Individual memberships are not an allowable direct charge on a federally sponsored project.
Last Update: 3/15/2015
Stanford Summary
Do not propose or charge individual memberships (business, technical or professional) to a federally sponsored project.
Federally Sponsored Projects
An individual's membership in business, technical, and professional organizations is generally not an allowable expense as a direct charge on a federally sponsored project and as such will be blocked in Oracle.
If there are exceptional circumstances that make a membership expense an allowable, allocable and reasonable charge to a federally sponsored project, please work with the Dean of Research Office or Research Financial and Compliance Services to review the circumstances. If appropriate, the membership expenditure type (52250) will be unblocked to allow the charge.
Non-federally Sponsored Projects
An individual's membership fees in business, technical, and professional organizations may be charged to non-federally sponsored projects (excluding sponsors who cite A-21 or Uniform Guidance) as long as the benefit can be adequately articulated in the business purpose.
Unallowable Membership Dues/Fees
Membership fees or dues, such as airline, social, dining and country club dues cannot be charged directly to federal or non-federal sponsored projects. Such expenses must be coded to unallowable membership fees/dues (52255)
Stanford FAQs
1. I must be a member of the association hosting the conference in
order to submit an abstract or paper. Can this be direct charged to
the federal award that supported the research?
A. Unless you have prior written approval from the agency, individual
memberships cannot be direct charged to a federal award and are considered an indirect cost. They must be charged to an appropriate non-sponsored account.
2. If I become a member of the association hosting the conference, I
get a cheaper conference fee; in fact, the combined membership fee
plus the member-conference fee is less than the non-member conference
fee. Since I'm saving the government money, can I charge this
membership fee to the federal award that supported the research?
A. While this sounds logical, unless you have prior written approval from the agency, individual memberships cannot be direct charged to a federal award and are considered an indirect cost. They must be charged to an appropriate non-sponsored account.
