Budget and letters¶
Budget justification text and letter templates. Confirm rates, signers and organizational documents with GeoALS before using these templates. Follow the funder's own format and cost rules where they differ from the examples here, and use your institution's current figures for its own lines.
Budget lines · Justification text · Letter of commitment · Letter of support · Consultant letter
Budget lines¶
| Arrangement | Where it usually appears | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Subaward | Consortium or subaward costs | GeoALS personnel effort, consultants, other direct costs, and indirect costs at GeoALS's rate |
| Consultant | Consultant costs | Hours multiplied by an hourly rate |
| Fee-for-service | Other direct costs or purchased services | Fixed price per deliverable from a quote |
| Community engagement | Participant support or other direct costs | Reviewer compensation and coordination time |
| Expert-led training | Consultant, training services or subaward costs, depending on the agreement | Preparation, delivery and follow-up hours at an agreed rate, plus any approved materials or access costs |
| Software and hosting | Other direct costs, if needed | Confirm with GeoALS; budget project-specific software, credits or storage only if the scope requires them |
Use the indirect cost rate agreed for the application, subject to the funder's rules. See Project arrangements.
Budget justification text¶
Subaward
GeoALS (subaward, [$ amount] per year). GeoALS will perform [scope]. Costs include [role, percent effort] for project leadership and analysis; consultants from the GeoALS expert pool in [areas] for [N] hours at [$ rate] per hour; [other direct costs]; and indirect costs at GeoALS's rate.
Consultant
GIS consultant, GeoALS expert pool ([N] hours at [$ rate] per hour, [$ total]). The consultant will [tasks]. The rate is set by GeoALS.
Fee-for-service
Geospatial services, GeoALS ([$ total]). Fixed-price production of [deliverables], per the attached quote. The price includes data preparation, analysis, cartography, one round of revision, and publication to [the ALS Geospatial Hub / a private group].
Community reviewers
Community reviewer compensation ([N] reviewers, [N] hours each, at [$ rate] per hour). People living with ALS and caregivers will review [materials].
Expert-led training¶
GeOALS training ([$ total]). GeOALS experts will deliver [N sessions / course] on [ArcGIS StoryMaps / GIS fundamentals / other topic] for [audience and group size]. The budget covers [N] preparation hours, [N] instructional hours and [N] follow-up hours at [$ agreed rate] per hour, plus [approved materials, accessibility or software costs, if needed]. Deliverables include [teaching materials, exercises and feedback on a draft product].
Letter of commitment¶
For a subaward or other funded role. Obtain the letter from GeoALS on approved letterhead with an authorized signer.
[Date]
[Principal Investigator name, title, institution]
Re: [Project title], [Funder and opportunity]
Dear [Dr. Name]:
GeoALS is pleased to commit to participating in the project named above. GeoALS uses geographic information systems (GIS) to improve care, accelerate research, and advocate for the ALS community.
If the project is funded, GeoALS will [scope of work in two or three sentences, with deliverables]. This work will be led at GeoALS by [role], with support from consultants in the GeoALS expert pool. Our budget for this scope is [$ amount] over [period], as detailed in the attached budget and justification.
GeoALS will comply with the terms of the award and with the data protections described in the proposal. We look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
[Authorized official, title], GeoALS
Letter of support¶
For an unfunded endorsement.
[Date]
Dear [Dr. Name]:
I am writing on behalf of GeoALS in support of your proposal, [title], to [funder].
[One or two sentences on why the project is relevant to people living with ALS and to GeoALS's mission.]
GeoALS's public resources are available to your team, including the ALS Geospatial Hub, the ALS Clinic Advisor clinic database, and our map and story galleries. [If applicable: We would be glad to share your findings with the ALS community through the Hub.]
We wish you success with this application.
Sincerely,
[Name, title], GeoALS
Consultant letter¶
[Date]
Dear [Dr. Name]:
GeoALS confirms that it will provide consulting services for [project title] through its expert pool. A consultant with expertise in [area] will [tasks] for approximately [N] hours per year at a rate of [$ rate] per hour, for a total of [$ total] per year.
Sincerely,
[Name, title], GeoALS