Participant Support Costs
Description
Participant support costs are direct costs for items such as stipends or subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in connection with conferences, or training projects (2 CFR 200, Subpart A, §200.75).
Participant Support Costs are only allowable with prior approval of the federal awarding agency (2 CFR 200, Subpart A, §200.456).
Examples of Participant Support
Undergrads from developing nations attend a summer institute at UIUC to learn about American democracy and culture. Travel, lodging and subsistence allowances are provided throughout the 6-week training institute.
Under an NSF REU supplement, a U of I professor will host two students for a 6-week summer training course. The students will be paid a weekly stipend. Their transportation to / from campus will be covered and they will be provided with on-campus housing and a meal plan.
An NSF-funded conference will be hosted on the U of I campus. Twenty graduate students from across the US will be invited to attend. The students’ airfare/transportation, lodging and per diem will be covered by the grant.
A U of I professor is hosting workshops in developing countries to teach sustainable farming techniques. Local farmers are paid a stipend to attend these workshops. The stipends are considered to be participant support costs.
Participant Support Costs vs. Human Subject Payments
| Participant Support Costs | Human Subject Payments | |
|---|---|---|
| Supports non-employees while participating in sponsored project funded conferences, workshops, and training activities | ||
| Provides compensation or incentives to individuals serving as subjects in research studies | ||
| Requires prior approval from the awarding agency | ||
| Requires an approved IRB protocol | ||
| Charges will assess F&A in Banner | ||
| Separate fund will be created in Banner | ||
| Employees may participate or receive payment |
Additional Resources
Related Documents and Resources
- PSC vs. Human Subject Payments - 2018 SPaRC Retreat Slides
- NSF Policy Newsletter - PSC Explained (pg 3)