RFA Guidelines (Revised) (1).pdf

This document is NOAA Grants Management Division's Budget Narrative Guidance for federal grant applications. All applications must include detailed budget narratives explaining and justifying federal and non-federal expenditures by object class category as listed on SF-424A Section B (or SF-424C for construction awards). Budget narratives must match dollar amounts on all required forms and explain each calculation, with costs proposed being reasonable, allowable, allocable, and necessary to the supported activity. For multi-year funding, applicants must provide separate budgets and justifications for each year.

The guidance specifies detailed requirements for eight budget categories: Personnel (with salary, percentage of time, and months worked for each position); Fringe Benefits (with rates and computation methods); Travel (domestic and foreign, with origin/destination, purpose, and itemized costs); Equipment (items over $5,000 requiring lease versus purchase analysis); Supplies (itemized by quantity and cost per unit); Contractual (separate budgets for each contract with selection method and scope); Construction (when specifically authorized); and Other (subawards, training materials, conference costs, and miscellaneous expenses). Additionally, applicants must provide Total Direct Charges, Indirect Charges (using negotiated rates or de minimis rates where applicable), cost share or match documentation if required, and ensure the budget narrative aligns with all SF-424 forms submitted with the application.