NSHE, on behalf of the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno
For a list of eligible non-contractual days available for overload or extra duty assignment, please see the Human Resources, salary schedules web page.
1664 North Virginia Street
204 Ross Hall/Mail Stop 325
Reno, NV 89557
Note: When preparing a National Science Foundation proposal in FastLane, use 89557-0001 for the zip code.
| Employee Type | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Researcher | $56,484* annually | Q1 of academic A Rank II: $83,806 or maximum set by granting agency (Effective July 1 through September 30, 2024) $92,187 (Effective October 1, 2024 onwards) |
| Instructor | $52,800* annually | Q1 of academic A Rank II: $83,806 or maximum set by granting agency (Effective July 1 through September 30, 2024) $92,187 (Effective October 1, 2024 onwards) |
Existing minimum: Annual salary minimum is $56,484 for continuing research postdocs and new hires as of July 1, 2024. Budgets for new grant proposals submitted during later years should meet or exceed the for the same fiscal year. For instructional postdoctoral fellows, the minimum is $52,800 annually for continuing postdocs and new hires as of July 1, 2024.
*As of July 1, 2025, all continuing and new hire postdocs must be at the minimum for their job type: $61,008 for research, and $57,029 for instruction.
Maximum: This is equal to the Q1 salary in the salary schedule of “A” contract Rank II Assistant Professor or for postdoctoral fellowships paid from a grant, the salary maximum set forth by the granting agency.
Human Subjects Number: 00002306. Visit Research Integrity & Security for further information about human research protection.
Animal Welfare Assurance Number: (Issued by OLAW): D16-00311. Expiration Date: 4/30/25.
Note: There are expenses associated with the use of lab animals in research. Investigators who plan to use animals in their sponsored research are strongly urged to contact Animal Resources to discuss animal use expenses so that these expenses can be properly accounted for in the research proposal budget.
USDA Research Registration (Class R Research Facility) Number: 88-R-0005. Expiration Date: 12/22/24.
The University's animal care and use program is fully accredited by .
The ÁùºÏ±¦µä System of Higher Education (NSHE) is self-insured for general and automobile liability exposures funded by the State of ÁùºÏ±¦µä. For further information regarding NSHE's liability insurance or to obtain certificates of insurance, please the visit the NSHE Business Center North Risk Management website.
Tourism, gaming and entertainment
- Center for online gaming
- Intellectual capital of global gaming
- Gaming manufacturing
- Diversifying into niche tourism markets
- Retirees and second hand home owners
- Film and media
Clean energy
- Renewable component manufacturing
- Expanding transmission capacity
- Advancing and internationalizing geothermal development
- Energy efficiency upgrading
- Water technology
Health and medical services
- Surgical specialties
- Geriatrics and related services
- Disaggregation of medical service delivery
- Leveraging a strong medical/health sector to build other emerging industries
Aerospace and defense
- Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) supply, assembly and testing
- Maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of aircraft systems
Mining, materials and manufacturing
- Expanding participation in upstream mining activities
- Medium-value mineral supply chain development
- Manufacture of advanced composite materials
- Organizing and marketing of manufacturing base
Business IT ecosystems
- Call centers/customer service and back office/BPO/shared services
- E-commerce operations/headquarters
- Corporate data centers
- Cloud computing/high-performance computing
- Cyber security
Logistics and operations
- Warehousing and distribution
- Advanced logistics
- Air cargo
- Integrated manufacturing-distribution
- Assembly manufacturing
- Food processing operations
- Freight transportation (ground and rail)
Additional promising possibilities
- Agriculture
- Intangibles and financial enterprises
Research
Research is defined as activities that are organized to produce outcomes that contribute to new knowledge. This expansion of knowledge can lead to a better understanding of the discipline. This will also include activities involving the training of individuals in research techniques where activities share facilities that are used for research and development.
Research generally has the hallmarks of data collection that may or may not occur within the confines of a laboratory. Research typically involves analysis of data that leads to a dissemination activity such as a report for the sponsor who may then use the data publicly, privately or in a presentation or publication.
Research can be divided into three categories: basic, applied or developmental.
Basic research
Research undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge without any particular application or use in mind.
Examples of basic research:
- A study to determine what affects blood coagulation
- A study of the properties of molecules under various heat and cold conditions
- A study of the heart chambers of various fish species
Applied research
Research conducted to gain the knowledge or understanding to meet a specific, recognized need.
Examples of applied research:
- A study on how a new chicken pox vaccine affects blood coagulation
- A study investigating the properties of particular substances under various heat and cold conditions with the objective of finding longer-lasting components for highway pavement
- A study examining various levels of a toxic substance to determine the maximum safe level for fish in a stream
Developmental research
The systematic use of the knowledge or understanding gained from research directed toward the production of useful materials, devices, systems or methods, including the design and development of prototypes and processes.
Examples of developmental research:
- A clinical trial to test a newly developed chicken pox vaccine
- A study to test a newly developed highway pavement under various types of heat and cold conditions
- A study to develop a new stream monitoring system that will incorporate research findings on toxicity levels for fish
Instruction
Instruction is defined as teaching activities that may be offered for credit towards a degree or certificate. This may include noncredit classes that are offered through a regular academic department. Generally, there will be a student to teacher relationship.
The focus of instruction generally involves the student receiving credit for the instructional activity. This credit could be in the form of actual college credits or Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits for professional students. Curriculum development and effort to improve teaching methods is included in the definition of instruction.
Examples of instruction:
- College preparation activities
- Development of college-level educational materials
- Professional instruction/education that may or may not lead to a CPE certificate
- Leadership training or activities
Other sponsored activity
Other sponsored activity is defined as any project that addresses the university's public service mission. Projects classified as "other" or "public service" are not instruction or research. Other sponsored activity projects will have hallmarks like economic development in the community, rural health or demonstration activities or techniques that focus on outreach. Often, sponsor designed testing or analysis where no reporting or analysis of data occurs.
Examples of other sponsored activities:
- Museum displays or exhibits
- Extension activities that disseminate information about conservation or agriculture
- Symposiums or lectures
- Arts programs
- Community or rural health projects where services or initiatives are directed to a particular group of people
- Sponsor designed testing or analysis where no reporting or analysis of data occurs
- K-12 education projects