General The California Institute of Technology (the "Institute") is a private, not-for-profit institution of higher education based in Pasadena, California. The Institute provides education and training services, primarily for students at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels. The Institute performs research, training, and other services under grants, contracts, and similar agreements with sponsoring organizations, primarily departments and agencies of the United States government. The awards set forth in the accompanying Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (the “Schedule”) do not include amounts related to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory ("JPL") which is a National Aeronautics and Space Administration ("NASA") Federally Funded Research and Development Center ("FFRDC") managed by the Institute. JPL has separate audited financial statements and an audit under the Uniform Guidance. Basis of Presentation The Schedule has been prepared on the cash basis of accounting and in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (“Uniform Guidance”). The Schedule summarizes the expenditures of the Institute under programs of the federal government for the year ended September 30, 2025, except those related to JPL. Because the Schedule presents only a selected portion of the operations of the Institute and is prepared on the cash basis of accounting, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net assets or cash flows of the Institute in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Expenditures for direct costs are recognized as incurred using the cash basis of accounting and the cost accounting principles contained in the Uniform Guidance. Under those cost principles, certain types of expenditures are not allowable or are limited as to reimbursement. Moreover, expenditures include a portion of costs associated with general institution activities (facilities and administrative costs) which are allocated to awards under negotiated formulas commonly referred to as indirect cost rates. The Institute has elected to use its own negotiated indirect cost rates rather than the 15% de minimis rate allowed by Uniform Guidance. Negative balances reflected in the Schedule represent adjustments to expenditures under awards made in prior years. The Institute receives funding or reimbursement from Federal Government agencies primarily for research under government grants and contracts. Grants and contracts provide for reimbursement of indirect costs based on rates negotiated with the Department of Defense’s Office of Naval Research ("ONR"), the Institute’s cognizant federal agency. For purposes of the Schedule, federal awards include all grants, contracts and similar agreements entered into directly between the Institute and agencies and departments of the federal government and all subawards to the Institute by nonfederal organizations pursuant to federal grants, contracts and similar agreements.
The Federal Perkins Loan Program is administered directly by the Institute. The outstanding balance of loans at September 30, 2025 was $390,149. Balances and transactions related to this program are included in the Institute’s financial statements. The Institute did not charge any administrative cost allowance to the Federal Perkins Loan Program for the year ended September 30, 2025.
California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) administers the State Cal Grant A and B Programs, selects the student recipients of these grant awards, and provides funds to participating institutions for disbursement. Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds, Assistance Listing Number 93.558, from the United States Department of Health and Human Services may comprise up to approximately 25% of the total funding for these Cal Grant awards. In fiscal year 2025, the Institute received Cal Grant A funds in the amount of $369,318 and Cal Grant B funds in the amount of $3,296; however, CSAC is unable to determine the exact amount of TANF funds, if any, represented in those awards. Therefore, the Schedule does not include State Cal Grant A or B awards.
The Institute applied for reimbursement of certain expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic under Assistance Listing #97.036, FEMA Public Assistance through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Expenditures are reflected in the Schedule in the year in which a project application is obligated and expenses have been incurred. The Schedule therefore includes federal assistance totaling $754,291 related to projects obligated in 2025 that reimbursed expenditures incurred in fiscal years 2020 through 2024. Those expenses represent a reconciling item between the federal expenses in the Institute’s financial statements and the amount included on the Schedule.