grants 101:

budgets and budget justification

A grant budget states how much money you need for your research.

The budget justification makes your case for the specific items and the amount you request.

These parts of the grant also reveal something about:

How carefully you plan

Does the size of the budget match the number of experiments or subjects?

How much attention you pay to details

Is the addition correct? Is every listed item needed? Is each essential item listed?

How thoroughly you document and explain

Is every item in the budget justified equally well? Have you made a believable case?

How realistic you are

Is the budget in line with that for similar projects being done by others? In line with budgets typically awarded by this granting agency, professional society, or foundation?

A reviewer may assume that you manage time and personnel resources the same way you manage money