What percentage of revenue should be spent on administration?
Ava Robinson
Published Mar 17, 2026
The Non-Profit Netplaces.com advises non-profits to budget according to the following outline: 80 percent for the non-profits mission and purpose, 10 percent for administration costs and 10 percent for fundraising expenses.
What is the cap on administration of an F&A rate?
a 26%
Federal guidance imposed a 26% administrative cap on the entire administrative cost component of the F&A rate, which includes general administration, departmental administration, and sponsored projects (grants and contracts) administration.
What are considered administrative expenses?
Administrative expenses are expenses an organization incurs that are not directly tied to a specific function such as manufacturing, production or sales. Administrative expenses include salaries of senior executives and costs associated with general services, for example, accounting and information technology.
What is an acceptable overhead percentage?
In a business that is performing well, an overhead percentage that does not exceed 35% of total revenue is considered favourable. In small or growing firms, the overhead percentage is usually the critical figure that is of concern.
What is a good cost to revenue ratio?
OER is used for comparing the expenses of similar properties. An investor should look for red flags, such as higher maintenance expenses, operating income, or utilities that may deter him from purchasing a specific property. The ideal OER is between 60% and 80% (although the lower it is, the better).
How is F&A rate calculated?
The F&A rate is essentially an overhead rate. It is calculated as a percentage of overhead associated with, and allocable to, sponsored research and other activities, divided by the direct costs of sponsored research and other activities.
What are facilities and administrative costs?
Costs that are incurred for common or joint objectives and, therefore, cannot be identified readily and specifically with a particular sponsored project, an instructional activity, or any other institutional activity. Also referred to as Indirect Costs (IDC).
How do I calculate overhead percentage?
The overhead rate or the overhead percentage is the amount your business spends on making a product or providing services to its customers. To calculate the overhead rate, divide the indirect costs by the direct costs and multiply by 100.
What is a good percentage for cost of sales?
As a general rule, your combined CoGS and labor costs should not exceed 65% of your gross revenue – but if your business is in an expensive market, you should aim for a lower percentage. Generally accepted ratios vary from market to market and concept to concept.
What are F & A rates?
Indirect Costs, also known as Facilities and Administrative Costs (F&A) or overhead, are institutional costs that are not specifically allocable to individual research projects but are real costs that institutions incur during day-to-day operations.
What is included in F&A rate?
By definition in Uniform Guidance, “Indirect (F&A) costs means those costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective, and not readily assignable to the cost objectives specifically benefitted, without effort disproportionate to the results achieved.” At educational institutions …
What is an F and A?
Definition. F&A. Facilities and Administrative Costs (aka Indirect Costs or Overhead) F&A. Finance and Accounting.