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Top 7 Research Budget Templates with Samples and Examples

Tejas Prasanna

There is no magic formula for creating a research budget. Depending on the kind of research and the potential changes it can bring about, careful planning and allocation is necessary. Budgets can, thus, vary depending on the sponsors, besides other factors. However, every research budget has some essential guidelines. 

Research budgets depend on the project deliverables, timelines, and milestones. The resources required also depend on the scope of the projects and sponsors.

Best Templates for Planning Your Research Budget

Designing a research budget is not easy. You will need to consider the resources required and categorize them according to guidelines to ensure funding is not a problem. The categories may include the project’s necessary supplies and equipment and the wages you must pay your assistants. Research budgets are allocated for a year, but you can also plan for a quarter, depending on the project.

At SlideTeam, we have taken care of all these pain points and designed content-ready presentation templates that address each of these points. You save the time, the resources, and the tedium in having to make these presentations from scratch. 

What is even better is that each of the templates is 100% editable and customizable. The content-ready nature means you get a starting point and a structure to guide your presentation; the editability feature means you can customize the template to audience profile. 

Let’s explore these templates now. 

Template 1 - Impact matrix evaluation research solution budget

This PPT Template is the perfect solution for your research budgeting needs. The matrix suggests what solutions are essential with the help of relevant keys that assign priority levels. Priorities go from low to highest influence with increasing importance. They are color-coded, with white being the lowest and red being the highest influence. For instance, Maintain Awareness and Evaluation are red in many cases, as shown in the slide. So, that means that they bear a significant impact on the research budget. Similarly, Strategic and Budget Planning are color-coded white, which means they don't impact the research budget as much in some cases.

With the impact matrix and heatmap, mapping out your research budget will be a breeze.

Get it now!

Template 2  Half-yearly research and development departmental budget

Research and Development departments can plan the budget required for projects for the two halves of the year using this PPT Template. The presentation template highlights areas for which you will need funding such as research and development, skills, innovation and patenting, and cooperation. You can also list your requirements for each area. For instance, under R&D and skills, you may need funding for medical research, chemical research, etc. Similarly, for innovation and patenting, you may need funding for product innovation and to cover patenting costs. Likewise, cooperation may involve setting up new laboratories and research centers. With this outlined, you can split the budget required for your research project for the two halves of the year.

Download now!

Template 3 - Budget Estimate for Research and Development Project

This presentation template for the budget estimate for your research and development project is apt for arriving at the calculation for the four quarters in a year. You can define and assign tasks as per the requirements of the project and allocate a set budget for each. The tasks may involve conducting market research and competitive analysis or be innovative or developmental. In either case, you can use this template to set a fixed budget for each task in the research project.

Get it today!

Template 4 Clinical Trial Phases with Communication and Budget Research Design for Clinical Trials

Clinical trials involve many phases, and you should let your research associates know about each step. For instance, you could post the information on the company website and provide relevant insights during the pre-trial phase. Similarly, you can offer the welcome letter and training materials during the trial start-up. During the trial, you can send newsletters to your associates, giving them relevant information and other valuable insights. All this requires funding, and you will need to allocate a budget. However, you don't need to worry, as this PPT Preset has you sorted, with dedicated sections for the pre-trial, trial start-up, during-trial, and trial-end phases. It also has communication, insights summary, and budget sections. You can use the budget section in the matrix to allot a budget for each trial phase and each section, including communication and insights. 

Download here!

Template 5  Market research strategy with budget and area

The PPT Template has all the core elements required for your market research strategy, including the budget and area. This slide lets you list your clients, the items, and when to send them. You can also list background information related to your research, the aim and objectives of the project, the areas covered, and the budget.

The presentation template also provides a dedicated space to list your brands and products and a timeline for completing the research.

Template 6 - Determine Budget for Psychology Research Proposal One-Pager Sample Example Document

This presentation template is an easy-to-use tool for determining the budget required for psychology research. With this slide, you can allocate a budget for each area, including diagnostic assessment, training, technology and tools, supplies, travel, and workforce. It is a practical, hands-on template with information required to plan the budget for conducting psychological tests and evaluations. Please note that depending on your geography, taxes might or might not deserve a separate column.  

Template 7 - Budgeting for Product Launch Market Research

Every company needs to conduct market research before launching a new product. The PowerPoint Presentation that you have here can help you plan the budget required for conducting such market research. It includes necessary information, including business and research objectives, priorities, methodologies, and forecasts. The presentation template also has the metrics required for the research, such as improving customer engagement, introducing new products, and increasing market share. For example, to improve customer engagement, you may be looking to improve marketing approaches and gather customer feedback. The methods you may use include conducting marketing mix studies and tests. Similarly, you may want to optimize your social media posts and profiles and conduct A/B tests when introducing new products. Improving your market share may involve analyzing the competition. You may even use this handy template for conducting market research, estimating, and forecasting budgets.

RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT BUSINESS

You can plan your research and the budget required using these templates. Remember that each new product launch has lots of research behind it. When going for a new launch, don’t just research the products and its uses, but also the markets – particularly, your target audience and how they will benefit from your brands. When allocating the budget for your research, don't forget to note your total resources and try to be as cost-effective as possible. You must consider the expected costs that you may incur and use these templates to work out a research budget that fits within your resources.

FAQs on Research Budget

What should be included in a research budget.

Research budgets should include all direct costs, and facilities and administrative costs (F&A). The facilities and administrative expenses are needed to achieve the primary objectives of the research. The project description should state the proposed budget and serve as a financial expression for the research. The idea is to ensure that the budget is comprehensive.

How do you create a research budget?

You can create a simple research budget by following these steps:

• List activities that will help you carry out the research.
• Check the rules for getting the funding required.
• Check all costs involved.
• Lay out the costs using a spreadsheet.
• Justify your budget by asking why and for what you need the money and where you got your figures.

What is the role of budget in research?

A budget can provide a detailed and clear picture of the structure of the research project, not to mention that it also lets you know how well it can be managed. The research project budget usually lets you see whether it will go according to plan and if it is feasible. So, it must be complete and reasonable.

What is the average budget for a research project?

The budget for a research project depends on the type of research and the proposed difference it could make to a field of study. For instance, the average budget for a market research project may vary between $20,000 and $50,000. Similarly, larger scientific research projects may cost millions or even billions of dollars, as in pharmaceuticals.

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The Research Whisperer

Just like the thesis whisperer – but with more money, how to make a simple research budget.

Every research project needs a budget*.

If you are applying for funding, you must say what you are planning to spend that funding on. More than that, you need to show how spending that money will help you to answer your research question .

So, developing the budget is the perfect time to plan your project clearly . A good budget shows the assessors that you have thought about your research in detail and, if it is done well, it can serve as a great, convincing overview of the project.

Here are five steps to create a simple budget for your research project.

1. List your activities

Make a list of everything that you plan to do in the project, and who is going to do it.

Take your methodology and turn it into a step-by-step plan. Have you said that you will interview 50 people? Write it on your list.

Are you performing statistical analysis on your sample?  Write it down.

Think through the implications of what you are going to do. Do you need to use a Thingatron? Note down that you will need to buy it, install it, and commission it.

What about travel? Write down each trip separately. Be specific. You can’t just go to ‘South East Asia’ to do fieldwork. You need to go to Kuala Lumpur to interview X number of people over Y weeks, then the same again for Singapore and Jakarta.

Your budget list might look like this:

• I’m going to do 10 interviews in Kuala Lumpur; 10 interviews in Singapore; 10 interviews in Jakarta by me.
• I’ll need teaching release for three months for fieldwork.
• I’ll need Flights to KL, Singapore, Jakarta and back to Melbourne.
• I’ll need Accommodation for a month in each place, plus per diem.
• The transcription service will transcribe the 30 interviews.
• I’ll analysis the transcribed results. (No teaching release required – I’ll do it in my meagre research time allowance.)
• I’ll need a Thingatron X32C to do the trials.
• Thing Inc will need to install the Thingatron. (I wonder how long that will take.)
• The research assistant will do three trials a month with the Thingatron.
• I’ll need to hire a research assistant (1 day per week for a year at Level B1.)
• The research assistant will do the statistical analysis of the Thingatron results.
• I’ll do the writing up in my research allowance time.

By the end, you should feel like you have thought through the entire project in detail. You should be able to walk someone else through the project, so grab a critical friend and read the list to them. If they ask questions, write down the answers.

This will help you to get to the level of specificity you need for the next step.

2. Check the rules again

You’ve already read the funding rules, right? If not, go and read them now – I’ll wait right here until you get back.

Once you’ve listed everything you want to do, go back and read the specific rules for budgets again. What is and isn’t allowed? The funding scheme won’t pay for equipment – you’ll need to fund your Thingatron from somewhere else. Cross it off.

Some schemes won’t fund people. Others won’t fund travel. It is important to know what you need for your project. It is just as important to know what you can include in the application that you are writing right now.

Most funding schemes won’t fund infrastructure (like building costs) and other things that aren’t directly related to the project. Some will, though. If they do, you should include overheads (i.e. the general costs that your organisation needs to keep running). This includes the cost of basics like power and lighting; desks and chairs; and cleaners and security staff. It also includes service areas like the university library. Ask your finance officer for help with this. Often, it is a percentage of the overall cost of the project.

If you are hiring people, don’t forget to use the right salary rate and include salary on-costs. These are the extra costs that an organisation has to pay for an employee, but that doesn’t appear in their pay check. This might include things like superannuation, leave loading, insurance, and payroll tax. Once again, your finance officer can help with this.

Your budget list might now look like this:

• 10 interviews in Kuala Lumpur; 10 interviews in Singapore; 10 interviews in Jakarta by me.
• Teaching release for three months for fieldwork.
• Flights to KL, Singapore, Jakarta and back to Melbourne.
• Accommodation for a month in each place, plus per diem, plus travel insurance (rule 3F).
• Transcription of 30 interviews, by the transcription service.
• Analysis of transcribed results, by me. No teaching release required.
• Purchase and install Thingatron X32C, by Thing Inc . Not allowed by rule 3C . Organise access to Thingatron via partner organistion – this is an in-kind contribution to the project.
• Three trials a month with Thingatron, by research assistant.
• Statistical analysis of Thingatron results, by research assistant.
• Research assistant: 1 day per week for a year at Level B1, plus 25.91% salary on-costs.
• Overheads at 125% of total cash request, as per rule 3H.

3. Cost each item

For each item on your list, find a reasonable cost for it . Are you going to interview the fifty people and do the statistical analysis yourself? If so, do you need time release from teaching? How much time? What is your salary for that period of time, or how much will it cost to hire a replacement? Don’t forget any hidden costs, like salary on-costs.

If you aren’t going to do the work yourself, work out how long you need a research assistant for. Be realistic. Work out what level you want to employ them at, and find out how much that costs.

How much is your Thingatron going to cost? Sometimes, you can just look that stuff up on the web. Other times, you’ll need to ring a supplier, particularly if there are delivery and installation costs.

Jump on a travel website and find reasonable costs for travel to Kuala Lumpur and the other places. Find accommodation costs for the period that you are planning to stay, and work out living expenses. Your university, or your government, may have per diem rates for travel like this.

Make a note of where you got each of your estimates from. This will be handy later, when you write the budget justification.

• 10 interviews in Kuala Lumpur; 10 interviews in Singapore; 10 interviews in Jakarta by me (see below for travel costs).
• Teaching release for three months for fieldwork = $25,342 – advice from finance officer.
• Flights to KL ($775), Singapore ($564), Jakarta ($726), Melbourne ($535) – Blue Sky airlines, return economy.
• Accommodation for a month in each place (KL: $3,500; Sing: $4,245; Jak: $2,750 – long stay, three star accommodation as per TripAdviser).
• Per diem for three months (60 days x $125 per day – University travel rules).
• Travel insurance (rule 3F): $145 – University travel insurance calculator .
• Transcription of 30 interviews, by the transcription service: 30 interviews x 60 minutes per interview x $2.75 per minute – Quote from transcription service, accented voices rate.
• Analysis of transcribed results, by me. No teaching release required. (In-kind contribution of university worth $2,112 for one week of my time – advice from finance officer ).
• Purchase and install Thingatron X32C, by Thing Inc . Not allowed by rule 3C. Organise access to Thingatron via partner organistion – this is an in-kind contribution to the project. ($2,435 in-kind – quote from partner organisation, at ‘favoured client’ rate.)
• Research assistant: 1 day per week for a year at Level B1, plus 25.91% salary on-costs. $12,456 – advice from finance officer.

Things are getting messy, but the next step will tidy it up.

4. Put it in a spreadsheet

Some people work naturally in spreadsheets (like Excel). Others don’t. If you don’t like Excel, tough. You are going to be doing research budgets for the rest of your research life.

When you are working with budgets, a spreadsheet is the right tool for the job, so learn to use it! Learn enough to construct a simple budget – adding things up and multiplying things together will get you through most of it. Go and do a course if you have to.

For a start, your spreadsheet will multiply things like 7 days in Kuala Lumpur at $89.52 per day, and it will also add up all of your sub-totals for you.

If your budget doesn’t add up properly (because, for example, you constructed it as a table in Word), two things will happen. First, you will look foolish. Secondly, and more importantly, people will lose confidence in all your other numbers, too. If your total is wrong, they will start to question the validity of the rest of your budget. You don’t want that.

If you are shy of maths, then Excel is your friend. It will do most of the heavy lifting for you.

For this exercise, the trick is to put each number on a new line. Here is how it might look.

5. Justify it

Accompanying every budget is a budget justification. For each item in your budget, you need to answer two questions:

• Why do you need this money?
• Where did you get your figures from?

The budget justification links your budget to your project plan and back again. Everything item in your budget should be listed in your budget justification, so take the list from your budget and paste it into your budget justification.

For each item, give a short paragraph that says why you need it. Refer back to the project plan and expand on what is there. For example, if you have listed a research assistant in your application, this is a perfect opportunity to say what the research assistant will be doing.

Also, for each item, show where you got your figures from. For a research assistant, this might mean talking about the level of responsibility required, so people can understand why you chose the salary level. For a flight, it might be as easy as saying: “Blue Sky airlines economy return flight.”

Here is an example for just one aspect of the budget:

Fieldwork: Kuala Lumpur

Past experience has shown that one month allows enough time to refine and localise interview questions with research partners at University of Malaya, test interview instrument, recruit participants, conduct ten x one-hour interviews with field notes. In addition, the novel methodology will be presented at CONF2015, to be held in Malaysia in February 2015.

Melbourne – Kuala Lumpur economy airfare is based on current Blue Sky Airlines rates. Note that airfares have been kept to a minimum by travelling from country to country, rather than returning to Australia.

1 month accommodation is based on three star, long stay accommodation rates provided by TripAdvisor.

30 days per diem rate is based on standard university rates for South-East Asia.

Pro tip: Use the same nomenclature everywhere. If you list a Thingatron X32C in your budget, then call it a Thingatron X32C in your budget justification and project plan. In an ideal world, someone should be able to flip from the project plan, to the budget and to the budget justification and back again and always know exactly where they are.

• Project plan: “Doing fieldwork in Malaysia? Whereabouts?” Flips to budget.
• Budget: “A month in Kuala Lumpur – OK. Why a month?” Flips to budget justification.
• Budget justification: “Ah, the field work happens at the same time as the conference. Now I get it. So, what are they presenting at the conference?” Flips back to the project description…

So, there you have it: Make a list; check the rules; cost everything; spreadsheet it; and then justify it. Budget done. Good job, team!

This article builds on several previous articles. I have shamelessly stolen from them.

• Constructing your budget – Jonathan O’Donnell.
• What makes a winning budget ? – Jonathan O’Donnell.
• How NOT to pad your budget – Tseen Khoo.
• Conquer the budget, conquer the project – Tseen Khoo.
• Research on a shoestring – Emily Kothe.
• How to make a simple Gantt chart – Jonathan O’Donnell.

* Actually, there are some grant schemes that give you a fixed amount of money, which I think is a really great idea . However, you will still need to work out what you are going to spend the money on, so you will still need a budget at some stage, even if you don’t need it for the application.

Also in the ‘simple grant’ series:

• How to write a simple research methods section .
• How to make a simple Gantt chart .

Share this:

28 comments.

This has saved my day!

Happy to help, Malba.

Like Liked by 1 person

[…] you be putting in a bid for funding? Are there costs involved, such as travel or equipment costs? Research Whisperer’s post on research budgets may help you […]

I’ve posted a link to this article of Jonathan’s in the Australasian Research Management Society LinkedIn group as well, as I’m sure lots of other people will want to share this.

Thanks, Miriam.

This is great! Humorous way to talk explain a serious subject and could be helpful in designing budgets for outreach grants, as well. Thanks!

Thanks, Jackie

If you are interested, I have another one on how to do a timeline: https://theresearchwhisperer.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/gantt-chart/

[…] really useful information regarding budget development can be found on the Research Whisperer Blog here. Any other thoughts and suggestions are welcome – what are your tips to developing a good […]

[…] it gets you to the level of specificity that you need for a detailed methods section. Similarly, working out a budget for your workshops will force you to be specific about how many people will be attending (venue […]

A friend of mine recently commented by e-mail:

I was interested in your blog “How to make a simple research budget”, particularly the statement: “Think through the implications of what you are going to do. Do you need to use a Thingatron? Note down that you will need to buy it, install it, and commission it.”

From my limited experience so far, I’d think you could add:

“Who else is nearby who might share the costs of the Thingatron? If it’s a big capital outlay, and you’re only going to use it to 34% of it’s capacity, sharing can make the new purchase much easier to justify. But how will this fit into your grant? And then it’s got to be maintained – the little old chap who used to just do all that odd mix of electrickery and persuasion to every machine in the lab got retrenched in the last round. You can run it into the ground. But that means you won’t have a reliable, stable Thingatron all ready to run when you apply for the follow-on grant in two years.”

[…] (For more on this process, take a look at How to Write a Simple Project Budget.) […]

[…] Source: How to make a simple research budget […]

This is such a big help! Thank You!

No worries, Claudine. Happy to help.

Would you like to share the link of the article which was wrote about funding rules? I can’t find it. Many thanks!

Hello there – do you mean this post? https://theresearchwhisperer.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/reading-guidelines

Thank @tseen khoo, very useful tips. I also want to understand more about 3C 3F 3H. What do they stand for? Can you help me find out which posts talk about that. Thank again.

[…] mount up rapidly, even if you are in a remote and developing part of the world. Putting together a half decent budget early on and being aware of funding opportunities can help to avoid financial disaster half way […]

This is so amazing, it really helpful and educative. Happy unread this last week before my proposal was drafted.

Happy to help, Babayomi. Glad you liked it.

really useful! thanks kate

[…] “How to Make a Simple Research Budget,” by Jonathan O’Donnell on The Research Whisperer […]

[…] offering services that ran pretty expensive. until I found this one. It guided me through making a simple budget. The information feels sort of like a university graduate research paper but having analysed […]

[…] Advice on writing research proposals for industry […]

[…] research serves as the bedrock of informed budgeting. Explore the average costs of accommodation, transportation, meals, and activities in your chosen […]

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How to plan and write a budget for research grant proposal?

Medical research can have an enormous positive impact on human health. Health research improves the quality of human lives and society which plays a vital role in social and economic development of the nation. Financial support is crucial for research. However, winning a research grant is a difficult task. A successful grant-winning application requires two key elements: one is an innovative research problem with best probable idea/plan for tackling it and appropriate planning of budget. The aim of the present paper is to give an insight on funding agencies providing funding for health research including traditional Indian medicine (from an Indian perspective) and key points for planning and writing budget section of a grant application.

1. Introduction

Why health science research is important and why should it to be funded? Science and technology innovations and health research can have an enormous impact on human health. They improve public health, quality of human lives, longevity and have made society better [1] , [2] . Healthy humans with better quality of life are crucial for the social and economical development of the nation [3] . Medical research led to the expansion of knowledge about health problems/conditions and their mechanism, risk factors, outcomes of treatments or interventions, preventive measures and proper management. Clinical studies or trials provide important information about the safety and efficacy of a drug/intervention. Innovative basic science research had led to the discovery of new technology, efficient diagnostic and therapeutic devices. So, currently, an effort with multidisciplinary approach is a demand for better understanding of clinical conditions and providing safest health care to the community [2] , [4] .

Whether it is basic or applied, clinical or non-clinical, all research needs financial support. Considering the importance of research in economic growth of a nation, many countries are increasing their budget for research and development in science. A study on impact of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) on research and development in science among Asian countries has found that one who spends more on research has more research outcomes in the form of total number of research documents, citations per documents and h-index [5] . About 95% of the NIH (National Institutes of Health, USA), budget goes directly to research awards, programs, and centers; training programs; and research and development contracts [6] . Total expenditure carried out for research in India is too less than USA and China. Percentage of GDP for research and development in India is 0.88%, while South Korea, USA and China have 4.292%, 2.742 and 2.1% respectively [7] .

Owing to the increasing competition among the researchers, especially the young ones, for their academic growth, preparing and planning a winning research proposal becomes very essential. A successful grant-winning application requires two key elements: (1) innovative research problem with best probable idea/plan for tackling it and (2) appropriate planning of budget. The aim of the present paper is to give an insight on funding agencies (from an Indian perspective) and key points for planning and writing budget section of a grant application.

2. What is the purpose of the budget plan in a grant application?

A budget is the quantitative expression of a financial plan for future expenses on the project in a given period of time [8] . Budget plan is a key element of a grant application. It demonstrates the required cost for the proposed project. It is a prediction of expenses and serves a plan for funders on how the organization will operate the project, spend the money in a given set of period and where their money will go. It shows the funders exactly what they can support and also helps the institution and investigating team in management of the project. Moreover, budget plan requires for accountability [9] .

3. Which are the funding agencies that sponsor health research in India?

Various national and international sponsoring agencies have identified health problems of priority for funding a research. Some of the leading funding agencies providing grant for health research including alternative systems of medicine in India are given in Table 1 . State Universities/deemed Universities also have a provision of funding for medical research.

Table 1

List of funding agencies those promote health research.

4. What constitutes a research project budget?

Proforma of the research grant applications and presentation of budget section may vary among the sponsoring agencies. However, major parts of budget plan in the applications of the above mentioned funding agencies are quite similar. The budget section is broadly divided into two categories: direct and indirect costs.

4.1. Direct costs:

These are the costs incurred specifically to carry out a project [10] . Direct costs include expenses towards personnel, materials, equipments, consumables and travel. These particulars are further categorized into recurring and non-recurring expenses on the basis of their occurrence during the study period. A brief description of the sub-sections under direct cost is given below:

4.1.1. Personnel:

Budget for personnel can be mentioned in this section in case human resources are required for the study and as per funding agency guidelines. Salaries with allowances can be budgeted for human resources such as site manager, research assistant, junior research fellow (JRF), senior research fellow (SRF), research associate, technician, data entry operator and attender. Most of the Indian funding agencies do not have a provision for salaries for the principal investigator (PI) and co-investigators (Co-PI). Ministry of AYUSH [11] and Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science (RGUHS), Karnataka [12] provide one-time minimal fees for investigators and supporting staff respectively. There is a provision for salaries of investigators in Wellcome trust-DBT India alliance grants [13] .

4.1.2. Recurring expenses:

Recurring expenses are those which are variable and which keep on occurring throughout the entire project duration. Particulars categorized in this category are consumables, chemicals, glasswares, laboratory test charges, diagnostic kits, stationery, prints, photocopies, communication, postage, telephone charges, survey tools, questionnaires, publication charges, reprints, binding etc. Other expenses could be allowances for patients/participants, food charges and physician fees.

4.1.3. Non-recurring expenses:

Non-recurring expenses are those which are one-time in nature or which do not recur at regular intervals. Particulars included in this category are equipments or instruments with its accessories, software's, computer, printer, electrical and electronic items and accessories of the existing instrument in your lab. Percentage of budget allocated for equipment varies among the funding agencies from 25% to 90% of the entire budget. Some of the agencies do not have provision for equipment in budget. Vision Group on Science and Technology allocated their maximum grant (up to 90%) for development of infrastructure of laboratories [14] .

4.1.4. Traveling expenses:

Budget allocated for traveling can be used for attending meetings, conferences, workshops and training programs. Foreign travel is not allowed by any Indian funding agency. Traveling expenses for collection of data, survey and visit to other centers in multicentric study can be budgeted in this sub-section.

4.2. Indirect costs:

These are the costs which cannot be directly attributed to specific expenses of a project, but are required to run a project. It is also termed as overhead charges. Laboratory, electricity, water, library and other facilities are provided by the institution to run a proposed research project. Therefore, a fixed cost (usually) of about 5–15% of the total budget is provisioned as institutional overhead charges which goes to the institution directly. The range may, however, be flexible on the basis of the type of funding agency.

5. Budget justification

Most of the funding agencies require submission of a budget justification with all the items described above. Sometimes it is also called as budget narrative. Explanation of need for each line item in the budget with item-wise and year-wise breakdown has to be provided. Quantification of total costs of each line-item and document cost calculation should be done. When writing a budget justification, it is important to follow the same order as that in an itemized budget. For example, if equipment such as color doppler is required, then justify the need of a device with respect to the proposed methodology of the study. Similarly, for non-recurring expenses, breakdown the consumables item-wise and year-wise with its cost and calculation according to the protocol of the study and justify accordingly.

6. Budget summary

An item-wise and year wise summary of the total budget is usually required in most of the applications. Budget summary outlines the proposed grant and often (most of the format) appears at the beginning of the proposal. It should always be prepared at the end, after the grant proposal has been completely developed. A sample budget summary (as an example) for a proposed study for the duration of three years is shown in Table 2 . In the personnel section, a research fellow salary with allowances is budgeted year-wise. The salary of the research fellow for the first and second year is Rs. 2,30,000 per year (JRF) with an enhancement to Rs 2, 59,000 for the third year (SRF) as per the guidelines of the funding agency. As non-recurring expenses are one time in nature, a budget for equipment was budgeted only for the first year. Under the section of recurring expenses, more budgets are allocated in the second year for consumables because recruitment of subjects in large number will be done during the second year of the proposed study. Similarly, expenses toward travel, investigator fee and other miscellaneous costs year-wise have been budgeted. The emoluments and guidelines on service conditions for research personnel employed in research project by ICMR has been given in reference section [15] , [16] .

Table 2

Sample budget summary (year wise).

7. How to plan a simple research budget?

Planning of the research budget begins with an innovative research question, objectives and design of the study. Before starting to write a budget plan, it is essential to understand the expectations of funding agencies, University/Institute and the team of researchers. It is imperative to keep in mind that the research proposal will be reviewed by both scientific and financial (non-scientific) experts. Hence, the proposal should be prepared in such a way that it can be easily understood by even non-scientific experts.

Firstly, a list of what is essential and would add value for research such as focus of research, primary and secondary outcomes of the study, the source of the sample, study setting, sample design and sample size, techniques used to collect data, method of data analysis and available resources should be made [17] .

Secondly, the instructions, format of the application and rules of the funding agency should be read thoroughly. Budget specifications, limitations of recurring and non-recurring costs, and necessity of budget justification with cost breakdown should be checked. Note that one should not deviate or modify the proforma of the funding agency.

Thirdly, a list of items should be made and categorized into recurring and non-recurring expenses. Breakdown of the budget into item-wise and year-wise with cost calculation should be done. It should be ensured that costs are reasonable, allowable and related to the research proposal, so that the budget appears realistic. Travel expenses should be calculated as per the rules of the funding agency.

Fourthly, item-wise and year-wise justification of the requirement in a same sequence of format should be provided. A well-justified budget can enhance the evaluation of the research proposal by reviewers and funding body.

The last most important part is to review the budget and verify the costs and calculation. It is better, if other research team members can review the budget plan and re-calculate the costs thoroughly. Remember, too high budget and too low budget with respect to the research proposal are suspicious and chances of receiving a grant are less.

Sources of funding

Conflict of interest.

Peer review under responsibility of Transdisciplinary University, Bangalore.

Research Proposal Example/Sample

Detailed Walkthrough + Free Proposal Template

If you’re getting started crafting your research proposal and are looking for a few examples of research proposals , you’ve come to the right place.

In this video, we walk you through two successful (approved) research proposals , one for a Master’s-level project, and one for a PhD-level dissertation. We also start off by unpacking our free research proposal template and discussing the four core sections of a research proposal, so that you have a clear understanding of the basics before diving into the actual proposals.

• Research proposal example/sample – Master’s-level (PDF/Word)
• Research proposal example/sample – PhD-level (PDF/Word)
• Proposal template (Fully editable) 

If you’re working on a research proposal for a dissertation or thesis, you may also find the following useful:

• Research Proposal Bootcamp : Learn how to write a research proposal as efficiently and effectively as possible
• 1:1 Proposal Coaching : Get hands-on help with your research proposal

FAQ: Research Proposal Example

Research proposal example: frequently asked questions, are the sample proposals real.

Yes. The proposals are real and were approved by the respective universities.

Can I copy one of these proposals for my own research?

As we discuss in the video, every research proposal will be slightly different, depending on the university’s unique requirements, as well as the nature of the research itself. Therefore, you’ll need to tailor your research proposal to suit your specific context.

You can learn more about the basics of writing a research proposal here .

How do I get the research proposal template?

You can access our free proposal template here .

Is the proposal template really free?

Yes. There is no cost for the proposal template and you are free to use it as a foundation for your research proposal.

Where can I learn more about proposal writing?

For self-directed learners, our Research Proposal Bootcamp is a great starting point.

For students that want hands-on guidance, our private coaching service is recommended.

Psst… there’s more!

This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Research Proposal Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

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Creating a Budget

In general, while your research proposal outlines the academic significance of your study, the budget and budget narrative show that you have an understanding of what it will cost for you to be able to perform this research. Your proposed budget should identify all the expenses that are necessary and reasonable for the success of your project—no more and no less. The Office of Undergraduate Research understands that estimates, by definition, are imprecise, yet we encourage students applying for funding to research all aspects of their budgets with honest diligence.

If your research requires you to be in the field or in another city, state, or country, travel expenses may include transportation (airline, train, taxi, etc.), passport and visa fees, as well as fees for any vaccinations you may need to travel. Be sure to include anticipated major incidental expenses, such as printing, copying, fees for accessing archives, etc.

Please note that our funding restrictions prevent us from providing support for lab materials, equipment, software, hardware, etc.

Keep in mind these tips:

Convert all foreign currency figures to U.S. dollars.

Round all figures to whole dollars.

Make sure your budget and your proposal are consistent.

Identify areas where you are making efforts to save money!

Browse through these sample budgets for a better idea of how to outline your expenses and contact us if you have questions!

Sample Budget 1

Sample Budget 2

Sample Budget 3

Sample Budget 4

• UBC Research + Innovation
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• Budgeting and Indirect Costs

Budget Templates

All funded research grants, contracts and agreements are required to include indirect cost recovery.

The required indirect cost recovery for research projects is:

• 25% on all non-industry funding (governemnt and non-profits)
• 40% of all direct costs on industry funding (any projects initiated before May 1, 2015 may continue to charge the previous rate of 25%)

The only exceptions to these rates are funds from any of the Tri-Council funding agencies (UBC recovers indirect costs for Tri-Council funds through the Federal Research Support Fund  formerly the Indirect Costs Program. The only exception is the SSHRC-administered Tri-Agency New Frontiers in Research Fund. Applicants to this fund should contact ORS about building indirect cost recovery into their application.) and funds through grant applications which specify an alternate rate. 

Many of the verified exceptions to the standard UBC rate of recovery are listed in the Indirect Costs of Research Verified Rates Table .

Since May 1, 2015, all discretionary powers for the recovery rate of indirect costs (for projects not covered by the standard or published verified rates) has rested with the Deans of the Faculties and not with the Vice-President, Research & Innovation Office.

Below is a sample budget development process.

A researcher creates a proposal for a research project with a government or non-profit partner with the following direct costs:

Direct Costs  

The following models below demonstrate how to present to the sponsor a budget for this project utilizing the 25% recovery rate for government and non-profit projects.

Unless the sponsor specifies in writing that they require the indirect costs of research to be presented as a separate line item, the indirect cost should be built into each budget line item, as is customary for budgets.

Preferred “Price” Model 

(25% Indirect Cost Built Into Pricing)   

Alternative “Cost” Model

(only if required by Sponsor) (25% Indirect Cost Separated)  

Tri-Council Matching or Partnered Grants

For Tri-Council grants requiring funding from one or more funding partners, the Tri-Council agency matches only the direct costs of the partners. Examples of these programs include, NSERC Collaborative Research and Development Grants, NSERC Idea to Innovation Grants, SSHRC Partnership Grants, CIHR Industry Partnered Collaborative Research Program, CIHR Proof of Principle Grants. In these cases, the agency may require that direct and indirect costs be shown separately in the budget submitted to the Tri-council agency. In all cases, an indirect cost recovery rate of 25% (for projects initiated after May 1, 2015, this rate will be 40% for industry partners) must be applied to the matching funds provided by the partner. Indirect costs should not be applied to the funds requested from the Tri-council agency. The only exception is the SSHRC-administered Tri-Agency New Frontiers in Research Fund. Applicants to this fund should contact ORS about building indirect cost recovery into their application

Departmental, Unit and Faculty-Specific Fees

Some departments or units require that an “administrative fee” be charged to each project. It’s expected that consistent recovery of indirect costs of research will alleviate the need for these additional fees. If these additional fees are required, however, indirect cost recovery must still be applied at the standard rate to all direct costs, including the administrative fee.

Sub-Awards to UBC

In multi-site projects, it’s the responsibility of the main site to apply on behalf of each sub-site the appropriate indirect cost recovery for that institution. As a sub-awardee, UBC requires 25% indirect costs recovery to be included in funds from the main site. The only exceptions to this are sub-awards from other academic institutions who’ve received grant funding (e.g. from Tri-Council agencies or NIH), in which UBC has approved the alternate rate. All industry projects must recover indirect costs at the standard rate of 40% , irrespective of where the industry sponsor receives its funding.

Machine and Equipment Purchase Grants

Grants for which 100% of the funds are to be applied toward the purchase of equipment, and not directly connected with a specific research project, are exempt from indirect-cost recovery.

Sample Budget Justifications

Sponsor requirements differ, and sample budget justifications should be seen only as a starting point. Guidelines for sponsor requirements are in the annotated budget justifications. Read the solicitation and the sponsor’s proposal preparation guidelines for each proposal's requirements.

For Research Sponsors

• Sample Budget Justification for Non-Federal Research [DOCX]  - April 6, 2023
• Annotated Budget Justification - Non-Federal Research
• Sample Budget Justification for Federal Research  [DOCX]  - April 6, 2023
• Annotated Budget Justification - Federal Research

For Non-Research Sponsors:

• Sample Budget Justification for Non-Federal Non-Research [DOCX]  - July 29, 2022
• Annotated Budget Justification - Non-Federal Non-Research
• Sample Budget Justification for Federal Non-Research [DOCX]  - July 29, 2022
• Annotated Budget Justification - Federal Non-Research
• Uniform Guidance Fixed Rate Requirements
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Appendix C: Sample Budget Justification

Costs for project budgets - appendix c.

The budget justification is one of the most important non-technical sections of the proposal, and it is often required by the sponsor. In this section, the Principal Investigator (PI) provides additional detail for expenses within each budget category and articulates the need for the items/expenses listed. The information provided in the budget justification may be the definitive criteria used by sponsor review panels and administrative officials when determining the amount of funding to be awarded.

The following format is a sample only; not all components will apply to every proposal. Many sponsors prefer that budget justifications follow their own format. In all cases, however, it is best to present the justification for each budget category in the same order as that provided in the budget itself.

Salaries and Wages:

Note: The quantification of  unfunded  effort (e.g., "The PI will donate 5% effort...") in the proposal narrative, budget, or budget justification is considered Voluntary Committed Cost Sharing. This is a legal commitment which must be documented in the University's accounting system. Consider quantifying effort  only  for the requested salary support. See  http://www.dfa.cornell.edu/treasurer/policyoffice/policies/volumes/academic/costsharing.cfm  for additional information.

• Principal Investigator:  This proposal requests salary support for _______% of effort during the academic year and 100% of effort for _______months during the summer.
• Other Professional Support:  List title and level of effort to be proposed to be funded. Other personnel categories (Research Associates, Postdoctoral Associates, Technicians) may be included here.
• Administrative and Clerical:  List the circumstances for requiring direct charging of these services, which must be readily and specifically identifiable to the project with a high degree of accuracy. Provide a brief description of actual job responsibilities, the proposed title, and the level of effort. (See note at the end of this Appendix regarding direct charging costs that are normally considered indirect.)
• Graduate Students:  List number and a brief description of project role. Include stipend, GRA allowance (tuition), and health insurance.
• Undergraduate Students:  List number and a brief description of project role.
• Employee Benefits have been proposed at a rate of ______% for all non-student compensation as approved by the Department of Health and Human Services. See  https://www.dfa.cornell.edu/capitalassets/cost/employee .

Capital Equipment:  The following equipment will be necessary for the completion of the project: Include item description(s), estimated cost of each item, and total cost. Provide a brief statement on necessity and suitability.

Travel:  For each trip, list destination, duration, purpose, relationship to the project, and total cost. Indicate any plans for foreign travel.

Technical Supplies and Materials:  Include type of supplies, per unit price, quantity, and cost. When the cost is substantial, provide a brief statement justifying the necessity.

Publications:  Page charges (number of pages multiplied by the per-page charge).

Services:  Include type of services, cost per type, and total cost.

Consultants : Include the consultant's name, rate, number of days, total cost per consultant, and total consultant cost. Provide a brief statement outlining each individual's expertise and justifying the anticipated need for consultant services. Note: Justifying a specific consultant in the proposal may avoid the need to competitively bid consulting services.

Subcontracts:  Include the subcontractor's name, amount, and total cost. Provide a brief description of the work to be performed and the basis for selection of the subcontractor. A separate budget and corresponding budget justification should be completed by the subcontractor, and is required by many agencies. Note: Justifying a specific subcontractor in the proposal may avoid the need to competitively bid subcontracted services. Post-award changes to subcontracts (additions, deletions, scope or budget modification) may require sponsor approval.

Other Expenses:  May include conferences and seminars (see  Appendix D ), Repair and Maintenance, Academic and User Fees.

Facilities and Administrative Costs (F&A) : F&A costs have been proposed at a rate of _____% of Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) as approved in Cornell's rate agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services. A copy of this agreement may be found at  https://www.dfa.cornell.edu/capitalassets/cost/facilities . MTDC exclusions include Capital Equipment, GRA Allowance and Health Insurance, and Subcontract costs in excess of $25,000 per subcontract.

Annual escalations are proposed in accordance with University policy as outlined HERE .

Special information for direct charging costs that are normally considered indirect.  Many costs such as administrative and clerical salaries, office supplies, monthly telephone and network charges, general purpose equipment, and postage are not typically considered direct costs. These may be proposed as direct costs where "unlike and different" circumstances exist. In such cases a budget justification detailing the request must be submitted to OSP for review and approval. Please read the University policy at  https://www.dfa.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/policy/vol3_14.pdf  or contact your  Grant and Contract Officer  for additional assistance.

Overview of Costs for Project Budgets (Budget and Costing Guide)

Appendix a: sample budget format showing major categories, appendix b: facilities and administrative (f&a) cost calculation detail, appendix d: sample budget for conferences and seminars, appendix e: cost sharing allowability matrix.

As the nation’s largest public research university, the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) aims to catalyze, support and safeguard U-M research and scholarship activity.

The Office of the Vice President for Research oversees a variety of interdisciplinary units that collaborate with faculty, staff, students and external partners to catalyze, support and safeguard research and scholarship activity.

ORSP manages pre-award and some post-award research activity for U-M. We review contracts for sponsored projects applying regulatory, statutory and organizational knowledge to balance the university's mission, the sponsor's objectives, and the investigator's intellectual pursuits.

Ethics and compliance in research covers a broad range of activity from general guidelines about conducting research responsibly to specific regulations governing a type of research (e.g., human subjects research, export controls, conflict of interest).

eResearch is U-M's site for electronic research administration. Access: Regulatory Management (for IRB or IBC rDNA applications); Proposal Management (eRPM) for the e-routing, approval, and submission of proposals (PAFs) and Unfunded Agreements (UFAs) to external entities); and Animal Management (for IACUC protocols and ULAM).

Sponsored Programs manages the post-award financial activities of U-M's research enterprise and other sponsored activities to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws as well as sponsor regulations. The Office of Contract Administration (OCA) is also part of the Office of Finance - Sponsored Programs.

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Budget and Cost Resources

Quick links.

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• Indirect Cost Rates
• Full Recovery of Indirect Costs  - Calculating space for certain private sponsor
• Direct Costs  (other than salaries)
• ​ Staff Fringe Benefits
• GSRA Cost Estimates

The Principal Investigator has primary responsibility for budget planning, in consultation with the department chair or director of the research unit. Budgets for all sponsored proposals are subject to review by ORSP.  

A Special Note About NIH Grant-Related Data Sharing Costs

Certain funding agencies (e.g. the National Institutes of Health (NIH)) are increasingly allowing data management and sharing (DMS) costs to be included as direct costs in proposal budgets.

NIH DMS costs should be shared in the appropriate cost category, e.g., personnel, equipment, supplies, and other expenses, following the instructions and providing details as instructed within the applicable form (e.g., R&R Budget Form or PHS 398 Modular Budget Form). 

In most cases, the DMS Plan oversight at U-M will be provided by the principal investigator (PI) and other study personnel. If help is needed, consider these resources:

• OVPR Research Data Stewardship page - NIH DMSP resources
• U-M Library - Research Guides - Research Data Management
• U-M Navigate Webinar - NIH Data Management & Sharing Policy (Nov 1, 2022)

Budget Format

Sponsors often prescribe the budget format that must accompany the proposal, including the specific cost categories that should be identified. The format shown on the sample budget page may be used, however, if one is not specified by the sponsor. Be sure to check with your department, unit, school or college administrator to determine the best practice.

The budget should be subdivided into periods of 12-month duration (unless partial year funding is anticipated). A "starting date" should be specified, since it is essential to ensure accurate budget calculations. If cost-sharing is included, each budget period should include columns for both "Sponsor" and "University" costs. A budget summary should be included for proposals with multi-year funding. All budget entries should be rounded to the nearest whole dollar.

Salary and Wages

The salary category in the proposed budget should include the names and/or titles for all personnel involved in the project. The number of person months or percent effort to be applied to the project should also be shown. Total salary costs can be determined by applying the percentage of effort to the current salary rates. An appropriate escalation rate (e.g., 3%) should be used to determine salary requirements beyond the current fiscal year. While standard percentages are applied to make these calculations, no commitment and no constraint on the rate of increase for a given individual is implied by this procedure.

If a faculty member is working on several sponsored projects, care must be exercised to ensure that no more than 100 percent of effort is committed to the aggregate of all projects and other University responsibilities.

Summer salary:

Summer salary for faculty with academic year (AY) appointments can be figured at one-ninth of their institutional base salary for each month of summer effort. A maximum of two and one-half months may be included for the whole summer. Some sponsors, however, impose specific limitations on summer salaries. The National Science Foundation, for example, usually will not pay for more than two months of summer research at a rate of one-ninth of the AY salary per month.

Technical staff

Costs incurred for the same purpose in like circumstances must be treated consistently. For example, salaries of technical staff should be treated as direct costs wherever the work to be undertaken can be identified with a particular sponsored project. Direct charging of these costs may be accomplished by specifying individual positions within the project budget or through the use of recharge rates or specialized service facilities, as appropriate under the circumstances.

Administrative and clerical support

The salaries of administrative and clerical support staff normally should be treated as indirect costs . However, it may be appropriate to charge these costs directly to a sponsored project when the participation of the administrative/clerical staff being charged to a federal project meet all four of the following conditions as set forth in §200.413 of the Uniform Guidance:

“(1) Administrative or clerical services are integral to a project or activity;

(2) Individuals involved can be specifically identified with the project or activity;

(3) Such costs are explicitly included in the budget or have the prior written approval of the Federal awarding agency; and

(4) The costs are not also recovered as indirect costs.”

The meaning of (4) is the same as that of 200.403(d) above. That is to say, the project must require support services beyond the normal scope necessary for the typical sponsored project (i.e., it is an unlike circumstance).

Personnel may be hired to work on a sponsored project on an hourly basis for periods up to 12 months. Individuals hired on this basis receive no staff benefits other than Social Security and should be advised accordingly. The Personnel Service Center should be consulted to obtain the appropriate hourly rates for various categories of employment.

Staff benefits are charged to sponsored project accounts on a real cost basis. Depending on the mix of personnel assigned to the project, the staff benefit rate may show significant variation. While it may be possible to apply an average benefit rate (30%), it may be more appropriate in some situations to calculate the staff benefits on an employee-by-employee basis. The range of applicable benefit rates are provided in Staff Benefits Table .

GSRA Compensation, Tuition, and Benefits

GSRA Cost Estimates are for budget estimating purposes only and may vary from school to school. A GSRA appointment may be held from May through August, even though the GSRA is not enrolled in the University during that time. If the appointment is for the winter and fall terms, the fringe benefit charges should be budgeted for the full year, since the student is eligible for coverage during the intervening summer even though he or she is not on a GSRA appointment at that time.

The non-resident tuition differential is provided by the University for out-of-state students appointed as GSRAs. In-state tuition should be charged to sponsored accounts for GSRAs with appointments of 25% or greater. However, Schools and Colleges may provide tuition fellowships to cover a portion of the in-state tuition for GSRAs (see GSRA Cost Estimates ). The portion of the in-state tuition that remains after the fellowship is applied must be included on the grant as a charge to the sponsor.

In-state tuition charges should not be included as part of the GSRA stipend. The modified total direct cost (MTDC) base on which the University's indirect cost rate is calculated must exclude tuition charges. Therefore, indirect costs are not recoverable on tuition charges included in proposals for which the indirect cost rate is based on MTDC. Please contact the appropriate ORSP Project Representative should you have any questions.

Consumable Supplies and Materials

Consumable supplies are items used exclusively in support of project objectives. If it can be demonstrated that such supplies are used only in the conduct of the project and not for other purposes and are consumed completely in the course of the project, such items can be included as direct costs. Laboratory supplies, laboratory notebooks, printer paper for research data and reports, and so forth usually can be justified as consumable supplies. However, when supply items are purchased to support the multiple activities of project personnel, they are considered office supplies and cannot be charged directly to federal funds. Such items would include University stationary, pens, tablets, file folders, staples, paper clips, etc.

The estimated costs of consumable supplies and materials should be indicated in the proposed budget. It is generally acceptable to sponsors to provide a breakdown of supplies and materials by broad categories as opposed to the detailed listing of individual items. Contracts awarded by industries holding a prime contract with a federal agency, however, may require detailed itemization of supplies.

Major items of equipment proposed for acquisition should be itemized by descriptive name and estimated cost, and an adequate justification should be provided in the proposal narrative. Items costing less than $5000 or with a useful life expectancy of less than one year normally should be included under "Supplies and Materials." Shipping and/or installation charges associated with equipment acquisitions should be included in the cost estimates but generally are not itemized.

Specialized Services

Charges for computing services should be budgeted whenever these costs are justified. It is essential, however, that the budget clearly differentiate between central computing services provided by Information Technology Services and other computing services.

Other specialized service centers that have an approved user rate should be included in the proposed budget on a cost basis that reflects the recharge rates with the anticipated number of hours or other units of service clearly indicated. Once established, the schedule of rates must be applied to all users of the services/facilities, including internal-university users. Recharge rates are designed to recover, over the long term, not more than the aggregate cost of the services provided. The recharge/user rate should be included as part of the modified total direct cost (MTDC) for the project and should carry the appropriate indirect cost rate .

Consultants and Subcontracts

Federal agencies frequently establish a maximum daily rate of pay for consultants--specific dollar limits for various agencies are available from ORSP. The University must enter into a formal agreement with the consultant prior to the initiation of his or her effort. Consultant agreements as subject to the full recovery of indirect costs at the rate applicable to other direct cost items in the proposed budget.

The entire cost of a subcontract is normally shown as a single line item under "Other Direct Costs." A formal proposal from the subcontractor--including a statement of work, a detailed budget, period of performance, and key personnel--should be included to support this cost element. The Project Director should provide an explanation of why and how the proposed sub-contractor was selected, including the number of bids obtained.

Subcontracted effort requires a formal agreement between the University and the subcontractor, signed by a University official authorized to enter into contractual agreements on behalf of the Board of Regents. See: the Subcontracts and Hybrid Purchase Orders web page for criteria and procedures. Indirect costs are recovered on the first $25,000 of each subcontract.

Indirect Costs

Indirect costs are real costs of University operations that are not readily assignable to a particular project. The sample budget illustrates the procedures for applying the indirect cost rate .

Human Subject Fees

Human subjects often are paid a fee for their participation in research projects. Protocols for the use of human beings in research, teaching, or testing are reviewed and approved, according to federal, state and university policies. (See: Human Research Protection Program )

Other Costs

Funds may be requested from the sponsor to cover travel costs associated with the proposed project. Sponsors often require a breakdown of such travel costs by trip, reflecting the purpose, point of travel, number of persons, number of days, air fare, lodging and meal costs (per diem), and so forth. If foreign travel is contemplated, the proposal should include relevant information (including names of countries to be visited) and justification. Some sponsors have special regulations (e.g., use of domestic air carriers) governing foreign travel.

Costs of preparing and publishing reports of project results should be included in proposed budgets. Since page charges often are billed well after the completion of the research, it may be necessary to secure time extensions to pay these charges prior to the time that the project is closed out.

Other anticipated direct costs should be itemized--for example, equipment rental, maintenance agreements, or off-campus space rental. Telephone services and postage should not be included unless these costs are expected to be major elements in the project (e.g., telephone surveys). "Miscellaneous" or "contingency" categories should not be included. Items normally considered indirect costs should not be included in the proposed budget unless they are extraordinary and for unlike circumstances (e.g., utility costs required to operate a high-energy particle accelerator).

Network costs, including the hardware, software, personnel services, public access sites, and other related costs required to enable University personnel to share software or data or to communicate electronically with other individuals, are generally considered to be part of the physical infrastructure of the University and should not be included as direct costs in the proposal budget, as these costs are indirect in nature and included as a component of the Facilities & Administrative rate. However, individual workstations and specialized hardware and software attached to the network, which are not available to all users, are not included as part of the network costs and therefore may be treated as direct costs and recovered from sponsored projects through the use of approved recharge rates.

Questions regarding the appropriate treatment of network costs as either direct costs or Facilities & Administrative costs in proposal budgets should be forwarded to the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects.

References and Resources

• Direct Cost Other than Salaries
• Graduate Student Salaries (GSRAs)
• Staff Fringe Benefits
• Rackham Cost Sharing for Federal Training Grants
• Sample Budget Table
• Contact your unit-level research administrator  for the best practices for your department, school, college, or unit.
• Contact your ORSP Project Representative regarding any questions about University policies and procedures.
• Contact the  Office of Contract Administration  for further information on subcontracts and consulting agreements.
• For information on how to pay human subjects, please see the  Treasurer's Office requester/study-coordinator resources  and the  HSIP (Human Subject Incentive Program .
• Budget Reallocation Process (formerly 7471)
• Direct Costs
• Facilities and Administrative Costs (F&A)
• HSIP (Human Subjects Incentives Program)

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Proposal template bundle, 12+ research budget proposal templates in pdf | ms word, 1. research budget proposal template, 2. project research proposal and budget, 3. school research budget proposal template, 4. sample student research budget proposal, 5. science research proposal budget form worksheet, 6. free research budget grant proposal template, 7. research paper proposal budget template, 8. research thesis proposal budget example, 9. printable research budget plan proposal.

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A research proposal is a paper that proposes a research project , usually in the sciences or academia and generally constitutes a funding request for that study. A budget is one of the key components of a research proposal and serves as a blueprint for spending the funds from the project. An effective budget for the proposal outlines the proposed project in fiscal terms and helps reviewers determine how the project is to be carried out.

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Direct Costs

Indirect costs, 1. list your activities.

• Interviews: 20 in Sydney; 10 in Perth; 15 in Melbourne.
• I’ll need three months of teaching release for fieldwork.
• Flight tickets for travel required.
• Accommodation for at least a month in each place.
• The results will need to be transcribed.
• A research assistant will be required.

2. Check the rules again

3. cost each item, 4. put it in a spreadsheet, 5. justify it, more in budget templates, editable research flowchart template, research poster template for keynote, education research agenda template, research agenda template, legal research methodology ppt template, medical research template, research template, high school research template, research proposal template, detailed financial research template.

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Sample budgets

Justification.

Bumblebee colonies will be obtained from Koppert Biological Systems (MI, USA) and shipped overnight to Nevada. An emerging standard for publication is the utilization of three to five colonies for testing so as to minimize individual colony biases and to acquire a sufficient data set. In order to maintain the colonies I will need pollen to feed them on a daily basis. Additionally I will use the chemical octopamine hydrochloride to explore neuroendocrine relationships between gustatory responsiveness, learning, and octopamine.

I estimated shipping costs to the best of my knowledge.

* Costs are estimated based on average costs of the material; final cost may be slightly different.

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Research budgets | ms word, 36+ sample research budgets, what is a research budget, the components of a complete research budget, how to set a research budget, why is a research budget important in a grant application, what are the types of budgeting schemes, how much is the standard research project grant amount.

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Why is a research budget important, step 1: brainstorm all research activities, step 2: consider the rules and regulations, step 3: insert the associated costs for each item, step 4: download a sample research budget, step 5: organize your data and format, step 6: justify your research budget.

• Incremental budgeting – this form of budgeting tackles a previous year’s actual figures while you add or subtract a percentage to answer the acquired budget of the current year. Also, this is the simplest and most common form of budgeting scheme.
• Activity-based budgeting – the next example focuses on getting the number of inputs necessary to provide the outputs and targets implemented by an organization. A common example is when a business should start recognizing the necessary tasks to take first that will meet the sales target until the costs for each activity to do will be determined.
• Value proposition budgeting – another budgeting scheme answers the reason for inputting the amount you estimated in a budget, how a value outweighs the expenses, or even why the budget should be justified. And as much as possible, do not include irrelevant expenditures in this section.
• Zero-based budgeting – lastly, this budgeting plan assumes that every department in a budget is zero and should be rebuilt from the very beginning. But, the expenses should be justified. And this strategy is helpful when you need costs quickly, particularly if a business undergoes an economic downturn.

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17 Research Proposal Examples

A research proposal systematically and transparently outlines a proposed research project.

The purpose of a research proposal is to demonstrate a project’s viability and the researcher’s preparedness to conduct an academic study. It serves as a roadmap for the researcher.

The process holds value both externally (for accountability purposes and often as a requirement for a grant application) and intrinsic value (for helping the researcher to clarify the mechanics, purpose, and potential signficance of the study).

Key sections of a research proposal include: the title, abstract, introduction, literature review, research design and methods, timeline, budget, outcomes and implications, references, and appendix. Each is briefly explained below.

Watch my Guide: How to Write a Research Proposal

Get your Template for Writing your Research Proposal Here (With AI Prompts!)

Research Proposal Sample Structure

Title: The title should present a concise and descriptive statement that clearly conveys the core idea of the research projects. Make it as specific as possible. The reader should immediately be able to grasp the core idea of the intended research project. Often, the title is left too vague and does not help give an understanding of what exactly the study looks at.

Abstract: Abstracts are usually around 250-300 words and provide an overview of what is to follow – including the research problem , objectives, methods, expected outcomes, and significance of the study. Use it as a roadmap and ensure that, if the abstract is the only thing someone reads, they’ll get a good fly-by of what will be discussed in the peice.

Introduction: Introductions are all about contextualization. They often set the background information with a statement of the problem. At the end of the introduction, the reader should understand what the rationale for the study truly is. I like to see the research questions or hypotheses included in the introduction and I like to get a good understanding of what the significance of the research will be. It’s often easiest to write the introduction last

Literature Review: The literature review dives deep into the existing literature on the topic, demosntrating your thorough understanding of the existing literature including themes, strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in the literature. It serves both to demonstrate your knowledge of the field and, to demonstrate how the proposed study will fit alongside the literature on the topic. A good literature review concludes by clearly demonstrating how your research will contribute something new and innovative to the conversation in the literature.

Research Design and Methods: This section needs to clearly demonstrate how the data will be gathered and analyzed in a systematic and academically sound manner. Here, you need to demonstrate that the conclusions of your research will be both valid and reliable. Common points discussed in the research design and methods section include highlighting the research paradigm, methodologies, intended population or sample to be studied, data collection techniques, and data analysis procedures . Toward the end of this section, you are encouraged to also address ethical considerations and limitations of the research process , but also to explain why you chose your research design and how you are mitigating the identified risks and limitations.

Timeline: Provide an outline of the anticipated timeline for the study. Break it down into its various stages (including data collection, data analysis, and report writing). The goal of this section is firstly to establish a reasonable breakdown of steps for you to follow and secondly to demonstrate to the assessors that your project is practicable and feasible.

Budget: Estimate the costs associated with the research project and include evidence for your estimations. Typical costs include staffing costs, equipment, travel, and data collection tools. When applying for a scholarship, the budget should demonstrate that you are being responsible with your expensive and that your funding application is reasonable.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: A discussion of the anticipated findings or results of the research, as well as the potential contributions to the existing knowledge, theory, or practice in the field. This section should also address the potential impact of the research on relevant stakeholders and any broader implications for policy or practice.

References: A complete list of all the sources cited in the research proposal, formatted according to the required citation style. This demonstrates the researcher’s familiarity with the relevant literature and ensures proper attribution of ideas and information.

Appendices (if applicable): Any additional materials, such as questionnaires, interview guides, or consent forms, that provide further information or support for the research proposal. These materials should be included as appendices at the end of the document.

Research Proposal Examples

Research proposals often extend anywhere between 2,000 and 15,000 words in length. The following snippets are samples designed to briefly demonstrate what might be discussed in each section.

1. Education Studies Research Proposals

See some real sample pieces:

• Assessment of the perceptions of teachers towards a new grading system
• Does ICT use in secondary classrooms help or hinder student learning?
• Digital technologies in focus project
• Urban Middle School Teachers’ Experiences of the Implementation of
• Restorative Justice Practices
• Experiences of students of color in service learning

Consider this hypothetical education research proposal:

The Impact of Game-Based Learning on Student Engagement and Academic Performance in Middle School Mathematics

Abstract: The proposed study will explore multiplayer game-based learning techniques in middle school mathematics curricula and their effects on student engagement. The study aims to contribute to the current literature on game-based learning by examining the effects of multiplayer gaming in learning.

Introduction: Digital game-based learning has long been shunned within mathematics education for fears that it may distract students or lower the academic integrity of the classrooms. However, there is emerging evidence that digital games in math have emerging benefits not only for engagement but also academic skill development. Contributing to this discourse, this study seeks to explore the potential benefits of multiplayer digital game-based learning by examining its impact on middle school students’ engagement and academic performance in a mathematics class.

Literature Review: The literature review has identified gaps in the current knowledge, namely, while game-based learning has been extensively explored, the role of multiplayer games in supporting learning has not been studied.

Research Design and Methods: This study will employ a mixed-methods research design based upon action research in the classroom. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group design will first be used to compare the academic performance and engagement of middle school students exposed to game-based learning techniques with those in a control group receiving instruction without the aid of technology. Students will also be observed and interviewed in regard to the effect of communication and collaboration during gameplay on their learning.

Timeline: The study will take place across the second term of the school year with a pre-test taking place on the first day of the term and the post-test taking place on Wednesday in Week 10.

Budget: The key budgetary requirements will be the technologies required, including the subscription cost for the identified games and computers.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: It is expected that the findings will contribute to the current literature on game-based learning and inform educational practices, providing educators and policymakers with insights into how to better support student achievement in mathematics.

2. Psychology Research Proposals

See some real examples:

• A situational analysis of shared leadership in a self-managing team
• The effect of musical preference on running performance
• Relationship between self-esteem and disordered eating amongst adolescent females

Consider this hypothetical psychology research proposal:

The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Stress Reduction in College Students

Abstract: This research proposal examines the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on stress reduction among college students, using a pre-test/post-test experimental design with both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods .

Introduction: College students face heightened stress levels during exam weeks. This can affect both mental health and test performance. This study explores the potential benefits of mindfulness-based interventions such as meditation as a way to mediate stress levels in the weeks leading up to exam time.

Literature Review: Existing research on mindfulness-based meditation has shown the ability for mindfulness to increase metacognition, decrease anxiety levels, and decrease stress. Existing literature has looked at workplace, high school and general college-level applications. This study will contribute to the corpus of literature by exploring the effects of mindfulness directly in the context of exam weeks.

Research Design and Methods: Participants ( n= 234 ) will be randomly assigned to either an experimental group, receiving 5 days per week of 10-minute mindfulness-based interventions, or a control group, receiving no intervention. Data will be collected through self-report questionnaires, measuring stress levels, semi-structured interviews exploring participants’ experiences, and students’ test scores.

Timeline: The study will begin three weeks before the students’ exam week and conclude after each student’s final exam. Data collection will occur at the beginning (pre-test of self-reported stress levels) and end (post-test) of the three weeks.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: The study aims to provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing stress among college students in the lead up to exams, with potential implications for mental health support and stress management programs on college campuses.

3. Sociology Research Proposals

• Understanding emerging social movements: A case study of ‘Jersey in Transition’
• The interaction of health, education and employment in Western China
• Can we preserve lower-income affordable neighbourhoods in the face of rising costs?

Consider this hypothetical sociology research proposal:

The Impact of Social Media Usage on Interpersonal Relationships among Young Adults

Abstract: This research proposal investigates the effects of social media usage on interpersonal relationships among young adults, using a longitudinal mixed-methods approach with ongoing semi-structured interviews to collect qualitative data.

Introduction: Social media platforms have become a key medium for the development of interpersonal relationships, particularly for young adults. This study examines the potential positive and negative effects of social media usage on young adults’ relationships and development over time.

Literature Review: A preliminary review of relevant literature has demonstrated that social media usage is central to development of a personal identity and relationships with others with similar subcultural interests. However, it has also been accompanied by data on mental health deline and deteriorating off-screen relationships. The literature is to-date lacking important longitudinal data on these topics.

Research Design and Methods: Participants ( n = 454 ) will be young adults aged 18-24. Ongoing self-report surveys will assess participants’ social media usage, relationship satisfaction, and communication patterns. A subset of participants will be selected for longitudinal in-depth interviews starting at age 18 and continuing for 5 years.

Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of five years, including recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide insights into the complex relationship between social media usage and interpersonal relationships among young adults, potentially informing social policies and mental health support related to social media use.

4. Nursing Research Proposals

• Does Orthopaedic Pre-assessment clinic prepare the patient for admission to hospital?
• Nurses’ perceptions and experiences of providing psychological care to burns patients
• Registered psychiatric nurse’s practice with mentally ill parents and their children

Consider this hypothetical nursing research proposal:

The Influence of Nurse-Patient Communication on Patient Satisfaction and Health Outcomes following Emergency Cesarians

Abstract: This research will examines the impact of effective nurse-patient communication on patient satisfaction and health outcomes for women following c-sections, utilizing a mixed-methods approach with patient surveys and semi-structured interviews.

Introduction: It has long been known that effective communication between nurses and patients is crucial for quality care. However, additional complications arise following emergency c-sections due to the interaction between new mother’s changing roles and recovery from surgery.

Literature Review: A review of the literature demonstrates the importance of nurse-patient communication, its impact on patient satisfaction, and potential links to health outcomes. However, communication between nurses and new mothers is less examined, and the specific experiences of those who have given birth via emergency c-section are to date unexamined.

Research Design and Methods: Participants will be patients in a hospital setting who have recently had an emergency c-section. A self-report survey will assess their satisfaction with nurse-patient communication and perceived health outcomes. A subset of participants will be selected for in-depth interviews to explore their experiences and perceptions of the communication with their nurses.

Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of six months, including rolling recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing within the hospital.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide evidence for the significance of nurse-patient communication in supporting new mothers who have had an emergency c-section. Recommendations will be presented for supporting nurses and midwives in improving outcomes for new mothers who had complications during birth.

5. Social Work Research Proposals

• Experiences of negotiating employment and caring responsibilities of fathers post-divorce
• Exploring kinship care in the north region of British Columbia

Consider this hypothetical social work research proposal:

The Role of a Family-Centered Intervention in Preventing Homelessness Among At-Risk Youthin a working-class town in Northern England

Abstract: This research proposal investigates the effectiveness of a family-centered intervention provided by a local council area in preventing homelessness among at-risk youth. This case study will use a mixed-methods approach with program evaluation data and semi-structured interviews to collect quantitative and qualitative data .

Introduction: Homelessness among youth remains a significant social issue. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of family-centered interventions in addressing this problem and identify factors that contribute to successful prevention strategies.

Literature Review: A review of the literature has demonstrated several key factors contributing to youth homelessness including lack of parental support, lack of social support, and low levels of family involvement. It also demonstrates the important role of family-centered interventions in addressing this issue. Drawing on current evidence, this study explores the effectiveness of one such intervention in preventing homelessness among at-risk youth in a working-class town in Northern England.

Research Design and Methods: The study will evaluate a new family-centered intervention program targeting at-risk youth and their families. Quantitative data on program outcomes, including housing stability and family functioning, will be collected through program records and evaluation reports. Semi-structured interviews with program staff, participants, and relevant stakeholders will provide qualitative insights into the factors contributing to program success or failure.

Timeline: The study will be conducted over a period of six months, including recruitment, data collection, analysis, and report writing.

Budget: Expenses include access to program evaluation data, interview materials, data analysis software, and any related travel costs for in-person interviews.

Expected Outcomes and Implications: This study aims to provide evidence for the effectiveness of family-centered interventions in preventing youth homelessness, potentially informing the expansion of or necessary changes to social work practices in Northern England.

Research Proposal Template

Get your Detailed Template for Writing your Research Proposal Here (With AI Prompts!)

This is a template for a 2500-word research proposal. You may find it difficult to squeeze everything into this wordcount, but it’s a common wordcount for Honors and MA-level dissertations.

Your research proposal is where you really get going with your study. I’d strongly recommend working closely with your teacher in developing a research proposal that’s consistent with the requirements and culture of your institution, as in my experience it varies considerably. The above template is from my own courses that walk students through research proposals in a British School of Education.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
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• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 100 Consumer Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 30 Globalization Pros and Cons

8 thoughts on “17 Research Proposal Examples”

Very excellent research proposals

very helpful

Very helpful

Dear Sir, I need some help to write an educational research proposal. Thank you.

Hi Levi, use the site search bar to ask a question and I’ll likely have a guide already written for your specific question. Thanks for reading!

very good research proposal

Thank you so much sir! ❤️

Very helpful 👌

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