§ 645.300 - What constitutes an allowable match?

§ 645.300 What constitutes an allowable match?

(a) A State is entitled to receive two (2) dollars of Federal funds for every one (1) dollar of State match expenditures, up to the amount available for allotment to the State based on the State's percentage for WtW formula grant for the fiscal year. The State is not required to provide a level of match necessary to support the total amount available to it based on the State's percentage for WtW formula grant. However, if the proposed match is less than the amount required to support the full level of Federal funds, the grant amount will be reduced accordingly (section 403(a)(5)(A)(i)(I)).

(b) States shall follow the match or cost-sharing requirements of the “Common Rule” Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments (codified for DOL at 29 CFR 97.24). Paragraphs (b)(1)(i) and (ii), (b)(3), and (b)(4) and (c)(1) of this section are in addition to the common rule requirements. Also, paragraphs included in the common rule which relate to the use of donated buildings and other real property as match have been excluded from this provision.

(1) Only costs that would be allowable if paid for with WtW grant funds will be accepted as match.

(i) Because the use of Federal funds is prohibited for construction or purchase of facilities or buildings except where there is explicit statutory authority permitting it, costs incurred for the construction or purchase of facilities or buildings shall not be acceptable as match for a WtW grant.

(ii) Because the costs of construction or purchase of facilities or buildings are unallowable as match, the donation of a building or property as a third party in-kind contribution is also unallowable as a match for a WtW grant.

(2) A match or cost-sharing requirement may be satisfied by either or both of the following:

(i) Allowable costs incurred by the grantee, subgrantee or a cost type contractor under the assistance agreement. This includes allowable cost borne by non-Federal grants or by others and cash donations from non-Federal third parties.

(ii) The value of third party in-kind contributions applicable to the FY period to which the cost-sharing or matching requirement applies.

(3) No more than seventy-five percent (75%) of the total match expenditures may be in the form of third party in-kind contributions.

(4) Match expenditures must be recorded in the books of account of the entity that incurred the cost or received the contribution. These amounts may be rolled up and reported as aggregate State level match.

(c) Qualifications and exceptions -

(1) The matching requirements may not be met by the use of an employer's share of participant wage payments (e.g., employer share of OJT wages).

(2) Costs borne by other Federal grant agreements. A cost-sharing or matching requirement may not be met by costs borne by another Federal grant. This prohibition does not apply to income earned by a grantee or subgrantee from a contract awarded under another Federal grant.

(3) General revenue sharing. For the purpose of this section, general revenue sharing funds distributed under 31 U.S.C. 6702 are not considered Federal grant funds.

(4) Cost or contributions counted towards other Federal cost-sharing requirements. Neither costs nor the values of third party in-kind contributions may count towards satisfying a cost-sharing or matching requirement of a grant agreement if they have been or will be counted towards satisfying a cost-sharing or matching requirement of another Federal grant agreement, a Federal procurement contract, or any other award of Federal funds.

(5) Costs financed by program income. Costs financed by program income, as defined in 29 CFR 97.25, shall not count towards satisfying a cost-sharing or matching requirement unless they are expressly permitted in the terms of the assistance agreement. (This use of general program income is described in 29 CFR 97.25(g)).

(6) Services or property financed by income earned by contractors. Contractors under a grant may earn income from the activities carried out under the contract in addition to the amounts earned from the party awarding the contract. No costs of services or property supported by this income may count toward satisfying a cost-sharing or matching requirement unless other provisions of the grant agreement expressly permit this kind of income to be used to meet the requirement.

(7) Records. Costs and third party in-kind contributions counting towards satisfying a cost-sharing or matching requirement must be verifiable from the records of grantees and subgrantee or cost-type contractors. These records must show how the value placed on third party in-kind contributions was derived. To the extent feasible, volunteer services will be supported by the same methods that the organization uses to support the allocability of regular personnel costs.

(8) Special standards for third party in-kind contributions.

(i) Third party in-kind contributions count towards satisfying a cost-sharing or matching requirement only where, if the party receiving the contributions were to pay for them, the payments would be allowable costs.

(ii) Some third party in-kind contributions are goods and services that, if the grantee, subgrantee, or contractor receiving the contribution had to pay for them, the payments would have been an indirect costs. Cost sharing or matching credit for such contributions shall be given only if the grantee, subgrantee, or contractor has established, along with its regular indirect cost rate, a special rate for allocating to individual projects or programs the value of the contributions.

(iii) A third party in-kind contribution to a fixed-price contract may count towards satisfying a cost-sharing or matching requirement only if it results in:

(A) An increase in the services or property provided under the contract (without additional cost to the grantee or subgrantee) or

(B) A cost savings to the grantee or subgrantee.

(iv) The values placed on third party in-kind contributions for cost-sharing or matching purposes must conform to the rules in the succeeding sections of this part. If a third party in-kind contribution is a type not treated in those sections, the value placed upon it must be fair and reasonable.

(d) Valuation of donated services -

(1) Volunteer services. Unpaid services provided to a grantee or subgrantee by individuals must be valued at rates consistent with those ordinarily paid for similar work in the grantee's or subgrantee's organization. If the grantee or subgrantee does not have employees performing similar work, the rates must be consistent with those ordinarily paid by other employers for similar work in the same labor market. In either case, a reasonable amount for fringe benefits may be included in the valuation.

(2) Employees of other organizations. When an employer other than a grantee, subgrantee, or cost-type contractor furnishes free of charge the services of an employee in the employee's normal line of work, the services must be valued at the employee's regular rate of pay exclusive of the employee's fringe benefits and overhead costs. If the services are in a different line of work, paragraph (d)(1) of this section applies.

(e) Valuation of third party donated supplies and loaned equipment or space.

(1) If a third party donates supplies, the contribution must be valued at the market value of the supplies at the time of donation.

(2) If a third party donates the use of equipment or space in a building but retains title, the contribution must be valued at:

(i) the fair rental rate of the equipment or space for property donated by non-governmental entities, or

(ii) a depreciation or use-allowance based on the property's market value at the time it was donated for property donated by governmental entities.