Helpful Definitions

Here are some definitions that may help you during your grant research:

Direct costs:  Expenses explicitly related to or resulting from project activities, such as staff salaries, supply purchases, travel, or equipment.

Indirect costs:  Expenses necessary to the execution of a project but which are not caused by the project, or which cannot be attributed to the project alone. Some examples include rent, utilities expenses, administrative or office expenses. These are the sort of costs that colloquially can be called “overhead.”

In-kind donation:  Value of services, staff time, or equipment put forth by the applicant for a project. In-kind costs can contribute to a cost share.

Cost share:  An amount of project funding that the applicant must provide toward the total project cost, in addition to the amount requested from the funder.

Notice of Funding Opportunity:  Official announcement of a grant opening for its specific cycle, with details on the grant requirements and application instructions.