Cost Share best practices

Mandatory: Don't cost share unless it's required by the sponsor.

Voluntary committed cost sharing is not expected nor used as a factor during the merit review of federal applications or proposals, per Uniform Guidance §200.306. For proposal opportunities where cost sharing is not a requirement, it is in the best interest of the university to directly charge federal agencies for project expenses instead of offering to cost share. When cost share is proposed and the award is made, it becomes a binding commitment which the university must provide and document as part of the performance of the sponsored agreement.