Tool · Budget calculator
Grant budget calculator
Estimate your total federal grant project budget, direct costs, your negotiated indirect rate, matching requirements, and partner contributions, in one pass.
What this does
Enter your direct costs and indirect rate; the calculator returns total project budget, the federal share, and exactly how much match you still need to raise.
- Direct + indirect
- total project budget
- Federal share
- after your match requirement
- Match gap
- how much more you must raise
Budget estimate
| Total Project Budget |
How This Calculator Works
This calculator helps you estimate the total budget for a federal grant application. Direct costs include personnel, fringe benefits, equipment, travel, supplies, and other project expenses. Indirect costs are calculated as a percentage of total direct costs using your organization's negotiated indirect cost rate.
Many federal grants require matching funds, meaning your organization must contribute a portion of total project costs. This calculator shows whether your partner contributions meet the match requirement.
For official budget guidance, consult the 2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance and your agency's specific funding opportunity announcement.
Related Resources
Before you submit a budget
A federal budget is scored as closely as the narrative, make it defensible.
- Use your organization’s negotiated indirect cost rate, not a guess, agencies verify it against your NICRA. How to apply
- Confirm the match requirement in the NOFO and line up partner commitments in writing before you apply. Find programs
- Justify every line item, unexplained costs are a top reason budgets lose points. Grant writing tips
Estimates only, follow the specific program’s NOFO and 2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance for official budget rules.