Today's Tip: Participant Support Costs, Part 1 of 3

Participant support costs are direct costs for items such as stipends or subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in connection with conferences or training projects. These costs require prior agency approval.  In addition, these costs must be excluded when calculating the Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) to determine the overall project’s F&A costs. 

Participant is defined as an individual who is the recipient of a service or training provided at a workshop, conference, seminar, symposium or other short-term instructional or information sharing activity funded by a sponsored project. University employees may not be participants. 

Because Participant Support Costs must be accounted for separately, the Office of Contract and Grant Accounting (OCGA) will establish a separate project to account for the participant support cost portion of the award. 

The PI is required to obtain documentation to substantiate participant support costs. 

        Stipend rates must be consistently applied across the program and pro-

             rated where appropriate

        Reimbursements require the submission of receipts or a previously agreed-

             upon per diem

        Classes or workshops require records indicating program attendance such

             as sign-in sheets or record of ID being swiped