Conferences and workshops should be budgeted using extraordinary care. Certain State of North Carolina Budget rules apply. Read the State Budget Manual, Section 5.8, for a detailed description of the applicable rules.
Specific Guidelines Include:
- Meal costs should be reasonable and defensible. A good rule of thumb is to apply State per-diem rates (not mandatory).
- University cannot use funds to pay for conference meals for state employees at which a conference fee was not charged unless the following conditions are met:
- Federal grants, other grants, state or institutional trust funds (per G.S. 116-36.1) may be used if the conditions attached to those funds allow for the provision of meals for a conference, and
- University must have documentation of the conditions.
Note: State employees may not request reimbursement for the meal.
Requirements and Limitations for External Conferences:
- Conference must be planned in detail in advance, with a formal agenda.
- There must be written invitation to participants, setting forth the calendar of events, the social activities, if any, and a detailed schedule of costs.
- Assemblies should be held in State facilities; however, non-State facilities can be rented and the cost charged to a State agency without allocation to the participants’ daily subsistence allowances.
- The sponsoring department may charge registration fees for participant costs of the external conference.
If, after reviewing the guidance materials, you have specific questions on this topic, please contact Contracts & Grants at 5-2153.
For specific guidance on this matter call SPARCS at 515.2444 or email sps@ncsu.edu.