Updated: June 26, 2020
UPDATE:
The allowability of purchasing or donating PPE or other supplies for COVID-19 relief efforts is dependent on the policy of individual Sponsors. Please refer to the guidance issued by your Sponsor as to the allowability of these costs.
Donating PPE or Other Supplies to COVID-19 Relief Efforts
Awards may have already purchased PPE and other expendable supplies that could be donated to COVID-19 efforts.
There is no UW policy that allows for the donation of Award resources to COVID-19 efforts. In most cases, Sponsors must provide written approval for any such donation. The Federal Government has allowed Federal Agencies to determine if such supplies can be donated. Below are steps a department can take if they do not have Sponsor approval but want to donate supplies.
If the Sponsor has not authorized donations or has remained silent, the following options are available:
- Make the donation and transfer the cost of the supplies to a department budget. The cost of the supplies should be moved to a non-Sponsored Award budget; do NOT move the cost to a Sponsored Award, even if the Sponsor has authorized donations.
- Contact the Sponsor in writing to request permission to donate supplies or PPE to COVID-19 efforts. In your email, provide both the quantity and estimated dollar value of the supplies to the Sponsor.
It is possible, but not guaranteed, that the cost of donated PPE and supplies could, at a later date, be covered by additional sources of funding (e.g., FEMA). If the department donates PPE or supplies to COVID-19 efforts, the cost of the donated items should be tracked so that costs are easily identifiable for future reimbursement.