What is the average indirect cost rate for nonprofits?
Table of Contents
40 percent
Of the nonprofits we surveyed, indirect costs made up between 21 percent and 89 percent of direct costs. The median indirect cost rate for all 20 nonprofits was 40 percent, nearly three times the 15 percent overhead rate that most foundations provide. To be clear: Higher or lower is neither better nor worse.
What are OMB cost principles?
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-21, “Cost Principles for Educational Institutions,” establishes principles for determining costs applicable to Federal grants, contracts, and other sponsored agreements with educational institutions.

What is the regulatory citation for the cost principles for non-profit organizations and universities?
A-122, “Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations” (2 C.F.R. Part 230); A-133, “Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations,”; and.
What is Circular A 122?
Purpose. This Circular establishes principles for determining costs of grants, contracts and other agreements with non-profit organizations.
How are nonprofit administrative costs calculated?
Calculating your nonprofit’s overhead ratio is as simple as dividing the total overhead costs by the total amount of monthly income. Ideally, nonprofits should not exceed a 35% overhead rate. A percentage higher than this might indicate spending that’s disproportionate to the amount of money a group can raise.

What three factors determine whether a cost can be charged to an award?
To be allowable under Federal awards, costs must:
- Be necessary and reasonable;
- Be allocable;
- Be accorded consistent treatment;
- Be net of all applicable credits;
- Be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
How do you calculate overhead costs for a non profit?
Overhead is calculated by adding Management & General expenses to Fundraising expenses, then dividing by total expenses.
Are non-profit organizations subject to commercial cost principles?
Some non-profit organizations, because of their size and nature of operations, can be considered to be similar to commercial concerns for purpose of applicability of cost principles. Such non-profit organizations shall operate under Federal cost principles applicable to commercial concerns.
How are costs determined for non-profit organizations?
These principles shall be used by all Federal agencies in determining the costs of work performed by non-profit organizations under grants, cooperative agreements, cost reimbursement contracts, and other contracts in which costs are used in pricing, administration, or settlement. All of these instruments are hereafter referred to as awards.
What is the non-profit costs circular?
This Circular establishes principles for determining costs of grants, contracts and other agreements with non-profit organizations.
What is A-122 cost principles for non profit organizations?
A-122 TO THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ESTABLISHMENTS SUBJECT: Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations 1. Purpose. This Circular establishes principles for determining costs of grants, contracts and other agreements with non-profit organizations.