Travel Expenditures on Sponsored Projects
This webpage is a central location for information related to travel on sponsored projects and is jointly maintained by the Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) and the Campus Controller's Office (CCO).
CU Boulder faculty, staff, and students routinely travel in support of sponsored activities. Note that:
- Necessary and reasonable business expenses for travel on sponsored projects are reimbursable following University, Federal, State, and Sponsor policy and restrictions.
- Domestic and foreign travel charged to sponsored projects should follow the guidelines in Charging Travel Expenditures to Sponsored Projects unless federal regulations or the funding agency imposes greater restrictions.
- Some CU Boulder units may also have more restrictive procedures to follow.
Travel on Sponsored Projects Processes (Domestic and International)
For detailed information about processes related to sponsored projects travel, see Charging Travel Expenditures to Sponsored Projects, Section III. C. Process.
At PROPOSAL stage, travel should be:
- Identified and justified in the budget justification
- Broken out between domestic and international travel, when possible.
During the period of performance of an AWARD:
- Contact your Grant or Contract Officer if sponsor approval is needed prior to travel or you have a question about whether sponsor approval is needed.
- Follow University and department procedures for , including department approval, and what can be charged to a sponsored project.
- For international travel, follow Fly America Act restrictions for U.S. carriers, Office of Export Controls guidance (additional information can be found in International Travel) and .
- Follow campus procedures for budget deviations and revisions if new travel needs to be added.
- Follow documentation requirements. It is the responsibility of the PI and their department to ensure proper documentation exists and is retained to support appropriateness of all sponsored project expenditures.
International Travel
International travel on sponsored projects requires additional considerations for approvals and allowable costs as well as considerations for property, equipment and security precautions. Important things to note:
- OCG’s International Travel and the Office of Export Controls International Travel webpages provide additional details about international travel considerations.
- For international travel, it is recommended to contact the Office of Export Controls prior to travel.
- The Fly America Act regulation requires use of U.S. carriers for travel on federally funded grants and contracts with limited exceptions. See OCG and ’s Fly America Act information for details and decision tools.
Travel-Related University Policies & Procedures
The University of Colorado System and Boulder campus departments provide numerous information and resources related to travel, both in general and on sponsored projects. Not following guidance, even if not required, can put projects at financial and audit risk and, in the case of international travel, security risks.
(planning tools, insurance and travel assistance)
International Travel (travel tips and precautions)
Travel-Related External Information & Resources
Sponsored Project Travel Restrictions
Unique to sponsored projects, travel expenses are subject not only to University and State requirements but also to Federal and Sponsor requirements. By we are required to follow the same policies and procedures for both federally- and non-federally-funded sponsored projects. CU Boulder’s Cost Principles Policy and related procedural statements apply to all sponsored projects, regardless of funder. In cases where there are discrepancies in regulations, the most restrictive regulation applies.
By federal policy, all travel costs on sponsored projects must be:
- Allowable under federal and sponsor regulations
- Allocable to the project: Expenses can be associated to a project with a high degree of accuracy
- Reasonable such that costs reflect what a “prudent person” would pay in a like circumstance
- Providing a direct benefit to the project
- Consistent with University travel policies (Charging Travel Expenditures to Sponsored Projects)
- Well-documented (Department Responsibility for Receipts)
- In support of travel completed within the period of performance of the project
- Prepaid travel costs cannot be charged to a project if actual travel occurs after the end date of a project.
Sponsor restrictions on travel also apply. Common sponsor restrictions, which can be found in award terms and conditions and sponsor guidance, include:
- Prohibiting foreign travel **While some sponsors may define domestic and foreign travel differently, the Federal Travel Regulations consider foreign travel to include any travel outside the US and its territories and possessions.
- Requiring pre-authorization by the sponsor for each trip
- Restricting number of trips that can be taken or number of travelers
- Setting a maximum dollar value per trip
- Limiting travel to a specific destination or purpose, such as travel to sponsor hosted meetings
- Allowing attendance to a conference to present research, but not for the purpose of “staying current in the field”
- Specifying maximum meal, mileage or other cost rates