(a) Not more than five percent of the grant funds provided under this part for any fiscal year may be used to pay for administrative costs, as defined in § 2510.20 of this chapter.

(b) The distribution of administrative costs between the grant and any subgrant will be subject to the approval of AmeriCorps.

(c) In applying the limitation on administrative costs AmeriCorps will approve one of the following methods in the award document:

(1) Limit the amount or rate of indirect costs that may be paid with AmeriCorps funds under a grant or subgrant to five percent of total AmeriCorps funds expended, provided that—

(i) Organizations that have an established indirect cost rate for Federal awards will be limited to this method; and

(ii) Unreimbursed indirect costs may be applied to meeting operational matching requirements under AmeriCorps' award;

(2) Specify that a fixed rate of five percent or less (not subject to supporting cost documentation) of total AmeriCorps funds expended may be used to pay for administrative costs, provided that the fixed rate is in conjunction with an overall 15 percent administrative cost factor to be used for organizations that do not have established indirect cost rates; or

(3) Utilize such other method that AmeriCorps determines in writing is consistent with OMB guidance and other applicable requirements, helps minimize the burden on grantees or subgrantees, and is beneficial to grantees or subgrantees and the Federal Government.