Definition
Cost sharing (matching) occurs when a portion of the cost for sponsored project is borne by UW-Madison, rather than by the sponsor.
Policy and Guidelines
It is UW-Madison policy to minimize cost share, because of the programmatic, administrative, and financial impacts that cost sharing has on the University. See campus Cost Share Guidance for information about different types of cost share, when it is appropriate to include cost share commitments in proposals, and the types of expenses that are allowable to use as cost share.
Impacts of cost-sharing commitments include:
- Reducing the flexibility PIs have to conduct other research, when their effort is pledged to specific projects
- Increasing the requirements for documenting commitments and expenditures
- Decreasing the University’s recovery of F&A (indirect) costs
CALS Cost Share Guidelines
Paying the salary and fringe benefits of key personnel on the grant is the preferred method to indicate and document a cost share commitment made by faculty or staff. If a voluntary cost share commitment is proposed, CALS discourages more than 10% of effort per project, per person.
If a sponsor’s funding opportunity requires cost sharing or matching, contact the CALS Research Administrator for your department for assistance with developing the cost share budget.
Note: Cost Share involving 104 funding must be approved before proposal submission by both CALS Associate Dean for Extension and UW-Extension (047). CALS Research Division will manage these approvals.