Submitting Reimbursement for Post-Award Travel FAQs

In general, all travel expenses must be actual, reasonable and necessary. Reimbursable expenses include transportation costs, lodging, and meals (restrictions apply to these types of travel costs). Other reimbursable expenses include baggage handling charges for bulky or heavy presentation items only, unless the person is physically handicapped, reasonable luggage charges assessed by transportation companies. Visa costs, passport and immunizations cost associated with foreign travel are also allowable.

These include personal expenses such as laundry, valet service, movie rentals, theatre tickets, entertainment, and transportation to and from meals. Tips to hotel staff are not reimbursable. The cost of alcohol beverages is not reimbursable.

The traveler must provide documentation substantiate the reimbursement.

Transportation Costs-

• Provide proof of payment for method of travel (train, plane, and automobile rental), the associated itinerary, and boarding passes/train ticket stubs where applicable.  
• Toll costs are allowable expenditures. Provide the receipts or EZ Pass statements.  
• For personal use vehicles, travelers can request the mileage reimbursement (currently $0.535 per mile). Gasoline charges for personal use vehicles are not reimbursable.  
• For car rentals, provide justification for the rental, along with the rental receipt and proof of payment. Gasoline charges for car rentals are reimbursable. Gasoline charges are reimbursable.
• For local travel (bus, subway, taxi, etc.), submit receipts and/or proof payment (credit card statement).  
• For transportation to and from the traveler’s home/office to the airport, train station, etc.:
  • Reimbursement up to $10.00 each way without receipts; or
  • Reimbursement for all amounts, depending on the distance involved, with receipts, including up to a 20% gratuity.

Lodging Costs – Provide lodging receipts and proof of payment. Reimbursable lodging costs will be the lower of actual cost or the lodging per diem. Without the receipts, the traveler may only request reimbursement of lodging costs utilizing the Unreceipted Method of reimbursement. Also, RFCUNY will not reimburse sales tax associated with stays in states where RFCUNY is exempt of sales tax.

Meals – Submit detailed meal receipts. Reimbursement will be capped at the lower of actual cost or the federal meal and incidental per diem. For NYS sponsored projects, the per diem allocation includes break and dinner only.

Transportation costs are reimbursable subject to certain limitations. For meals costs, the traveler may request 75% of the federal meal and incidental per diem on non NYS-sponsored projects provided the traveler is in travel status for more than 12 hours.

For NYS-sponsor projects, without receipts the traveler may request a meal Per Diem of $5.00 for breakfast everywhere and $12 for dinner (including gratuities). With receipts, the traveler may be reimbursed the lower of actual cost or 75% of the federal Per Diem amount.

No. A traveler cannot request reimbursement of travel costs covered or paid with points/rewards program.