Cost sharing may be in the form of a cash contribution or in-kind contribution, and also may come from donated supplies or materials from non-Institute project collaborators, which is referred to as “third-party cost sharing.”
Cash Contribution Examples (in the order of Institute-preferred cost categories) include:
- MIT Tuition Subsidies for Graduate Students’ RA Effort – Up to 66 percent of the MIT-provided tuition subsidy may be proposed as cost sharing when the research proposal solicitation explicitly requires a cost sharing commitment. The Vice President for Research must approve exceptions in advance.
- Equipment – Institute contributes purchase costs for all or a portion of new equipment that directly benefits the project.
- Faculty Effort/Fringe Benefits/F&A – if in response to a sponsor's mandatory requirement, explicit commitment to cost sharing percent of compensated effort for the project.
In-kind Contributions – Non-cash Contributions include:
- Services
- Equipment from third parties
- Supplies
- Real property