{"id":222,"date":"2025-10-29T17:23:03","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T17:23:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/?page_id=222"},"modified":"2026-04-16T19:27:44","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T19:27:44","slug":"proposal-budget-development","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/proposal-budget-development\/","title":{"rendered":"Proposal Budget Development"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-style-divider-energy-green is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">CSU Proposal &amp; Budget Preparation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once a funding opportunity has been identified, the work of proposal preparation begins. The process involves internal CSU systems and processes and external sponsor systems and requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most proposal and budget development activities occur in units such as departments and colleges. Refer to the \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/proposal-budget-development\/proposal-responsibilities-matrix\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"223\">Proposal &amp; Budget Development Roles &amp; Responsibilities Matrix<\/a>\u2019 for primary roles associated with proposal preparation and budget development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-details-outline is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Proposal Preparation in KR PD<\/summary>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/kr\/\">KR<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/kuali-research\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"136\"> <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/kr\/\">PD<\/a>&nbsp;is CSU\u2019s system of record for proposal and budget information. A KR PD record should be started as soon as possible after a funding opportunity has been identified so that the PI, department administrator, and OSP can use the record to track the proposal deadline, share attachments and sponsor information for review, and route the proposal for approvals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The PD record should contain, at a minimum, an accurate budget, a budget justification, and a project summary or brief scope of work, as well any attachments required for department and college review.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If a sponsor portal does not have any kind of administrative requirement or role for access and submission, the KR PD record must include all of the information and forms required by the sponsor so that department, college, and OSP personnel have access to the information.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For submissions through a sponsor\u2019s portal, review information under the Sponsor Portals accordion menu.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-details-outline is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Budget Preparation<\/summary>\n<p>Use the budget construction engine in KR PD to develop accurately calculated line items with applicable rates, including personnel fringe benefits, F&amp;A rates, and inflation. Refer to the KR PD&nbsp;Proposal Budget Training Guide&nbsp;for instructions on creating a budget in KR PD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As of February 1, 2025, OSP budget and business section review is the initial stop in KR PD proposal routing.&nbsp;<br><br>To initiate OSP review, the proposal record will be submitted to routing (\u2018submit for review\u2019 action) by the proposal initiator or other user with proposal or unit aggregator permission. Departments and\/or colleges will determine their processes for who submits the proposal to routing. At the time the KR PD proposal is submitted to routing, email the appropriate&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/about-osp\/staff\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"22\">OSP RA<\/a>&nbsp;that the budget and business elements are ready for review. Refer to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/guidance\/\">OSP Proposal Submission Guidance<\/a>&nbsp;for an overview of the budget review process in KR PD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Multiple budget versions for a proposal may be created using the KR PD budget construction engine, such as separate detailed and modular budgets, for calculation comparison of F&amp;A rate types for USDA-NIFA, fully-burdened budgets for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/guidance\/\">industry<\/a>, or internal budgets to track 1% minimum effort. The budget to be reviewed must be marked \u2018complete\u2019 and \u2018for submission\u2019 for the proposal to be submitted for routing for OSP review.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-details-outline is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Budget Justification<\/summary>\n<p>A budget justification is a narrative explanation of each component of a proposed budget. It serves to \u201cjustify\u201d the costs in terms of the proposed work. Here are some key points about budget justifications:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Purpose<\/strong>: The budget justification provides additional detail for expenses within each budget category and articulates the need for the items or expenses listed. It explains why each cost is necessary to achieve the project\u2019s goals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Importance<\/strong>: The information provided in the budget justification is often used by sponsor review panels and administrative officials to determine the amount of funding to be awarded. Therefore, it plays a crucial role in the proposal evaluation process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Format<\/strong>: While the sample format may vary depending on the sponsor, it is best to present the justification for each budget category in the same order as provided in the budget itself.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember that a well-prepared budget justification enhances the clarity and transparency of your proposal, demonstrating how the proposed costs align with the project\u2019s objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/10\/INSTRUCTIONS-CSU-budget-justification-template-04_29_24-FINAL.docx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CSU Budget Justification Template Instructions<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/04\/CSU-budget-justification-template-04_29_24-FINAL.docx\">CSU Budget <\/a><span style=\"margin: 0px;padding: 0px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/10\/CSU-budget-justification-template-04_29_24-FINAL.docx\" target=\"_blank\">Justification&nbsp;<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/04\/CSU-budget-justification-template-04_29_24-FINAL.docx\" target=\"_blank\">Tem<\/a><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/04\/CSU-budget-justification-template-04_29_24-FINAL.docx\">plate<\/a><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-details-outline is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Sponsor Portals<\/summary>\n<p>For non-S2S submissions, submission methods are determined by sponsor instructions. Some proposals may need to have the data entered into and be submitted through a sponsor system or portal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the portal has institutional-level administration, OSP may need to set up an account, or an account may need to be affiliated with CSU. Review the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/vprservicedesk.freshservice.com\/support\/solutions\/articles\/19000168134\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sponsor portal guidance<\/a>&nbsp;and contact OSP early in the process to ensure portal access for the PI and unit administrators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/nspires.nasaprs.com\/external\/index.do;jsessionid=6nYqgY1Xeh79REkKdqDmO2_H4l-3i9ZspOfAlMs9F9dnKUdpt4AZ!1220085716!wnp2.nasaprs.com!7006!-1!-1129207494!wnp1.nasaprs.com!7006!-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NSPIRES<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/grants.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Grants.gov<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.gov\/research-web\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Research.gov<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/public.era.nih.gov\/commonsplus\/public\/login.era?TARGET=https%3A%2F%2Fpublic.era.nih.gov%3A443%2Fcommons\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">eRA Commons<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/era.nih.gov\/files\/ASSIST_user_guide.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NIH ASSIST User Guide<\/a><\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/proposal-budget-development\/proposal-responsibilities-matrix\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"223\">Proposal &amp; Budget Development Responsibility Matrix<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/about-osp\/#data\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"17\">Commonly Requested Info<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/department-college-contact-information\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"134\">Department Contacts List and College Stakeholders<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/fdpclearinghouse.org\/organizations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FDP Subrecipients Search page<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Research Acceleration Office<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/funding-opportunities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Funding Opportunities (RAO)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/rao\/limited-submissions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Limited Submission (RAO)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Kuali Research Proposal Development<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/colostate.kuali.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">KR PD<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/kuali-research\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"136\">KR PD Training\/Guidance<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Forms and Guidance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/forms\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"31\">Related Forms<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/guidance\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"33\">Proposal Submission guidance<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/guidance\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"33\">Working with Industry guidance<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover alignfull is-style-brushstroke-green\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-csu-green-background-color has-background-dim-100 has-background-dim\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-bodoni-font-family\">Award Lifecycle<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\t<div class=\"alignnone is-style-icon-list wp-block-stalwart-blocks-call-to-action\">\n\n\t<ul class=\"stalwart-ctas is-style-icon-list columns-1\" id=\"stalwart-ctas-block_227e0e48c6b787b54abe1797b95382f6\">\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"stalwart-cta-single has-link\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"stalwart-cta-content\"><h3 class=\"stalwart-cta-heading\"><a class=\"stalwart-cta-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/proposal-budget-development\/\">1. Proposal &amp; Budget Development<\/a><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li><!-- .single-cta -->\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"stalwart-cta-single has-link\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"stalwart-cta-content\"><h3 class=\"stalwart-cta-heading\"><a class=\"stalwart-cta-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/proposal-review-submission\/\">2. Proposal Review &amp; Submission<\/a><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li><!-- .single-cta -->\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"stalwart-cta-single has-link\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"stalwart-cta-content\"><h3 class=\"stalwart-cta-heading\"><a class=\"stalwart-cta-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/award-receipt-negotiation\/\">3. Award Receipt &amp; Negotiation<\/a><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li><!-- .single-cta -->\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"stalwart-cta-single has-link\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"stalwart-cta-content\"><h3 class=\"stalwart-cta-heading\"><a class=\"stalwart-cta-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/account-setup-award-administration\/\">4. Account Setup &amp; Award Administration<\/a><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li><!-- .single-cta -->\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"stalwart-cta-single has-link\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"stalwart-cta-content\"><h3 class=\"stalwart-cta-heading\"><a class=\"stalwart-cta-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/financial-management-project-closeout\/\">5. Financial Management &amp; Project Closeout<\/a><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li><!-- .single-cta -->\n\n\t\t\t\n\t<\/ul><!-- .stalwart-ctas -->\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CSU Proposal &amp; Budget Preparation Once a funding opportunity has been identified, the work of proposal preparation begins. The process involves internal CSU systems and processes and external sponsor systems and requirements. Most proposal and budget development activities occur in units such as departments and colleges. Refer to the \u2018Proposal &amp; Budget Development Roles &amp; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"microsite":[],"class_list":["post-222","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=222"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/222\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"microsite","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/microsite?post=222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}