Grant-Ready is the indirect cost rate playbook I wish every small nonprofit had before its first federal award — written by the person who spent a decade on the government side of the table, reviewing exactly these numbers.
Small nonprofits either take the de minimis rate because nobody ever ran the numbers, or attempt a negotiated rate on books that can't support one. The kit exists so neither happens to you.
From the de minimis-vs.-negotiated decision (with the four election rules almost everyone gets wrong) through proposal, negotiation, and life with a rate — including what the reviewer checks in the first hour. I'll tell you; I was the reviewer.
Classify your trial balance, compute MTDC with the automatic $50k-per-subaward cap, get your actual rate, the de minimis comparison, and the reconciliation test reviewers run first. Ships pre-filled with a worked example.
The document reviewers read first, as a fill-in-the-blank template with the regulatory citations already in place — plus an editable copy for Word or Google Docs.
The self-audit that shows you what a federal desk review would flag — before it does. Items reviewers check first are marked.
Everything is current to 2 CFR Part 200 as revised in 2024 — the 15% de minimis ceiling, the $50,000-per-subaward MTDC rule, the $1,000,000 Single Audit threshold — with section citations so you can verify every number yourself.
Every chapter ends one honest step short of "we do this for you," and says so. When DIY stops being smart, Part 7 tells you — written by someone who profits when you hire help, so the list is short and real.
Checkout & delivery: secure card or bank (ACH) checkout via QuickBooks — the merchant appears as APAL LLC, NICRA Advisors' parent company. Your download link is emailed the same business day — usually within a couple of hours.
Buying for a government office, or need a PO on paper? We invoice: W-9 on request, ACH accepted, net-30.
Request an invoiceYes — the 15% de minimis ceiling, the $50k-per-subaward MTDC inclusion, and the $1M Single Audit threshold are all reflected, with citations so you can verify every number yourself.
That's exactly who it's for. Part 1 shows you in about 20 minutes whether de minimis is costing you five figures a year.
For many small organizations, honestly, yes. Part 7 gives you the specific situations where DIY stops being smart — written by someone who profits when you hire help, so I kept the list short and real.
Checkout runs on QuickBooks — card or bank transfer, on Intuit's secure payment page (the merchant shows as APAL LLC, our parent company). Your download link is emailed to you the same business day, usually within a couple of hours. Agencies buying through procurement can request an invoice instead.
Every buyer gets a free 30-minute consultation — book it here and bring your workbook. And the refund policy is 14 days, no questions.
The kit is the DIY tier under our consulting practice. If you'd rather hand the whole thing off, start with the free consultation; the de minimis vs. negotiated comparison usually makes the economics clear in one call.