Participant Support Costs
Description
Participant support costs are direct costs that support participants and their involvement in a Federal award, such as stipends, subsistence allowances, travel allowances, registration fees, temporary dependent care, and per diem paid directly to or on behalf of participants. (§200.1) Please note, per University policy (BPP 8.1.3), dependant care expenses are considered personal in nature and are not allowable participant support costs.
Participants are individuals participating in or attending program activities under a Federal award, such as trainings or conferences, but who are not responsible for implementation of the Federal award. Individuals committing effort to the development or delivery of program activities under a Federal award (such as consultants, project personnel, or staff members of a recipient or subrecipient) are not participants. Examples of participants may include community members participating in a community outreach program, members of the public whose perspectives or input are sought as part of a program, students, or conference attendees. (§200.1)
The classification of items as participant support costs must be consistently treated across all Federal awards. (§200.456) Prior approval is required to transfer funds budgeted for participant support costs to other budget categories. (§200.308(f)(5))
Examples of Participant Support
Under an NSF REU supplement, a U of I professor will host two students for a 6-week summer training course. The students will be paid a weekly stipend. Their transportation to / from campus will be covered and they will be provided with on-campus housing and a meal plan.
An NSF-funded conference will be hosted on the U of I campus. Twenty graduate students from across the US will be invited to attend. The students’ airfare/transportation, lodging and per diem will be covered by the grant.
A U of I professor is hosting workshops in developing countries to teach sustainable farming techniques. Local farmers are paid a stipend to attend these workshops. The stipends are considered to be participant support costs.
Participant Support Costs vs. Human Subject Payments
| Participant Support Costs | Human Subject Payments | |
|---|---|---|
| Supports non-employees while participating in sponsored project funded conferences, workshops, and training activities | ||
| Provides compensation or incentives to individuals serving as subjects in research studies | ||
| Requires prior approval from the awarding agency | ||
| Requires an approved IRB protocol | ||
| Charges will assess F&A on an MTDC basis in Banner | ||
| Separate fund will be created in Banner | ||
| Employees may participate or receive payment |
Additional Resources
Related Documents and Resources
- PSC vs. Human Subject Payments - 2018 SPaRC Retreat Slides
- NSF Policy Newsletter - PSC Explained (pg 3)