With the implementation of the new Uniform Guidance on 12/26/2014, Grant Accounting has established new guidelines for charging food and beverages to sponsored projects (funds 500/510).  These guidelines:

• Include considerations for the appropriate assignment of the institutional account.
• Incorporate the Uniform Guidance definition of a conference as a “meeting, retreat, seminar, symposium, workshop or event whose primary purpose is the dissemination of technical information beyond the non-Federal entity and is necessary and reasonable for successful performance under the Federal award”.
• Allow the costs of food/beverages on externally sponsored projects only for a conference/seminar/meeting with a formal agenda, attendee roster, and includes participants who are not University faculty/staff/students provided that the Federal agency does not specifically restrict the cost.

The entire guideline document can be found here: http://gao.fo.uiowa.edu/food-and-beverages

If you have any questions, please contact Audra Haddy (audra-haddy@uiowa.edu).