Information for Grantees and Sponsored Research Partners

Support for Grants and Sponsored Research Projects 

Science and Technology Futures, Inc. does not accept unsolicited proposals. If you wish to apply for support from one of our programs, you must be invited to submit a proposal from a member of our team. 

General Eligibility for Support

All potential grantees and partners will be evaluated based on their capabilities and program fit, in-line with guidance provided by our team members during the application process. Additionally, grantee and partner organizations must meet the following requirements:

• Organization must be a 501(c)(3) non-profit (or foreign equivalent) in good standing; or a government agency.

• Organization must maintain good accounting practices that are in-line with international standards.

• Organization (and their host countries) must not be under any United States sanctions or terror lists.

Indirect Cost Policy

Direct Costs 

Direct costs are the expenses required to execute a grant that are directly attributable and can be reasonably allocated to the project. Program staff salaries, travel expenses, materials, and consultants required to execute the grant are examples. Costs that would not be incurred if the grant did not exist are often indicative of direct costs.

 Indirect Costs 

Indirect costs are general overhead and administration expenses that support the entire operations of a grantee and that may be shared across projects. Examples include facilities expenses, e.g. rent, utilities, equipment for the grantee’s headquarters, and associated information systems and support and administrative staff such as HR, general finance, accounting, IT, and legal. Expenses that would be incurred regardless of whether the grant is funded are often indicative of indirect costs. While these costs may not be directly attributable to a project, they are real and necessary to operate as an organization. 

Indirect Cost Rate 

Indirect Cost Rate = Budgeted Indirect costs/ Budgeted Total Direct Costs (e.g. personnel, sub‐awards, supplies, equipment, etc.)

Maximum Indirect Cost Rates

• Government Agencies: 5%

• US Universities: 10%

• Non-Government Organizations and Charities: 15%

• Non-US Universities: 15%

The rates provided above are the maximum rates allowed under our policy. A grantee, contractor, or partner with an actual indirect cost rate lower than the maximum rate provided above should not increase the funding request to the maximum allowed. 

The indirect cost rate awarded in a grant budget may vary up to the maximum percentages depending on factors including, but not limited to, the type of project, level of administrative effort required, cost structure of the grantee, overall grant size, and extent of sub-awards or commodity purchases.

Maximum Indirect Cost Rates and limitations apply to both the primary applicant organization and any sub‐grantees. Each respective organization may receive indirect costs up to the rate applicable to their organization type.

We seek consistency across funding mechanisms and thus we reserve the right to apply this philosophy and principles to contracts.

We reserve the right to request substantiation of any grantee’s indirect cost rate.