Nonprofit Grant Overhead Calculator
Calculate your true indirect cost rate, allocate overhead across grants correctly, and stay compliant with funder requirements.
Nonprofits must allocate indirect costs accurately across grants and programs. Under-allocating overhead means your organization absorbs costs it should recover. Over-allocating risks compliance issues and funder penalties. Our calculator helps you find the correct rate.
How It Works
Enter your total expenses, direct program costs, and indirect costs. We calculate your indirect cost rate, model allocation across grants, and compare your rate to the federal de minimis rate.
Input Your Data
Total organizational expenses
Costs directly attributable to programs
Admin, rent, utilities, shared staff, etc.
Active grants requiring overhead allocation
Average maximum overhead rate allowed by funders
Assumptions(fixed model rules)
Every constant behind this calculator is listed here. Adjust the editable values to match your organization, then recalculate — results always use the values shown below.
10%Fixed
Fixed regulatory rate (2 CFR 200) your indirect rate is compared to.
- Recovery cap: Recoverable overhead is capped at the lower of your actual indirect rate and the grant overhead cap you enter.
Results use your inputs plus the assumption values listed above.
Your Results
Default scenario interpretation
Your overhead rate exceeds many funder caps. Look for ways to reclassify shared costs as direct program costs where appropriate.
How We Calculate
Indirect Cost Rate = Indirect Costs ÷ Direct Costs × 100. Federal de minimis rate: 10% of modified total direct costs. Unrecovered Overhead = Indirect Costs - (Direct Costs × Min(Your Rate, Funder Cap)).
Simplify grant cost allocation
See how Nexus Fund automates expense allocation across grants and programs with full audit trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the federal de minimis indirect cost rate?
The federal de minimis rate is 10% of modified total direct costs. Organizations that have never had a negotiated indirect cost rate can use this rate without a cost rate proposal.
How do funders view overhead costs?
Views are evolving. While some funders still cap overhead at 10-15%, many now recognize that adequate overhead is essential for effective programs. The trend is toward more realistic indirect cost recovery.
How does AP automation help with grant compliance?
AP automation automatically tags expenses to the correct grant and cost category, maintains a complete audit trail, generates funder-ready reports, and prevents over-allocation through real-time budget tracking.
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