Participant Support vs Incentive

Participant Support

Per Uniform Guidance- 2 CFR 200.75 “Participant support costs means direct costs that support participants (see definition below) and their involvement in a Federal award, such as stipends, subsistence allowances, travel allowances, registration fees, temporary dependent care, and per diem paid directly to or on behalf of participants”

Per Uniform Guidance- 2 CFR 200.1 "Participant generally means an individual participating in or attending program activities under a Federal award, such as trainings or conferences, but who is not responsible for implementation of the Federal award. Individuals committing effort to the development or delivery of program activities under a Federal award (such as consultants, project personnel, or staff members of a recipient or subrecipient) are not participants. Examples of participants may include community members participating in a community outreach program, members of the public whose perspectives or input are sought as part of a program, students, or conference attendees."

Examples of Participant Support Costs

• Stipends or subsistence allowances
• Travel allowances
• Registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in connection with conferences or training projects

What does not qualify as participant support costs

• Honoraria – guest speaker at a conference, symposium or workshop
• Human Subjects - Incentive payments to encourage individuals to participate in research study and provide private data/information through intervention or interaction.  This includes participation in surveys and interviews.
• Fellowships – financial support for a postdoctoral fellow to do things such as attend conferences or workshops
• UNM employees (faculty, staff, and student employee on the award)
• General collaborator including non-UNM co-PIs
• Project organizer, consultant, facilitator, or coordinator of the workshop, conference, training session
• Speaker (unless the majority of time is spent as a participant and not a speaker)
• Rental fees, catering and general supplies

Participant Incentives

NIH defines Participant Incentives as payments to individuals to motivate them to take advantage of grant-supported health care or other services are allowable if within the scope of an approved project. 

Support vs Incentive

Facilities and Administrative Costs (F&A) on Participant Support vs Participant Incentives

Participant support costs are F&A excludable and should be explicitly listed in the proposal budget and budget justification.  

Participant Incentives are NOT excludable from F&A and should be entered on the budget under Other Costs