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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

Your Results

Indirect Cost Rate
--%
Your calculated indirect cost rate
Unrecovered Overhead
$--,---
Indirect costs your organization absorbs
Average Overhead per Grant
$--,---
Indirect costs allocated to each grant
vs. Federal De Minimis Rate
--%
Your rate compared to the 10% de minimis standard

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.

Ready to see your actual savings?

Get a personalized demo showing exactly how Nexus AP can transform your accounts payable.