Budget Control Levels are assigned to projects by Contracts & Grants prior to release of funding in myUFL.
Budget Level 3 (KK Level 3) is assigned where terms DO NOT impose stringent re-budgeting restrictions. Budget Control level 3 allows spending at a direct cost level without the requirement to initiate a budget request. Rebudgeting between direct and indirect cost categories will require submission of a re-budgeting request.
The goal of level 3 budget control is to minimize re-budgeting and allow investigators the ability to make timely expenditures needed to advance their projects. For example, if you were invited to present your research results at a conference, which you did not explicitly, budget for you may attend and charge the sponsored project without the need to re-budget funds.
Examples of awards that would be assigned a Budget Control Level 3 are as follows:
Budget Control Level 5 (KK Level 5) is assigned to projects where terms DO impose stringent re-budgeting restrictions. Budget Control Level 5 will require re-budgeting approvals be obtained from Contracts and Grants and potentially the Sponsor, prior to allowing sponsored program funds be used for the expenditure in question.
Deviations in a direct cost category by 25% or more of the total award cost is considered significant re-budgeting and may also be an indicator of a change in scope. Re-budgeting requests should be initiated for significant re-budgeting, regardless of the budget level assigned. Re-budgeting requests are initiated by submitting a re-budgeting request via UFIRST as an award financial modification.
Irrespective of the assigned budget control level, sponsored program funds must always be used in support of allowable costs per the terms of the award.