Budget Categories Explanation
The contents of the "Budget Categories" in the Pennsylvania LSTA Grant Application and Financial Reports are explained in the table below. Use this table to help you understand what budget line your expenditures should be recorded in.
Budget Categories
These are IMLS identified required budget categories for organizations which receive LSTA grants.
Indirect Costs
| Incurred cost, often referred to as "overhead costs", that cannot be readily isolated or identified with just one project or activity. Includes general telephone service, postage, office supplies, office space expenses, and administrative or financial operations for an entire organization.
|
Salaries/Wages/Benefits
| Includes people
in the position(s) directly involved in the project paid through LSTA, Cash
Match or In-Kind (funding for staff can be included but only for the duration
of the project). |
| Consulting Fees | Includes all
expenses related to acquiring the services of a consultant for a specific
activity within the project. The expenses include consultant fees, travel,
accommodations and support services. |
| Travel (at State
rates) | Travel must be
related to project activities and considered educational, not entertainment.
This includes costs that are directly related to individual travel (lodging, per diem, transportation, etc.) Please Note: Travel must be the most economical mode of
transportation, considering travel time, costs and purpose for travel. |
| Supplies/Materials | Includes costs
for supplies and materials purchased specifically for the project. This includes: books, non-print resources, software, virtual
or tangible materials, and computing devices if the acquisition cost per unit
is less than $5,000. Also includes,
office and library supplies such as books, periodicals, audiovisual formats,
microforms, and other library materials |
Equipment (Items
over $5,000 per unit)
| Equipment has an
acquisition cost that equals or exceeds $5,000 per unit and is an article of
nonexpendable, tangible property having a useful life of more than one year. |
| Services | Services may
include, but are not limited to, hiring a firm to provide instruction and
training as well as technical assistance, outsourcing, databases, reference
services, publicity and maintenance of equipment. |