Helpful hints for filling out NOAA Grant application forms for ORI
*Project* Grants:

FFO# NMFS-HCPO-2009-2001496

The information provided below is intended to
**[supplement,]{.underline}** not replace, the instructions provided in
the federal grant application forms and the Federal Funding Opportunity.
This information should decrease common errors and confusion when
filling out federal grant applications for the NOAA Open Rivers
Initiative Project Grants. Please call or email <Tisa.Shostik@noaa.gov>,
301-713-0174 x 209, if you have any questions.

**Important Notice Regarding Proposal Submission:**

Please register with Grants.gov as soon as possible. This is a one-time,
multi-step process that may take several weeks. Instructions are
available at [www.grants.gov](http://www.grants.gov/) under "For
Applicants" and "Get Registered." You must download the free PureEdge
Viewer program and Adobe Reader Version 8.1.2 to successfully navigate
the Grants.gov pages and complete your application on Grants.gov; you
can download the programs before the registration process is complete.
Though it is highly preferable that you use Grants.gov, if you are not
able to submit through Grants.gov, please print your Grants.gov
application and attachments, ***sign the forms (even where it says 'will
be completed upon submission')***, and submit them by the post-mark
deadline. Do not wait until after your local post office or delivery
service has closed to submit your proposal to Grants.gov as the deadline
for submission cannot be extended and there is room for human or
computer error during the Grants.gov submission process. Receipt of a
reply message from Grants.gov verifying acceptance or rejection of your
application can take up to 48 hours.

Applications submitted through the Grants.gov website should include
only three files in addition to the Federal Application forms: 1) the
project summary and narrative, 2) the budget justification, and 3) all
other attachments combined, including resumes, restoration plans, maps,
and support letters. PDF files are the preferred format. Information
about converting documents to PDF files is available on the Grants.gov
website under "Applicant Resources."

**Form 424:**

Make sure this form reflects the full dollar value requested and match
proposed. Start dates are the first of the month, and end dates are the
last day of the month. When asked for your project title, please choose
a short, descriptive name including a location, if possible. *Do not*
use a generic name such as "Open Rivers Initiative Project." This form
asks for two contacts within your organization. The "person to be
contacted on matters involving this application" is a project manager or
primary investigator. The document is signed and submitted by the
Authorized Representative. This should be the person designated as
Authorized Organization Representative in Grants.gov by your
organizations' E-business Point of Contact during the registration
process. The Authorized Representative will receive official
communications concerning your application.

**Budget Form 424A:**

A complete budget consists of the SF-424A and a budget narrative for the
project. The NOAA Grants Management Division's website includes an
Application Kit with Budget Guidelines at:
<http://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/appkit.shtml>. Section B (Budget
Categories) of the 424A is the portion of this form most helpful to
proposal reviewers; Use column 1 for federal requests and column 2 for
non-federal match. Please enter whole dollar amounts on this form.

**Budget Narrative:**

All applications must have a detailed budget narrative explaining and
justifying the federal and the non-federal expenditures by object class.
The budget narrative must accurately describe the budget breakdown of
Section B (Budget Category) of the SF-424A form. For clarification and
simplicity, it is best to discuss each expense by object class in the
order they appear on the SF424A. Indicate whether or not expenditures
are federal or non-federal in nature. Include the dollar amounts in the
discussion and how the dollar amounts were derived. A spreadsheet with
federal and matching expenditures can also be included but is not
required. [Matching funds must be available and used during the stated
project period and cannot be used to match other awards.]{.underline}

The following are highlights from the Budget Guidelines (see above) to
help you formulate your budget narrative.

Object Class:

> a\. [Personnel:]{.underline} include salary, wage, and hours or % of
> time committed to project of each person by job title

b.  [Fringe Benefits]{.underline}: should be identified for each
    individual. Must be described in detail if the rate \> 35 % of the
    associated salary.

c.  [Travel:]{.underline} provide a breakdown of travel costs totaling
    \> \$5,000 or 5 % of award. Include destination, duration, type of
    transportation, estimated cost, number of travelers, lodging,
    mileage rate and estimated number of miles, and per diem.

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d.  [Equipment:]{.underline} Equipment is any single piece of
    non-expendable, tangible personal property \>\$5,000, that has a
    useful life of \> one year (i.e. truck, copy machine).

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e.  [Supply:]{.underline} can be any supplies needed for the restoration
    or administration work. A detailed explanation is required for total
    supply costs over \$5,000 or 5% of the award. Purchases less than
    \$5,000 per item are considered by the federal government as a
    supply.

f.  [Contractual:]{.underline} list each contract or subgrant as a
    separate item, give cost breakdown and describe products/services to
    be obtained by the contractor. Contingencies are not allowed.

g.  [Construction:]{.underline} only charge construction costs for
    construction of buildings (i.e. green house, educational center).
    All other project related construction costs should be contractual
    labor.

h.  [Other]{.underline}: list items, cost, and justification for each
    expense

    i\. [Total direct charges]{.underline}

    j\. [Indirect charges:]{.underline} To use line (j) to claim
    indirect charges an indirect cost agreement with the federal
    government must already be established. Applicants will be limited
    to the amount of indirect costs stated in the FFO, but amounts in
    excess can be used as match. A copy of the indirect cost agreement
    should accompany your application. If the applicant does not have a
    current negotiated rate and plans to seek reimbursement for indirect
    costs, documentation necessary to establish a rate must be submitted
    within 90 days of receiving an award. If no agreement has been
    arranged, indirect costs can be incorporated into other line items
    (i.e. fringe benefits, other) as long as they are justified in the
    budget narrative.

    k\. [Totals of direct and indirect charges]{.underline}

**Example Budget Narrative:**

**Personnel (Federal Share), \$24,750**

John Doe, project manager, will provide 750 hours of work at \$25/hr for
overall project management, supervision, and reporting. Total: \$18,750

Alice Doe, biologist, will provide 300 hours of work at \$20/hr for
technical support, field work, and pre and post project monitoring.
Total: \$6000

**Personnel (Non-Federal Share), \$21,600**

The County will provide contract and construction management services at
15% of the project contract costs. Total: \$15,000

Administrative support that includes accounting, filing, developing
outreach materials and coordinating volunteers will be the carried out
by Mary Smith, administrative assistant. Mary will dedicate 300 hours at
\$15.00/hr to this effort. Total non-federal in-kind match: \$4,500

Fifty volunteers will be recruited to plant riparian vegetation along
Thompson Brook. It is estimated that the volunteer work will take 4
hours per person for a total of 200 volunteer hours at \$10.50 / hr.
Total non-federal in-kind match: \$2,100

**Fringe Benefits (Federal Share), \$3,713**

The fringe benefit rate is 15% of salary. \$2,813 covers benefits for
John Doe and \$900 for Alice Doe. Fringe benefits go toward FICA,
medical and dental insurance, retirement and disability. Total: \$3,713

**Fringe Benefits (Non-Federal Share), \$675**

Fringe benefits for Mary Smith, 15%, to cover health insurance, FICA,
retirement and disability. Total: \$675

**Travel (Federal), \$3,045**

Travel funding will be required for the project manager and biologist to
travel to and from the Thompson Brook site to conduct field work and
supervise construction activities. Mileage expenses will be charged at
\$0.33/mile and total mileage (10 round trips) for the project is
estimated to be 2000 miles for a total cost of \$660

Travel funding will be required for volunteers to travel and transport
vegetation to the Thompson Brook site. Fifty volunteers will be
transported in five rental vans (\$55/day) for three days totaling
\$825. Mileage expense will be charged at \$0.33 /mile for an estimated
round trip of 200 miles / van. (Mileage total: \$330). Total rental and
mileage: \$1155

Alice Doe, biologist, will be presenting papers on the project progress,
techniques and completion at a major fisheries restoration conference.
Estimated airfare (\$800), lodging (2 nights, \$100/night, total lodging
\$200), food (\$40/day, total \$80), and car rental and gas (\$150).
Total conference travel: \$1,230

**Travel (Non- Federal) -** none

**Equipment (Federal) -** none

**Equipment (Non-Federal)** - none

**Supplies (Federal), \$ 8,200**

Purchase and use of expendable field supplies including -- stream flow
gauges, maps, sampling equipment, and health and safety equipment.
Total: \$1,000

Flyers and posters will be made to recruit volunteers. Total: \$200

Interpretive/Education exhibit design and construction. Total: \$1,500

Native plants/trees will be purchased to revegetate the riparian area
around project site. Total: \$3,000

A laptop computer will be purchased to record fish counts and fish
passage data in the field prior to and after completion of the barrier
removal. Data will be recorded and analyzed using the laptop computer.
Total: \$2,500

**Supplies (Non-Federal), \$5,000**

The applicant will purchase \$3,000 in software for the lap-top computer
to collect and analyze data.

Total: \$3,000

The applicant will purchase gloves, fertilizer, buckets, rakes,
insulated water coolers, and other supplies necessary for volunteers to
plant trees and riparian plants.

Total: \$2,000

**Contractual** **(Federal), \$100,000**

Contractors will be hired to carry out construction activities
associated with barrier removal - includes funding for project engineer,
heavy equipment rental, heavy equipment operators, and project
materials. Costs estimated from 70% design plan.

**Contractual** **(Non-Federal) - \$113,000**

The County will purchase a bottom-less arch culvert to be installed at
the project site. Total \$105,000

The County will provide management and redirection of traffic flow.

Total: \$8,000

**Other (Federal) -** none

**Other (Non-Federal), \$1000**

The applicant will cover the cost of cell phones, office phones, and
local and long-distance charges for arranging and coordinating volunteer
involvement. Total: \$1000

**Total Direct Charges: Federal: \$** **139,708**

**Non-Federal**: **\$ 141,275**

**Total Indirect Charges: Federal: \$0.00**

**Non-Federal: \$0.00**

**Total Charges: Federal: \$** **139,708**

**Non-Federal**: **\$ 141,275**