Considerations for Subscriptions, Dues & Memberships

Subscriptions will normally not be allowed as a direct charge to a federal research grant because their content is more general in nature and cannot be identified with a high degree of specificity to an individual research project. Dues and memberships in professional organizations will normally not be allowed as a direct charge to a federal research grant because their purpose is more general in nature in furthering a PI's knowledge in his/her field and cannot be identified with a high degree of specificity to an individual research project. Under unique circumstances, a PI may be able to provide a written justification supporting how a subscriptions, dues or membership cost meets the three tests of unlike circumstances:

• Unlike circumstances exist, that is, this sponsored award is different from typical sponsored awards at the University.
• The cost can be associated with the sponsored project with a high degree of accuracy.
• The awarding agency has approved charging the cost as a direct cost in the awarded budget.