Frequently Asked Questions
Below is the address to mail checks and include on proposals being submitted through WKU:
Western Kentucky University 1906 College Heights Blvd. #11026 Bowling Green, KY 42101-1026Acting for the President, WKU:
Jenni Redifer, Interim Associate Provost for Research and Graduate Education Authorized Signatory for Western Kentucky University Telephone: (270) 745-4652 Fax: (270) 745-4211 Email: PROPOSAL.DEVELOPMENT@WKU.EDUUSE THIS: BEFORE/DURING SUBMISSION OF A FUNDING PROPOSAL
POST.AWARD@WKU.EDU
USE THIS: AFTER YOU GET A GRANT OR CONTRACT AWARDED
WKU's Federal Employer (Entity) Identification Number (EIN): 61-6055628
WKU's Dun and Bradstreet (D-U-N-S No.): 07-787-6258
WKU's State Sales and Use Tax Number: 0064721
WKU's State Withholding Tax Number: 062633
WKU's State Corporation Income Tax Number: 616055628
WKU's Commercial & Government Entity (CAGE) Code: 7L628
WKU's NAICS Code: 611310
Congressional District: Kentucky 2nd
KY House District: 20th
KY Senate District: 32nd
County: Warren
Type of organization: public, non-profit, educational
Incorporated in: Kentucky
Number of employees (approximately): 730 full-time faculty, 1450 full-time non-faculty
WKU's Carnegie Classification: Doctoral/Professional Universities (D/PU)
Fiscal Year begins on July 1 each year (July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 is FY 2021)
Yearly increases: In estimating salary for the current budget year, the actual budgeted salary is used. For future budget "out years," the standard operating procedure is to include an anticipated 3% salary increase per project year.
Please email proposal.development@wku.edu for assistance with calculating WKU salaries on grant proposal budgets.
Graduate Assistants Working on Multiple Projects
The salary and tuition of a graduate assistant (GA) should be charged proportionately to the amount of effort devoted to the projects. For example, if a GA is working on a US Department of Education grant 75% effort and is working 25% effort on an NSF grant, the salary and tuition should be charged proportionately: 75% to the US Department of Education grant and 25% to the NSF grant. It is not allowable to charge 100% of the stipend and/or tuition to an award if the graduate assistant did not work 100% on that project.
Employee Benefits Schedule for Estimating Grant Proposal Budgets
Effective for New Proposals with Project Periods Beginning after June 1, 2025
|
Type of Employee |
Total % Fringe if Salary is Reassigned Contract Effort (Buy-out or Cost-share) | Total % Fringe if Salary is Off-Contract or Summer | ||
| Students Classified as Graduate Assistants | 0.50% | 8.15% | ||
| Part-time Employees and Hourly Students | 8.15% | 8.15% | ||
| Full-time Faculty paid on Monthly Payroll | 42.5% | 24.17% | ||
| Full-time Administrative (PNF) Staff paid on Monthly or Bi-weekly Payroll (KTRS or ORP Retirement) | 53.0% | 24.17% | ||
|
Full-time Support Staff paid on Semi-monthly or Bi-weekly Payroll (KERS Retirement) |
128.0% | N/A | ||
| Full-time Sworn Public Safety Officers | 72.0% | N/A |
These fringe benefit rates are for use ONLY for estimating grant proposal budgets. They are based on current benefit rates and average salaries for each employee classification. The actual amount of fringe benefits charged to a grant award budget depends on numerous variables. These rates are for use only at the proposal writing stage.
If you need a list of which benefits are included for each classification, please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs at 270-745-4652 or post.award@wku.edu.
*Part-time employment includes hourly positions that do not average more than 30 hours per week over a 12-month period. Part-time positions scheduled to work an average of 30 or more hours per week for 6 months or longer are eligible for full benefits at the full fringe rate upon hire. Different fringe benefit rates are charged for part-time employees who are currently drawing retirement benefits from either KTRS or KERS. Please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs if you plan to include any of these types of employees in your grant project and we will work with Human Resources to make sure your budget reflects the correct amount for fringe benefits.
Cost sharing occurs when an applicant contributes resources to a sponsored project beyond the amount funded by the sponsor – also known as matching or in-kind contributions. Any cost share committed to a sponsored project must be documented internally and reported to the sponsor.
There are various ways to indicate portions of a project's costs to be shared by the institution. This may include:
- the value of faculty and staff salary and fringe benefits if not reimbursed by the sponsor
- cash contributions (funds committed from specific accounts, either departmental, college or institutional)
- space dedicated to the project (the Kentucky Department of Facilities and Support Services has provided the State Facilities Rate for FY21-22)
Mandatory cost share occurs when a sponsor requires cost share from an applicant. The specific requirements will be detailed in the proposal guidelines.
Voluntary committed cost share is cost sharing that is not required by law, statute or regulation, nor written in the application guidelines, but is offered by the applicant in a proposal.
Under the Federal Uniform Guidance funding agencies are prohibited from considering voluntary committed cost sharing in the merit review process; therefore, offering it in a proposal will not increase the likelihood of an award. WKU discourages the inclusion of voluntary committed cost share.
If a sponsor requires mandatory cost share, a Principal Investigator should seek commitments from his/her department and/or college prior to submitting a request for cost share funds through the Office of Sponsored Programs.
Indirect Costs are costs that are necessary to support research and other sponsored projects, but cannot be readily or easily assigned to individual projects. These include costs related to facilities operations (depreciation, utilities, maintenance, security, etc.), libraries, departmental administration, and general administration. These funds are reinvested in research/scholarly activities to improve the University.
It is WKU’s policy to include full indirect costs (if allowed by the sponsor) on all proposals.
Cognizant federal agency: DHHS
Date of agreement: 4/19/2024
Type of agreement: Predetermined
Effective: From 07/01/24 to 06/30/27
On-campus Rate: 46.0% MTDC
Off-campus Rate: 12.0% MTDC
It is the policy of WKU that any Investigator (that is, any WKU employee responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of a sponsored project at WKU) may be required to disclose significant personal financial interests related to his/her institutional responsibilities pursuant to circumstances specified by this policy.
When WKU reasonably determines that the significant financial interest could directly and significantly affect the design, conduct, or reporting of the research, WKU will take steps either to manage or to eliminate any financial conflicts of interest.
For questions regarding conflicts of interest, please contact: Office of Sponsored Programs, at 270-745-4652.
WKU's policies cover a wide range of topics (i.e. workload/compensation, consulting, travel, purchasing, etc.) that might relate to your proposal and/or grant award.
For general inquiries regarding compliance or research integrity at WKU, please contact: ori@wku.edu.
- Contact: Robin Pyles, Office of Research Integrity, 270-745-3360
- Animal Welfare Assurance Number (PHS):D16-00340. Effective from September 17, 2004
- Contact: Robin Pyles, Office of Research Integrity, 270-745-3360
- Human Subjects Assurance Number: Call the Office of Research Integrity
Environmental Health and Safety
- Contact: Environmental Health and Safety, 270-745-5398
- Contact: Radiation Safety Officer, Environmental Health and Safety, 270-745-7095
Recombinant DNA Molecules & Biosafety
- Contact: Dr. Rodney King, Chair, Institutional Biosafety Committee, 270-745-6910
- Date of original IBC Registration Approval Letter from OBA - 28 April 2004
- Contact: Robin Pyles, Office of Research Integrity, 270-745-3360
The stipend of a graduate assistant (GA) should be charged proportionately to the amount of effort devoted to the projects. For example, if a GA is working on a US Department of Education grant 75% effort and is working 25% effort on an NSF grant, the stipend should be charged proportionately: 75% to the US Department of Education grant and 25% to the NSF grant. It is not allowable to charge 100% of the stipend to an award if the graduate assistant did not work 100% on that project.
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