Learn more about cost sharing in a special 2000 issue of Research Management Review Matching - Matching costs are slightly different from cost sharing. Matching costs are commitments by the university to spend its funds in a certain proportion to funds provided by the granting agency. Typically, this sort of commitment is required for equipment or facility grants and is a commitment of actual dollars, rather than an in-kind contribution. The guidelines usually will tell you the maximum amount allowed. Request the maximum if you can justify it, but never request more money than the program allows.
Many agencies publish lists of grant awards made the previous year.
The approximate range of previous awards can be found in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, or individual agency annual reports. Identify the Total Cost of the Project Developing the budget is an excellent test of how clearly and completely the project has been described. The principal investigator should be able to work through the narrative of the proposal and identify the costs to be included in the budget. If the project is approved, the PI may be asked to give a rationale for various items in the budget. It is a good idea to prepare a budget justification worksheet which outlines the basis on which each cost was developed.