Many private and public agencies encourage or require an institutional contribution to be a part of program proposals. This type of contribution requires new money to be committed to the proposed project and involves a fund allocation that would not exist without the proposal. The source of new funds should also be identified and, if appropriate, letters of commitment provided from the proposed sources. Signatures on the orange Transmittal Form from a department chair, a dean, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs signify acceptance of cash match arrangements and a commitment to meet the described financial obligations if the proposal is funded. The Office of Sponsored Programs administers a University Matching Fund.
Most proposals contain soft matches, often referred to as in-kind contributions.
Such contributions indicate a willingness to dedicate existing resources to a program or proposed budget. Appearance of in-kind contributions in a proposal indicates that a college or a department is willing to commit real time and resources to a program goal. Proposal writers should be careful not to include activities considered part of indirect costs as soft matches.