Research Continuity Guidance for COVID-19

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Escalation Rates

Recommended escalation rates for use in sponsored project proposal budgets.

Project costs increase over time as a result of inflation. The university, as part of its institutional budgeting process, makes estimates of these changes. To assist in sponsored project budgeting we have obtained institutional projections from the University Budget Office, Division of Financial Affairs, Risk Management and Insurance, and Graduate School and recommend that these are incorporated into funding proposals. These are estimates. Actual costs in future years will be based on various factors, including action by the University Trustees.

Salary

Table: Cost Escalation - Salary
Category FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 and beyond
Faculty 3.00% 0.00% 3.00% See FY22
Others 2.50% 0.00%* 3.00% See FY22

*Note:  An exception exists in that the university will continue to observe the NRSA postdoc scale, where applicable (i.e. minimum for all postdocs, and step increases for postdocs on NIH awards).

 

Employee Benefits

Endowed College Rates

Table: Cost Escalation - Endowed College Employee Benefit Rates
Category FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 and Beyond
Endowed (rate, no escalation) 34.90% 34.90% 35.30% 28.90% 37.00%
(Provisional 7/1/21 until amended)

 

Contract College Rates

Table: Cost Escalation - Contract College Employee Benefit Rates
Category FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 and Beyond
Contract: Federal (rate, no escalation) 62.50% 65.10% 63.90% 60.50%
Estimated		 62.20%
Estimated		 63.50%
Estimated		 65.00%
Estimated
Contract: Non-Federal (rate, no escalation) 65.77% 68.63% 68.87% 66.93%
Estimated		 69.00%
Estimated		 70.50%
Estimated		 72.00%
Estimated

 

Graduate Research Assistants

Table: Cost Escalation - Graduate Research Assistants
Category FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 and beyond
Tuition 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% See FY21
Stipend 3.00% 3.00% 3.00% See FY21
Health Insurance 13.00% 10.00% 10.00% See FY21

 

All Other Items

Table: Cost Escalation - All Other Items

Including escalation is optional on a per-item basis.  However, if included the guidelines on this page are the most defensible rate. If choosing to escalate an item one should apply the 2% to all items not otherwise stated on the page, with two exceptions: 
1. Do NOT escalate graduate tuition. 
2. Graduate health insurance is generally escalated at a higher rate (Around 4% - more details to come on graduate health insurance escalation rates).
Category FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 and beyond
All other items 2.00% 2.00% 2.00% See FY21