Project Budget Template Generator

Personnel Costs

• Salary benchmarking: Use sector salary surveys (e.g., Indian Development Sector Salary Survey) for realistic figures.
• Include statutory benefits: PF, gratuity, medical insurance (add 20-30% on top of gross salary in India).
• Consultants: Budget daily rates; short-term experts are often more cost-effective than full-time hires for specialized tasks.

Funder-Specific Guidance

• Bilateral (USAID/DFID): Indirect costs typically negotiated at 10-15%. Require detailed cost notes.
• Multilateral (UN/WB): Often use harmonized budget templates. Programme support costs usually 7-8%.
• Foundations: More flexible on overhead (8-15%). Focus on cost-effectiveness narrative.
• Government: Strict line-item budgets. Overhead usually capped at 5-8%.
• CSR: Prefer low admin costs (under 10%). Strong focus on direct beneficiary spend.

Realistic Costing for South Asian Contexts

• Factor in seasonal accessibility issues (monsoon travel costs, field activity windows).
• Community mobilizer stipends: INR 8,000-15,000/month (varies by state and urban/rural).
• Training workshop costs: INR 500-1,500 per participant per day (including refreshments, venue, materials).
• Always budget a 3-5% contingency for exchange rate fluctuations and price escalation.

Helpful Resources

ImpactMojo M&E Course — Learn to plan M&E budgets effectively.
Development Economics Course — Cost-effectiveness analysis frameworks.
Program Operations & Administration — Program planning and budgeting.