Section 656.30 - [Effective 8/15/2025] What activities and costs are allowable?(a)Allowable activities and costs. Except as provided under paragraph (b) of this section, a grant awarded under this part may be used to pay all or part of the cost of establishing, strengthening, or operating a comprehensive or undergraduate Center including, but not limited to, the cost of the following:(1) Supporting instructors of the less commonly taught languages related to the Center's area of focus.(2) Creating, expanding, or improving opportunities for the formal study of the less commonly taught languages related to the Center's area of focus.(3) Creating or operating summer institutes in the United States or abroad designed to provide modern foreign language and area training in the Center's area of focus.(4) Cooperating with other Centers to conduct projects that address issues of world, regional, cross-regional, international, or global importance.(5) Bringing visiting scholars and faculty to the Center to teach, conduct research, or participate in conferences or workshops.(6) Disseminating information about the Center's area of focus to various audiences in the United States through domestic outreach activities involving, for example, elementary and secondary schools, postsecondary institutions, businesses, and the media.(7) Funding library acquisitions, the maintenance of library collections, or efforts to enhance access to library collections related to the Center's area of focus.(8) Establishing and maintaining linkages with overseas institutions of higher education, alumni, and other organizations that may contribute to the teaching and research of the Center's area of focus.(9) Creating, obtaining, modifying, or improving access to teaching and research materials related to the Center's area of focus.(10) Creating, expanding, or improving activities or teaching materials that are intended to increase modern foreign language proficiency related to the Center's area of focus among students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.(11) Conducting projects that encourage and prepare students to seek employment relevant to the Center's area of focus in areas of national need.(12) Planning or developing curriculum related to the Center's area of focus.(13) Engaging in professional development of the Center's faculty and staff.(14) Funding salaries and travel for faculty and staff related to the Center's area of focus.(b)Limitations. The following are limitations on allowable activities and costs: (1) Equipment costs exceeding 10 percent of the grant are not allowable.(2) Undergraduate student travel is only allowable if grantees have received prior approval by the Secretary for the associated costs and the travel is made in conjunction with a formal program of supervised study in the Center's area of focus.(3) Grant funds may not be used to supplant funds normally used by grantees for purposes of this part.(4) The following limitations on compensation paid to personnel apply to each award under this part: (i)Project director.(A) Personnel costs and other related costs, including the cost of fringe benefits, associated with compensation for the project director are not allowable if such compensation only reflects the administrative tasks ordinarily associated with the role.(B) Personnel costs and other related costs, including the cost of fringe benefits, associated with compensation for the project director are allowable with the Secretary's prior approval if such compensation is directly tied to the implementation of an approved project activity that requires the project director's expertise.(ii)Instructors of less commonly taught languages. Personnel costs and other costs, including the cost of fringe benefits, related to the compensation of individuals directly engaged in the instruction of a less commonly taught language are allowable up to 100 percent of the actual costs associated with approved project activities.(iii)Other project personnel. Personnel costs and other costs, including the costs of fringe benefits, related to the compensation of project personnel who are not described in paragraph (b)(4)(i) or (ii) of this section are allowable up to 50 percent of the costs for a full-time equivalent position.(5) Costs for international travel are only allowable if a Center has obtained prior approval from the Secretary.(6) Activities must be relevant to the Center's area of focus and the type of Center (comprehensive or undergraduate).(7) An undergraduate Center's project and related activities must predominantly benefit the instruction and training of undergraduate students.