Last Updated 5-2025

Prior Approval

Federal Sponsors expect the grantee institution to anticipate the full extent of its financial requirements when applying for a grant. The applicant should be prepared to justify both benefit to the project and calculation of all costs requested. Approval of a grant budget by the sponsor constitutes prior approval for the expenditure of funds for the specific item included in that budget.

Prior approvals are addressed in Uniform Guidance at 200.308 Revision of budget and program plans and 200.407 Prior Written Approval and were updated in October 2024. These changes include noting that changes to key personnel (employees and contractors) listed by name or position in an award notice require prior approval before changes can be made. They also removed prior approval requirements for 9 items including Entertainment costs, Memberships, Subscriptions, Participant support costs, Selling and marketing costs and Taxes.

Certain Federal sponsors permit grantee institutions to rebudget between budget categories of the project to meet certain unanticipated requirements in research, training, and program projects, provided that the expenditures are necessary to the successful continuation or completion of the project, that the grant funds are expended in conformity with sponsor policies and the Federal Regulations governing the respective grant with the guidelines set forth below. Such departures must enhance and not impede the progress of the project toward its stated objective and be in conformance with the rebudgeting guidelines of this policy statement and the policies and procedures of the grantee institution. They may further be conditioned by restrictions imposed by the sponsor as a condition for the individual award.

Definition of Prior Approval:
For purposes of these guidelines "prior approval" is defined as the written permission by an authorized official in advance of an act that would result in the obligation or expenditure of grant funds for certain purposes not included in the approved budget as shown on the award document.
All prior approval requests must be sent to SPS Research Administrators at least 30 days prior to the requested action.

Prior Approval Activity Guidance

Instructions for External Approval Requests

External Prior Approval Template