Subpart E: Cost principles 2024 Uniform Guidance · effective Oct 1, 2024

2 CFR 200.456: Participant support costs

2 CFR 200.456 sets 2 requirements for organizations that receive federal grants and cooperative agreements. Applies when you build your application and budget, and to every cost you charge after award.

Shows up in your application: Budget: participant supportBudget: indirect costs

What 2 CFR 200.456 requires

1. Allowable costs

What you must do

Participant support costs (as defined in § 200.1 — e.g., stipends, subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants) are allowable; the 2024 rule removed the former blanket prior-approval condition, so they are allowable unless the award terms provide otherwise.

When it applies

Stipends, subsistence, travel, or registration support for program participants (trainees, conference attendees — not employees) appears in the budget.

Budget: participant support
2. Financial management

What you must do

The classification of items as participant support costs must be documented in the recipient's or subrecipient's written policies and procedures and treated consistently across all federal awards; participant support costs are also excluded from the MTDC base used for indirect cost calculation (per the § 200.1 MTDC definition).

When it applies

Participant support line exists and the applicant charges indirect costs or manages multiple federal awards.

Budget: participant supportBudget: indirect costs
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Sections 2 CFR 200.456 refers to

Sections that refer to 2 CFR 200.456

Regulation text of 2 CFR 200.456

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Participant support costs are allowable (see § 200.1). The classification of items as participant support costs must be documented in the recipient's or subrecipient's written policies and procedures and treated consistently across all Federal awards.

Source: eCFR · checked Sep 17, 2026

Questions about 2 CFR 200.456

What does 2 CFR 200.456 require?

Participant support costs (as defined in § 200.1 — e.g., stipends, subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants) are allowable; the 2024 rule removed the former blanket prior-approval condition, so they are allowable unless the award terms provide otherwise. The classification of items as participant support costs must be documented in the recipient's or subrecipient's written policies and procedures and treated consistently across all federal awards; participant support costs are also excluded from the MTDC base used for indirect cost calculation (per the § 200.1 MTDC definition).

When does 2 CFR 200.456 apply?

Stipends, subsistence, travel, or registration support for program participants (trainees, conference attendees — not employees) appears in the budget. Participant support line exists and the applicant charges indirect costs or manages multiple federal awards.

Plain-English summaries for information only, not legal advice. Always check the regulation text, your award terms and your agency’s guidance.