Budget guidelines

Authorization and Resource Requests

Signed authorization is required for all research funding proposals (i.e., grants and contracts) from both your Department/School/Program and the Faculty.

An approval constitutes a formal agreement between researchers, Chairs/Directors, Deans and SFU about funded research activities:

• Chair/Director (or delegate) approval confirms: availability of facilities, space, teaching releases, etc. required to carry out the proposed research, and acknowledges the proposed time commitment by the faculty member to the project.
• Faculty Dean (or delegate, typically the ADR) approval confirms: facilities, space, or special requirements (e.g., teaching releases, matching funds, etc.) committed to the proposed research.
• Vice President, Research (or delegate, typically ORS) approval confirms: SFU’s responsibility to administer the proposed research.

To request approvals, complete the necessary steps on the Kuali online portal, including uploading:
i) a brief summary of your research project; ii) the budget justification; and iii) the commitment memo from the Dean’s office, if applicable.

Typical Approval Deadlines:
ORS: 3 business days before the external agency deadline.
FASS: 5 business days before the external agency deadline.
Department/School/Program: please check with your unit.

For special requirements (e.g., course release, matching funds), please fill in a request form before setting up a meeting with the Associate Dean, Research at least three weeks before the external agency deadline. The request form will be forwarded to your Chair or Director; it is important to also have a discussion with your Chair or Director, especially if the request involves course releases or course buyouts. Note: special requirements are typically needed for: SSHRC Connection Grants, SSHRC Partnership Development Grants, SSHRC Partnership Grants, and for contracts, etc.

For additional information and to access Kuali, please visit the VPRI Sig Sheet Page.

Questions? Contact the Associate Dean, Research and International

Course Release or Course Buyout

The current Collective Agreement (CA) specifies that: "Under certain circumstances, and subject to the approval of the Chair or equivalent and the Dean, faculty members may “buy out” teaching responsibilities when the source of funds is an external research grant or contract, and where the benefits of the buyout to the faculty member’s research program outweigh the effects on the unit’s teaching program and its students. A faculty member normally may not buy out more than one course in any academic year, or not more than one quarter of the actual teaching assigned during any six-year period or any period of eligible years leading to a study leave." [p.33]

If you request course releases or course buyouts, please first consult with your Chair or Director before completing the form.

• Course releases are internally funded by FASS Dean’s Office with the approval of the respective Chair or Director.
• Course buyouts are externally funded by external sponsors with the approval of the Dean’s Office and the recipient’s Chair or Director.

Rate. It is a common practice for SFU Faculties to price external buyouts at a rate equivalent to 14% (plus benefits) of a faculty member’s annual salary. For administrative simplicity, FASS uses the average CFL salary in FASS rather than individual faculty members’ salaries.

For the 2025-26 academic year, the cost of course releases and buyouts in FASS will be $29,550 per course. To keep up with future salary and benefit adjustments, a 2.5% increase will be added annually (see below). All previous commitments will be honoured at the agreed rate. If future salary increases deviate significantly from 2.5%, the course buyout rate schedule may be revised, but again, any commitment will be honoured. If a sponsor imposes restrictions on the cost of course buyouts, FASS will respect those restrictions if binding.

Per-course release/buyout rate 2025-26: $29,550
Per-course release/buyout rate 2026-27: $30,289
Per-course release/buyout rate 2027-28: $31,046
Per-course release/buyout rate 2028-29: $31,822
Per-course release/buyout rate 2029-30: $32,618
Per-course release/buyout rate 2030-31: $33,434