Sonoma State University

Revise Budget

General information about budget revisions for the most common funding agencies is listed below. Please refer to your project's specific funding regulations to determine whether budget revision is allowable; contact ORSP with any questions and to initiate the process.

U.S. Department of Education
Recipients are required to both report and request prior approvals for deviations from awarded budgets and program plans. For non-construction awards, prior approval is required for any of the following program or budget related reasons: 

  • Change in key personnel specified in the application or award documents. 
  • Change in the project's scope / objective, even if there is no associated budget revision. 
  • An absence of more than three months, or a 25% reduction in time devoted to the project, by the approved PI.
  • Need for additional Federal funding.
  • Transfer of funds budgeted for indirect costs, or vice versa, if approval is required by the Secretary.
  • The inclusion, unless waived, of costs that require prior approval in accordance with 2 CFR Part 200 - Subpart E - Cost Principles. 
  • Transfer of funds allotted for training allowance (direct payment to trainees) to other categories.
  • Unless described in the proposal and funded in the approved award,the subaward, transfer, or contracting out of any work under an award;this provision does not apply to the purchase of supplies, material,equipment, or general support services.

National Science Foundation (NSF)
Unless otherwise specified in the award, prior written approval is required for the following significant project changes, and must be submitted electronically through NSF's Fastlane System:

  • Transfer of project Effort
  • Change in objective or scope
  • Absence or change of PI
  • Change in the amount of cost sharing reflected on Line M of the award budget
  • Rearrangement/alteration aggregating $25,000 or over (Construction)
  • Reallocation of funds provided for participant or trainee support.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
NIH grantees are allowed some flexibility to rebudget within and between categories; some types of changes require prior written approval while others do not. Grantee-initiated changes that require prior approval from the designated NIH official include:

  • Change in Scope
  • Change in key personnel
  • Change of grantee organization
  • Equipment purchases exceeding $25,000/unit, regardless of amount of NIH funds involved
  • Alteration and renovation (A&R) (rebudgeting into A&R cost exceeding 25% of total approved budget for a budget period)
  • Transferring amount from trainee costs
  • Capital expenditures (construction, land, or building acquisition) 
  • Need for additional NIH funds