Personnel Costs: do or don't include?

[nicoyaspa]

We're pursuing a wellness/fitness program which would be mandatory for all personnel. As such, the fulltime members would be eligible for overtime wages when they go through their medical and fitness assessments off-duty.

I would like to include those OT costs in the grant, but have heard that's a red flag to the screeners, and to stay far away from it. Anyone have any inside info on this?

[onebugle]

Any time that you request personnel costs, such as OT, will probably raise red flags. In some cases, personnel costs are needed to complete the project like training. Training, depending on the course will have a relatively small cost, but paying your fireghters to attend is a killer. The same with physicals etc.

If your request is "reasonable" and "justifiable" then it should not be an issue. Being reasonable would be asking for OT for the actual hours needed to accomplish the medical and fitness assessments, not a minimum. For example firefighters may recieve a minimum 4 hours contractually for off-duty responsibilities, but the assessment only takes 2 hours. Ask for 2 hours and have the department pick up the remainder.

Better yet, if your department can absorb the OT costs it would provide a better cost/benefit picture. It will also show the reviewers that you are doing more (asking for less), something I try to do in my grant applications.

[shalavchurch]

We are seeking funds for a wellness program in our all-volunteer department. Should this be charged to personnel or contractor in the budget drop-downs?
Thanks.

[nicoyaspa]

Do you mean your entire wellness program? I called the help line on this when I did ours, and they told me that any medical exams, fitness exams, nutritionist, etc was contractual. I think the only thing that didn't fall under contracutal was the fitness equipment, which fell under equipment, and tax and freight, which fell under other.

[shalavchurch]

Thanks for the help.
Chuck