CSU Fund Groups Related to Sponsored Projects

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Fund Groups are used to define sources of revenue and permitted expenditures for each of the University’s funds. At CSU, the major fund groups include:

  1. Unrestricted Funds
  2. Auxiliary + Self-Funded
  3. Restricted Funds
  4. Student Loan Fund
  5. Endowment Fund
  6. Capital Project
  7. Reserve Fund
  8. Capital Assets
  9. Presentation Fund
  10. Bank

In sponsored programs administration, some fund groups will be encountered more frequently than others. Fund groups encountered will also vary depending on where one sits in the lifecycle of a sponsored agreement: pre-award, post-award, central or unit administration.

Below is a list of the fund groups, and sub-funds within those groups, most often encountered in the administration of sponsored projects. The numbers shown next to the title of the sub-fund are the first two numbers of the account as designated in the Kuali Financial System (KFS) and are often used to refer to the sub-fund.

Restricted Funds

The fund group encountered most often in research administration is “Restricted Funds.” The restricted fund group includes funds received from an external source for a specific purpose. Restrictions on funds are imposed by external sources (e.g., donor, award sponsor, contracting agency, etc.) and cannot be changed without permission of the appropriating agency.

Monies within this fund group are to be expended according to the restrictions set by the external source. In addition to source restrictions, expenditure of these funds must also follow state and federal law, as well as CSU financial policies.

Under the Restricted Fund group are a number of sub-funds likely to be encountered in sponsored programs administration:

SPONPR (53): The Sponsored Programs sub-fund revenue typically comes from federal, state, and private contracts, grants and agreements as reimbursement for costs incurred. Sometimes these funds come directly to the institution through a fixed-price agreement for the purpose specified in the agreement. In all cases, 53 funds are to be expended for the purpose specified by the source/sponsor and must be allowable as defined by the sponsor.

GIFT (64): Gift sub-funds are limited to gift and investment income earned on accumulated gifts. Cash gifts to the University are received by the CSU Foundation while in-kind (non-cash) gifts are processed by the Development and Advancement Information Services Department.

At times, gift funds may be used to meet a required match or cost share to a sponsored award. Not to be confused with sponsored funds, gift funds are given by a donor with no tangible benefits in return. Unlike sponsored funds, gift funds do not require technical and financial reporting back to the donor though they are expected to be expended according to any restrictions placed by the donor and according to CSU financial policies.

Auxiliary + Self-Funded

This fund group is used to account for the sale of goods and services incidental to the University’s primary mission of instruction, research, and public service. Expenditures of this fund group should include all reasonable and necessary costs related to the goods or services provided.

The Auxiliary fund sub-funds encountered most often with regard to sponsored programs are Recharge Centers (RECHAR) and Work Orders (WIP).

RECHAR (21): Recharge Center sub-funds are for the purpose of accumulating and billing costs internally. Recharge centers are facilities within the University that offer their services for a fee to the CSU community. Services on sponsored programs should be billed according to established rates and costs charged to this sub-fund must be allowable under sponsor guidelines. This is the only sub-fund allowed to bill sponsored projects (SPONPR-53) sub-funds.

Note: The Recharge Center (RECHAR-21) sub-fund differs from General Operations (GENOP-22) in that GENOP is used to collect revenue when public services are provided to the external community using the expertise of CSU faculty/staff. Sales should not be to sponsored accounts.

SPWIP (88) and WIP (89): The Sponsored Work Orders and Work Orders (aka, Work In Progress) sub-funds allow for accumulation of costs for the fabrication of equipment or models. Accumulated costs are transferred to the sub-fund which will ultimately fund the expense (which may be a SPONPR sub-fund) either monthly or upon project completion.

Additional fund groups

If you work in a department, center, school or college, you may encounter most, if not all, of the fund groups. It is important to identify revenue sources and expenditure types to ensure funds (or expenses) are assigned to appropriate fund groups. Group identification dictates how funds can, and cannot, be used. This becomes particularly important when departmental funds or funds originating outside the institution are used as cost share on a sponsored project. Always be aware of fund group uses and restrictions.

Fund GroupsBeginning KFS Account #
Restricted53 SPONPR
 64 GIFT
Auxiliary21 RECHAR
 88/89 (S)WIP

More information on fund groups at CSU can be found in the CSU Financial Procedure Instructions (FPI 1-3) and in the Kuali Financial System (KFS).

Information sourced from: http://busfin.colostate.edu/Forms/FRP/Accounting/FPI_1-3_Funds_Subfunds.pdf