There are two costing methodologies used by knowledge bases:
- FEC (full economic costing method) is typically used by higher education institutions
- non-FEC (standard costing method) is used by further education colleges, research and technology organisations (RTOs) and some Catapults
Budgets within an application are a request for funding and will be scrutinised. The KTP programme management reserves the right to decline or amend any request that does not conform with this guidance.
All costs have either standard, maximum or variable amounts.
You may request to exceed the standard amounts if it’s sufficiently explained and justified within the application from. Requests to exceed the standard amount are approved or declined by the KTP programme management.
You may not exceed maximum amounts.
Variable amounts are determined by the FEC methodology .
There is a maximum cost for the associate salary which Innovate UK will not exceed, but the businesses can top up salaries that go over this limit. This must be declared as an additional business contribution.
Cost overview for 12-month project
You must calculate the figures for your project in whole months, on a pro rata basis. Below are the costs for a project that lasts 12 months:
- associate employment costs: £58,000 if based within 16 miles of Charing Cross, London, or £55,000 if based more than 16 miles away
- academic and secretarial support (not applicable for FEC costing): £16,000 maximum
- associate development: £2,000 maximum
- travel and subsistence: £1,250
- equipment, consumables and other costs: £2,000
- knowledge base supervisor (not applicable for non-FEC costing): variable amount
- estate costs (see consumables section for non-FEC costing): £10,000 maximum
- additional associate support (not applicable for non-FEC costing): variable amount
- overheads of the knowledge base partner and direct staff costs, including knowledge base supervisor (not applicable for FEC costing): 46% of associate employment costs and academic and secretarial support at prevailing grant rate