Cost Sharing

Cost sharing is an institution’s contribution to the total cost of a sponsored project. These are costs not covered by the sponsor and can be in the form of cash, equipment, in-kind contributions by GW and third parties, and/or faculty effort.

GW Cost Sharing on Sponsored Agreements Policy

Mandatory vs. Voluntary Cost Sharing

Cost sharing can be mandatory or voluntary.

Mandatory cost sharing is required by the sponsor as a condition of receiving an award.
Voluntary committed cost sharing may be offered by the applicant to demonstrate the institution’s dedication to a program or project. Voluntary committed cost sharing is not required but it does become a binding commitment to the funding agency and a part of the award’s terms and conditions.
- Some sponsors (i.e. NSF) prohibit voluntary committed cost sharing unless specifically outlined in the funding announcement.

In-Kind Contributions

In-kind contributions are a provision of goods or services whose value can be established based on their value. Often, in-kind contributions are provided by GW or a third party.

Types of Cost Sharing

There are three types of cost sharing:

School
Institutional*
Third party contributions

*On a limited basis, the George Washington University (GW) provides institutional support for research, including cost-sharing on sponsored research projects. For more information about requesting institutional support, see the Office of the Vice Provost for Research's website.

Salary Cap Cost Share

For information on Salary Cap Cost Share and to check the Salary Cap Limitations please contact your research administration pod.

Special Circumstances

Special circumstances are best addressed with your research administration pod.