Use of infrastructure now chargeable
Since the beginning of 2017, grantees have been able to charge the costs of using centralised infrastructure to their SNSF grant.
The SNSF has amended its Funding Regulations in order to simplify the access to increasingly important centralised infrastructure (core facilities) for researchers. They are now able to charge costs of using such facilities to their grant.
The SNSF has been accepting these charges since 2017, provided researchers are able to show that they constitute direct research costs, such as expenses for consumables or salaries for collaboration on SNSF-funded projects. However, costs for the maintenance, upkeep and repair of equipment as well as depreciation, amortisation and all other costs relating to infrastructure operation are not covered.
Information on direct project-related costs can be provided in an annex to the invoice in the financial report. In addition, the core facilities are requested to submit a detailed summary of costs to the SNSF.
For the time being, the new rule introduced by the SNSF will be valid in 2017. During this test phase the SNSF will monitor how the practices and costs for using infrastructure develop in SNSF projects.