Fund Management

These funds are used to manage EPFL’s global budget.

The budgetary funds, grouped into “envelopes”, are used to manage the budget allocated by the Swiss Confederation, via the ETH Board.

They are attached to the EPFL’s financial structure and are assigned either directly to the Head of Unit or to the person responsible for the fund.

At the annual closure, the budgetary balance of this type of fund is not carried over to the following year.

Multiannual funds are specific funds created to manage an activity or project for a fixed period of time. They are supplied by the financial contribution of the Confederation, either via the EPFL budget or via the budget of other institutions of the ETH Domain (including CEPF).

The allocation is for a period of 12 months maximum, providing that it comes from the EPFL budget (such funds are called “multiannual” because it can start during the calendar year). Allocations from the other institutions of the ETH Domain may be for longer periods.

The balance of a multiannual fund is carried over from one financial year to another, unlike budgetary funds. At the end date, a positive balance is refunded (transfer to the Direction’s reserve fund) and a negative balance is offset by the Unit’s resources.

A project fund is opened by the Controlling Service on the basis of a contract for an amount of more than CHF 50,000 and a request from the Research Office (research grants), Technology Transfer Office (research contracts) or Philanthropy Services (sponsoring, donation and legacy contracts).

The project fund is used to finance activities, equipment, salaries and other expenses related to a specific research project.

The project fund is closed on the date the contract ends.

Any deficit or surplus on the project fund is offset by the Unit’s reserve fund; however, the Head of Unit must conform to the specific management rules defined in the contract by the funding source, donor or sponsor.

This type of fund is financed by a reserved fund (see below) or by income from research or service contracts of less than CHF 50,000.

Unlike a project fund, which concerns a single contract, a designated fund includes several contracts. It is used to fund the research activities of various projects.

The designated funds are capped at CHF 50,000.00 at the end of the year, with surplus funding transferred to the reserve fund for the Unit concerned.

Any balance from a project fund that has reached its closure date and does not have to be refunded to the funding source is transferred to the Unit’s reserve fund.

A reserve fund is mainly used to finance teaching and research activities, as well as to offset deficits on other funds.

The reserve fund only registers internal transfers relating to overheads and surpluses or overdrafts on other funds. The payment and collection of invoices and the payment of salaries may not be carried out using the reserve fund.