Using Your FDF Funds
After you receive an FDF award, your funds are placed in an individual FDF account, known as a FOAP. Funds must be used only for the project for which they were awarded, and faculty are responsible for tracking their spending, submitting reimbursement requests, and ensuring they do not overspend their award.
Your FDF Account
Each faculty member has two FDF FOAPs:
- O FOAP: used for awards made in fiscal years ending in an odd number
- E FOAP: used for awards made in fiscal years ending in an even number
Your FOAP numbers remain the same from year to year. You can find them in Gnosis by opening the relevant award year and semester and looking at the top of the screen.
When submitting expenses, use the FOAP that matches the award and project.
You will need:
- Your individual FDF Fund number: 28XXXX
- Charging Organization: 211042
- Program Code: 1200
- A copy of your FDF award letter
In USFWorks, the term FOP is used instead of FOAP. For FDF purposes, these refer to the same fund-organization-program information.
Fund Deadlines
FDF award funds are available until the stated expiration date. After that date, the account remains open, but the award balance returns to zero.
Award fund deadlines are fixed. Extensions are not available. If you cannot use the funds within the award period, you may reapply in a future cycle.
| Award Cycle | Deadline to Use Awarded Funds |
|---|---|
| Fall 2024 | August 15, 2026 |
| Spring 2025 | August 15, 2026 |
| Fall 2025 | August 15, 2027 |
| Spring 2026 | August 15, 2027 |
| Fall 2026 | August 15, 2028 |
| Spring 2026 | August 15, 2028 |
Faculty should also follow fiscal-year reimbursement rules. The fiscal year ends on May 31, and reimbursement requests for expenses from a prior fiscal year will be denied by Accounting and Business Services.
Submitting Reimbursements
Travel, research equipment, and professional effectiveness expenses are reimbursed through Concur. Faculty should submit travel reimbursement requests within 10 days of completing travel. Retroactive reimbursement requests should be submitted as soon as possible after the FDF award is made.
When submitting a Concur report, attach your FDF award letter and use the correct FOAP information for the project.
Meal Reimbursements
For meal reimbursements, use expense type Meal Allotment 716430. Receipts are not required. Instead, attach the FDF award letter showing the amount awarded for meals.
Foreign Currency Expenses
For expenses in another currency, include the original receipt or quote in the local currency and submit the expense report in U.S. dollars.
Currency conversions must use the exchange rate from the date of the expense or the date of the final bill. Include a printed copy of each dated conversion with the corresponding receipt.
Direct Deposit
Reimbursements are typically issued by direct deposit. Faculty who have not set up reimbursement direct deposit should complete the appropriate reimbursement direct deposit form and submit it to Accounts Payable. This is separate from salary direct deposit.
Direct Purchases and Vendor Payments
Faculty generally cannot pay for travel or equipment directly from their FDF account. However, the CAS Office of Operations may be able to help purchase airline tickets through a ghost P-card so faculty do not have to use a personal credit card.
Vendors and individuals providing services must be paid directly by the University. Faculty should not pay vendors out of pocket and seek reimbursement. If a contract is involved, it must be reviewed by legal counsel before it is signed.
Hilltop Shop purchases should be completed by June 15.
Tracking Your Balance
Faculty are responsible for tracking FDF spending and account balances. There is no automatic notification when funds are running low.
Balances can be checked in Banner Finance using your individual FDF Fund number and Organization code 211042. The Banner balance may not reflect recent charges and may combine multiple awards within the same FOAP, so faculty should also keep their own records.
Faculty are encouraged to use:
- The Banner Finance Guide
- The FDF Award Tracking Sheet
- The RA Hours Tracking Sheet, if using research assistant funds
Program assistants may provide guidance, but tracking awards and submitting expense reports are the responsibility of the faculty member.
Overspending and Unused Funds
The approved FDF award is the maximum amount eligible for reimbursement. Expenses beyond the approved amount are the faculty member’s responsibility.
If costs are expected to exceed the approved amount, faculty should contact their Associate Dean and the FDF Committee Co-chairs before incurring the expense. Additional funding is not guaranteed and is considered only on a case-by-case basis, subject to available funds.
Repeated overspending may affect eligibility for future FDF awards.
If you know you will not use all of your award, contact the FDF Co-chairs by August 15 of the award year so the unused funds may be returned to the CAS FDF pool for a future cycle.
FDF funds may not be used for a different project. However, with approval from the FDF Committee Co-chairs and the CAS Office of Operations, funds may sometimes be shifted within the same approved project, such as using less for lodging and more for airfare, as long as the total award amount is not exceeded.
Post-award increases are not available except in extraordinary circumstances.
Research Assistants
Research assistant positions must be posted and processed through USFWorks. Once an RA is hired, payments must be charged to the FOAP that matches the FDF project.
Faculty who hire RAs are responsible for:
- Tracking RA hours and expenditures.
- Making sure the RA is paid from the correct FOAP.
- Approving timesheets at the end of each pay period.
- Monitoring balances so work stops before funds are exhausted.
USF Payroll does not auto-approve timesheets. If you hire an RA, you are the manager of record and must approve their hours in USFWorks.
If RA funds are running low, the RA must stop work immediately unless another approved FDF FOAP is available and the payment arrangement has been changed in USFWorks.
Faculty may not pay RAs directly with personal funds.
Independent Contractors and Non-USF Assistants
USF students, faculty, and staff may not be hired as independent contractors.
Hiring a research assistant from outside USF is rarely approved and requires additional justification, including evidence that a qualified USF student could not be found. Non-USF assistants may also require a higher benefits rate and a different payroll process.
Canceled Travel
FDF cannot cover the cost of canceled trips. Faculty should seek refunds or credits from airlines, hotels, conference organizers, or other vendors. Travel insurance is not reimbursable through FDF.
If a faculty member tests positive for COVID or experiences a similar unexpected medical emergency immediately before conference travel, they should first request reimbursement from the airline, hotel, and conference organizers. If full reimbursement is not available, FDF may reimburse registration fees and one night of lodging. Faculty must submit documentation showing that they requested reimbursement from the relevant vendors.
Questions
Faculty with questions about using FDF funds, tracking balances, reimbursement procedures, research assistant payments, or unusual circumstances should consult the relevant FDF guides or contact the FDF Committee Co-chairs before incurring expenses.