Utilizing Your FAFG Funding

Guidance for Utilizing Your FAFG Funding

All Faculty Advancement Fund Grant (FAFG) awards must be used between July 1 and June 15 each award cycle. FAFG’s are funded from the College's annual operating budget, and thus cannot be extended. The purpose of this message is to provide you with key dates and reminders for spending your funds, as well as guidance and how to’s for common transactions.

Key Points of Contact For FAFG Expenses

• Rosita_Huang [at] emerson.edu (Rosita Huang)
• eric_asetta [at] emerson.edu (Eric Asetta)

Key Dates

• May 31: Last day to create requisitions for goods and services, including Marketplace requisitions.
• May 28: Last day to submit expense reports for reimbursement and supplier invoice requests
• June 7: Last day to submit all FY supplier invoice requests and expense reports with transactions (both pcard and employee reimbursements) through May in Workday
• June 7: Last day for invoices to be entered in Workday for open requisitions
• July 5: Last day to submit payroll adjustments. 
• July 12: Last day to submit invoices for FY activity through June 30.
   

Timely Submission of Receipts and Invoices (The "Thirty Day" Rule)

Emerson accounting policy requires that invoices for services rendered, or reimbursements for business expenses, must be submitted via Workday no later than thirty (30) days after the date of service or purchase.

Allowability, Reasonableness, and Allocability of Costs

As a non-profit institution of higher education, Emerson College follows the four cost principles outlined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)’s Code of Federal Regulations. The principles require that, for an expense to be charged to a College account, the cost must be allowable, reasonable, necessary to the stated purpose of the purchase, and allocable to the specific College account being used.  

• Allowable: The expense is allowed under the College’s purchasing and accounting rules
• Reasonable: The amount is reasonable for the goods or services acquired.
• Necessary: The purchase is necessary for the conduct of College-related business or research.
• Allocable: The expense is charged to the correct account. 

Prohibition On the Use of Personal Funds for Certain Expenses

Do not purchase gift cards, or pay consultants, student employees, visiting artists, or honoraria out of pocket. The College will not reimburse you for these expenses. Refer to the guidance on this page for instructions on how to pay for these costs.

Prohibition On the Use of Per Diem Rates for Reimbursement of Lodging

Per Emerson’s Travel and Business policy, government-set per diem rates may only be claimed as reimbursement for meals and incidentals. Reimbursement of per diem lodging rates is not permitted; you must submit your actual hotel/lodging receipts for reimbursement. 

Workday Accounting Codes

The accounting worktags for the FAFG are as follows: 

When creating an expense report in Workday, you can search for "FAFG" in the Project or Grant field. Select the FAFG worktag and the other fields (cost center, etc.) will automatically populate.

Policies That Inform the Use of FAFG Funds

The Faculty Advancement Fund Grant is governed by the College's guidelines on Faculty Travel and Research Spending, and the College’s Travel and Business Policy. Recipients should read through these policies prior to incurring any expenditures. 

Allowable Expenditures Under the FAFG Award

• Research, travel, and expenses that facilitate creative and artistic works, research, and/or scholarly, refereed publications
• Provisions for workspace for scholarly and creative activities
• Temporary research staff or graduate‐student assistance for approved projects
• Computer software, hardware, supplies, and peripheral equipment needed for teaching or research
• Technical support and/or consulting fees for approved projects
• Course development and instruction materials for approved projects

Unallowable Expenditures Under the FAFG Award

• Additional faculty compensation or income during the academic year
• Additional compensation or stipends for Emerson staff
• Stipends or honoraria for Emerson faculty
• Retroactive expenses
• Activities for which the faculty member is already receiving compensation, course release, or some other form of College support
• Alcohol, entertainment expenses

Guidance and Key Points for Common Expenditures

Travel

• Spend authorizations: Prior to booking any overnight travel or incurring expenses for one, a Spend Authorization must be created in Workday. This process is to ensure that the budget is available to cover the travel costs and encumber funds, once approved, and your post-trip Expense Report will reconcile back to the Spend Authorization. 
• Reservations: Most travel and business expenses may be paid using the College Purchasing Card. This is the preferred method. Department admins have access to these cards, as does ORCS. To the greatest extent possible, do not use your personal funds or credit card to make reservations for College travel.
• Airfare: Airline tickets may be purchased in advance through the College’s travel vendor, SAP Concur. For more information, please review this guide or contact ORCS. It is recommended that prices on SAP Concur are compared with other travel vendors to ensure the College’s funds are used competitively.
• Car Rental: Car rentals may be reserved through SAP Concur. Please contact ORCS for assistance.  
• Conference Fees: Faculty need to upload the paid receipt and one page conference dates and details. These expenses should be submitted for reimbursement after the faculty has attended the conference.
• Reimbursements: For reimbursement of expenses such as airfare, ground transportation, mileage, per diem, etc., the College guidelines apply. You must submit an Expense Report with all receipts, proof of payment, boarding passes, etc. via Workday within 30 days of completing your trip. Reimbursements can only be initiated after you have completed your trip.
• Per Diem (Meals and Incidentals): Per diem rates are set by the General Services Administration and are the maximum allowances for meals and incidental expenses. Per diem includes meals and incidentals (e.g. tips, gratuities, taxi to/from meal) for the city visited. Food charges on a hotel room bill will not be reimbursed if the per diem method is used. Under the per diem method, receipts are not required. You are required to show proof of city visited (e.g. boarding pass, hotel receipt etc.).
• Lodging: Travelers will be reimbursed for lodging accommodations that are necessary and reasonable. Per College policy, travelers may not use the per diem method for reimbursement of lodging costs.

Research Expenses, Supplies, and Equipment 

• To the greatest extent possible, faculty should purchase supplies, materials, etc. for their FAFG projects using the vendors the Workday Marketplace. Marketplace vendors include Amazon, B&H Photo, Apple, and others. ORCS is happy to assist with these purchases.
• Research supplies can also be reimbursed via Expense Report, subject to cost allowability.
• See matrix below for purchasing guidance on specific types of supplies and equipment.

Consultants, Contractors, Supplier Requests and Purchase Orders

• Consultants and Independent Contractors: Do not pay consultants directly; you cannot be reimbursed for these expenditures. Contact ORCS before engaging the consultant's services. The College requires that consultants complete and sign Emerson’s Acknowledgement of Payment Form, and submit an invoice itemizing the services rendered and/or items purchased, before payment can be processed.
• New Supplier Requests: Vendors and consultants who have not previously done business with the College must be entered into Workday as a new Supplier. Please contact ORCS for assistance with this. A completed and signed W9 is also required for vendors who have not previously done business with the College. 
• Purchase Orders: For consultant/contractor payments over $600, Emerson College must first issue a Purchase Order to the consultant as part of its procurement process. Please contact ORCS for assistance with this.
• Emerson Templates and Forms for Consultants and Vendors: The following templates should be utilized when engaging outside contractors using College funds. Please contact ORCS should you have any questions.
  • Emerson College Substitute W-9 and Vendor Information Form to provide the College with legal tax information, supplier information/classifications, and Supplier Registration in Workday 
  • Acknowledgement of Payment Form for use only by faculty who are using their faculty development or internal grant funds for procuring services.
• Consultant/Contractor Invoices: In order for Emerson to process payment, the consultant must generate an invoice and indicate the amount of the services/expenses, the date the service was provided/expense was incurred, where the service was provided, and the nature of the service. Faculty may provide this invoice template to consultants if they do not have one of their own. 

Artist Fees and Expenses, Honoraria for Non-Emersonians

• Artist Fees and Expenses Honoraria: Do not pay artist fees, expenses, or honoraria directly; you cannot be reimbursed for these expenditures. Contact ORCS before engaging an individual's services. 
• Contracting Requirements: The College requires that consultants sign an Acknowledgement of Payment form, and will be paid following the submission of invoices for services rendered. ORCS has approved invoicing templates on file.
• New Supplier Requests: Artists and honoraria recipients who have not previously done business with the College must be entered into Workday as a new Supplier. Please contact ORCS for assistance with this. A completed and signed W9 form (or W-8BEN form for foreign nationals) is also required for individuals who have not previously done business with the College. 
• Purchase Orders (All suppliers): For artist fees and expenses totaling more than $600, Emerson College must first issue a Purchase Order to the artist as part of its procurement process. Please contact ORCS for assistance with this.
• Reimbursement of Artist/Non-Emersonian Expenses: Requests for reimbursement of a non-Emerson employee for allowable expenses must be submitted via Workday as an “Expense Report for Non-Emerson Employees.” The report must be accompanied by all necessary documentation, including receipts and boarding passes. Contact ORCS for further assistance.
• Honorarium: An honorarium is a token payment made to bestow recognition to an individual for services they perform, for which payment is not required. Generally, honoraria are paid to persons of scholarly or professional standing in conjunction with an academic, research, or creative activity at Emerson. Emerson faculty and staff are ineligible to receive honoraria. An honorarium of up to $600 may be paid to an eligible individual using FAFG funds.
• Invoices: In order for Emerson to process payment, an artist must generate an invoice and indicate the fee amount, the date the work and/or performance, where the work was provided, and the nature of the work.
• Emerson Templates and Forms for Consultants and Vendors: The following templates should be utilized when engaging outside contractors using College funds. Please contact ORCS should you have any questions.
  • Honorarium Agreement for payment of honorarium to visiting/participating scholar
  • Acknowledgement of Payment Form for use only by faculty who are using their faculty development funds for procuring services.

Student Assistants

• Prohibition on Reimbursement: Under no circumstances should you pay a student directly for labor and submit for reimbursement. Engagement of student workers must be initiated through ORCS and Student Employment.
• Recently Graduated Students: Recently graduated students should also not be engaged as consultants; in most cases, state employment laws require that we hire them as temporary employees. Contact ORCS with any questions. 
• For step-by-step guidance on a creating a student job requisition in Workday using your FAFG funds, refer to Create a Job Requisition – Student Workers (FAFG-funded).