grant writer's seminars and workshops

7/30/2019 Grant Writer's Seminars and Workshops

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The Facts of Life for

Researchers

There are more applications for grant support thanever before.

Resources are either constant or diminishing.

Approximately one application in seven is funded;approximatelysix-of seven applications fail.

It is, therefore, essential that individuals planning inthis careers understand the grant writingprocess.


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Any Well-trained Person Can

Become Funded

YOUR KEYS TO SUCCESS

Your Idea!

Your Commitment!

Your Grant-Writing Skills!


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YOUR IDEA IS KEY!

HOW TO DEVELOP

AN IRRESISTIBLE,

FUNDABLE IDEA?


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What Makes an Idea Irresitible?

Paradigm Shifters

Paradigm Pioneers

Settlers


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The Important of Being First!

You Need to MakeYourselfFirst in

Whatever Category

You Choose!


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KEY Elements in

Developing a Good Idea

Be KnowledgeableExtensively read existing literature.

Be ThoughtfulDevote time to just thinking.

Be OpenShare ideas with your colleagues.

Be Creative

Look for parallels with other fields.


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Critical Assessment

of Your Ideas

Assess Yourself

Assess the Competition

Assess Funding Potential


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Assess Yourself

Critically assess whether you have thenecessary expertise, resources, personnel,time, preliminary studies, data, or otherevidence of productivity in order to betruly competitive.

It could be that the worst thing that couldhappen to you is that you would receivea grant award before you are truly ready.


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Assess the Competition

Thoroughly search the literature

Use reference databases extensively

(e.g.,Pubmed, Science Citation Index, Medline,

Highwire, etc.)

Search databases of funded grants


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Search the Biomedical Literature

http://highwire.stanford.edu

A free Highwire Email-alerting Service

Frequent notification of published articles that

match your interest

No limit to number of alerts you can register

Match interests by either author or subject

Provides hyperlink to the article/abstract

Access to the article is often free


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Search the Biomedical Literature

PubCrawler

http://www.pubcrawler.ie

Medline and Genbank searches

Provides informationdaily

Either email or web-based format

It goes to the library. You go to the pub!


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Assess the CompetitionSearch databases of existing grants:

CRISP(Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects)http://crisp.cit.nih.gov/

CRIS(Current Research Information System)http://cristel.nal.usda.gov:8080

NSF Awards

http:www.nsf.gov/verit/srchawad.htm

Community of Sciencehttp://fundedresearch.cos.com

NASA Task Bookhttp://peer1.nasaprs.com/peer review/taskbook/
http://fundedresearch.cos.com/http://peer1.nasaprs.com/peer%20review/taskbook/http://peer1.nasaprs.com/peer%20review/taskbook/http://fundedresearch.cos.com/


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Assess Potential for Funding

Find theAgency andFunding MechanismThat Fits Your Idea


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Assess Potential for Funding

Since all funding agencies have amission, it is

important to:

Understand that funding your proposal must help

the funding agency achieve its goals.

Know what an agency can/will fund.

Become aware of all agency programannouncements regarding research

opportunities.

Contact theprogram officer first and listen carefully


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Know How Applications

Are Made to NIH

Investigator-initiated application Most common kind

Response to Program Announcement (PA) No fund set aside

Regular receipt dates; regular study section

Program can fund out of priority order

Response to Request for Applications (RFA) Funds are set aside

One date for receipt; special study section

Your project must fit the need closely to be competitive


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NIH

Small Research Grants (R03)

Does not disqualify applicant as a new investigator

Not all NIH Institutes support R03

Check with institute program officers

Less emphasis is placed upon preliminary data

Therefore, a useful mechanism of developing

preliminary data for later R01 application


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Exploratory/Developmental

Grants (R21)

Encourage development of new research activities in categoricalprogram areas.

Used by Institutes to innovate in specificprogrammatic areas (PA/RFA)

Oftenhigh risk/high return research

Often limited/no need for preliminary data

Limited time and budget

Encourage subsequent R01 support


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NIH Program Officers

Are of Great Value to You

Planning Phase: Help you to choose funding vehicle and to understand priorities

Writing Phase: Can help establish appropriate scope

Sometimes will provide feedback on aims

Submission: Assistance with the cover letter

Review Phase: Important feedback on proposals review and on future submission

Funding Phase:

Advocate within the program


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NIH Process


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Identifying Potential

Funding Opportunities

Proactively Search for Funding Opportunities

It is critical to identify funding opportunities at the

earliest possible time

Periodically contact Program Officer

Take full advantage of your Institutional resources

Also plan to personally invest search time weekly

Use a planned search strategy

Take full advantage of the internet


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Use Email Alert Services

Community of Science

http://www.cos.com/services/fundings.html

NSFs Custom News Service

http://www.nsf.gov/home/cns/index.cfm

Grantsnet

http://www.grantsnet.com

Grants.gov

http://www.grants.gov/ReceiveGrantOppotunitieyNotification
http://www.nsf.gov/home/cns/index.cfmhttp://www.grantsnet.com/http://www.grants.gov/ReceiveGrantOppotunitieyNotificationhttp://www.grants.gov/ReceiveGrantOppotunitieyNotificationhttp://www.grantsnet.com/http://www.nsf.gov/home/cns/index.cfm


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Federal Research Budgets

for the BIG SIX for 2005

Funding Agency 2005 Budget % Change 2004

NIH ~$28.6 billion + 2.0%NASA ~$16.1 billion + 4.5%

DOD ~$70.3 billion + 7.1%

DOE ~$3.3 billion + 4.3%

NSF ~$5.5 billion - 1.9%

USDA ~$2.4 billion + 7.8%

NEH ~$0.1 billion 0%


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YOUR SECOND KEY IS

COMMITMENT!

To Research

To the Grant-Writing Process


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Do You Really Want to Compete?

Identify and stay focused on your longterm goal; avoid diversification

Conscientiously get to know your field; theliterature, the leaders, the funding sources

Network: success rarely develop out of shyness

Always be mentally prepared for rejection


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An Essential Need of a

Committed Grant Writer

CREATE TIME

Time to look for funding opportunities

Time to understand what is required to becompetitive

Time to write a competitive proposal

Time to get critical review from your colleagues


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Maximize Lead Time

Takes Commitment

Proactively Search for

Funding OpportunitiesThe window of opportunity for many grant

applications is often open for only a limited

time.It is, therefore,criticalto identify funding

opportunities at the earliest possible time.


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Maximize Lead Time

Takes Commitment

Lead Time is Important!

NIH Request for Application (RFA)

OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Release date: October 7, 2003

RFA: HL-04-006Letter of Intent Deadline: February 15, 2004*

Application Receipt Deadline: March 12, 2004**

* Average is 3-4 months ** Average is 4-8 months


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Maximize Lead Time

Takes Commitment

Finding NIH RFAs

http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/index.html

This index is updated every Friday afternoon.
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/index.htmlhttp://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/index.htmlhttp://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/index.htmlhttp://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/index.html


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Create Quality Time

Takes Commitment

Clear your schedule to the greatest extentpossible

Eliminate non-essential activities

Minimize disruptive influences, e.g.,schedule phone, email, and office hours

Write time on your dayplanner to work onfunding opportunities

Learn to say NO!


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Create Quality Time

Takes Commitment

Time to get in-house review of your proposal:

It is essentialthat you getcriticalreview from yourknowledgeable colleagues.


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YOUR THIRD KEY IS

GRANTSMANSHIP SKILLS!

Successful Grantsmanship requires that you pay attention to:

Mechanics - knowing how to fill out the form correctly

Conceptunderstanding the purpose of grantapplications

Psychologyappreciating that grant applications areread by people

Writingadopting the tricks of the trade used by

professional grant writers Logicpresenting your ideas in a clear and maximally

understandable way

Timeunderstanding that writing a quality applicationalways takes time


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YOUR THIRD KEY IS

GRANTSMANSHIP SKILLS!

Know where/how to for funding opportunities

Maximally convey enthusiasm for your novel idea

Write with maximal clarity & compelling logic

Ensure compatibility with mission of funding agency

Inform the funding agency what to expect for their

investment in you. Make your application reviewer friendly

Avoid avoidable mistakes


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Elements of Grant Success

Good Good

Ideas Reviewers

Good Good

Timing Luck

Good GoodPresentations Grantsmanship


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Good Grantsmanship

Knowing & understanding What to do

How to do it When to do it

What to dowhen things dont go as planned

Being willing to do what is needed Passion & Commitment

Doing itdoing what is needed Commitment

Understanding Peer Review Process


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Most Common Reasons

for Application Failure

Lack of a good, original idea

Lack of sufficient commitment

1. Problem to be studied lacks significances

2. Lack of an understandable rationale

3. Insufficient demonstration of knowledge base

4. Lack of essential experience/expertise/ resources5. Diffuse, superficial or unfocused approach

6. Interdependence of aims upon outcomes

7. Unrealistic amount of work proposed

8. Uncertain outcomes and future directions


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You Do Not Want a Reviewer to Make This

Comment About Your Application

This application is characterized by ideas that

are both original and scientifically important.

Unfortunately, the ideas that are scientifically

important are not original and the ideas thatare original are not scientifically important.


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You Do Not Want a Reviewer to Make This

Comment About Your Application

In addition to proposing a research

design that is a fishing expedition,

the applicant also proposes to use

every type of bait and piece of tackle

ever known to mankind.


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GRANT WRITERS SEMINARS

AND WORKSHOPS

THE FUNDAMENTALS OFGRANT WRITING


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The Realities of Pursuing

Grant Support

Enthusiasm cannot bedirectlycommunicated to the grant agency.

Ideas must first be transferred, therefore,to a written application.

The application must then be screened andevaluated by a review panel.

There are more good ideas than there areresources to support them.


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Pathway to Grant Support

The Applicant

The Idea

The Applicantion

The Review Group


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Characteristics of a

Successful Grant-Writer

Make a good first impression

Is well-prepared

Is credible

Deliver a clear message

Provides supporting documentation

Has appropriate endorsements

Has something special to offer

Is persistent


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Successful Grant-Writers

Rule # 1

DO NOT write the application for

yourselfunless you are going to fundit yourself.

You MUST convince the entire reviewcommittee and the funding agency.


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Rule # 2

STUDY SECTION DO NOT FUND !

INSTITUTE FUNDS !


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Rule # 3

You must satisfy

the needs of

reviewers

and the needs ofthe funding agency.


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Who Are Your Reviewers?

They are:

Accomplished Dedicated

Knowledgeable

Conscientious Fair


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Who Are Your Reviewers --

Really?

They are actually:

Overly committed and over worked

Underpaid for their efforts

Tired

Inherently skeptical Overly critical

Looking for the easiest way to get

the job done well


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KEY POINT

The primary key to achieving

success in any grant applicationis to engender enthusiasm in thereviewerwho then becomes an

advocate for the applicationsproposal.


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What Do Reviewers

Look for First?

Whats the title? Is it interesting?

Who is the applicant? Is the application complete?

Have the directions been followed?

Are there volumes of appendices? Is the application reviewer-friendly?


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Is Your Application

Reviewer-Friendly?

KEY POINT

While the guidelines specified aboveestablish the minimum type sizerequirements, PIs are advised thatreadability is of paramount importance and

should take precedence in selection of anappropriate font for use in the proposal.

NSF Instructions to Applicants, 2003


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What Do Reviewers

Look for Second?

The key criteria that every grantapplicationmust address:

Significance

Approach

Applicant

Innovation

Environment/Resources


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Does Your Application

Measure Up?

SIGNIFICANCE

Does this study address an importantproblem?

If the aims of the application are

achieved, will the field be advanced? How will the project contribute to the

overall mission of the funding agency?


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Measure Up?

APPROACH/WORKPLAN

Are the conceptual framework, design,

methods, and analyses adequatelydeveloped, well-integrated, andappropriate?

Is the completion schedule reasonable? Does the applicant acknowledge potential

problem areas and consider alternativetactics?

A i i


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Measure Up?

APPLICANT

Is the applicant appropriately trained andwell-suited to carry out the work?

Is the work proposed appropriate to the

experience level of the applicant and

other members of the team?

Is the role of consultants or collaborators

adequately justified?

D Y A li i


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Measure Up?

ENVIRONMENT

Does the environment in which the workwill be done contribute to theprobability of success?

Do the proposed activities take advantage

of unique features of the environment?

What is the contribution of the sponsoring

institution to the proposed work?

D Y A li i


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Measure Up?

INNOVATION

Does the project employ novelconcepts, approached, or methods?

Are the aims original and innovative?

Does the project challenge existing

paradigms or develop new

methodologies or techniques?

Wh D R i


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What Do Reviewers

Look for Last?

What singles outthis grant applicationfrom all others under consideration?

WHY IS THIS GRANT SPECIAL

AND, THEREFORE,DESERVING SUPPORT?


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GRANT WRITERS SEMINARS

AND WORKSHOPS

TIP ONHOW TO WRITE

FOR YOUR REVIEWERS


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KEY POINTS

For clarity of presentation, usesimple declarative sentences.

Avoid complicated words, unusualabbreviations, and tortuous syntax.

Avoid discontinuities in reading thatinterrupt concentration.

Avoid weak words that convey doubt.


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Abbreviations & Acronyms

Keep the use of abbreviation and acronymsto a minimum.

Overuse of these abbreviated wordforms is confusing and disruptive.

Use only internationally-accepted

abbreviations/acronyms. Try to avoid use of applicant-invented

abbreviations/acronyms.


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Weak Words

Avoid weak words that may introducedoubt in the mind of the reviewersabout your ability to do the work.

Example:

We willtry to establish...vs.

We expect to establish...


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Weak Words


Example:

Ifwe can demonstrate that...vs.

We expect to demonstrate that...


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Weak Words


Example:

Webelieve that...vs.

We expect that...


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KEY POINTS - Continued

Put the most important material up front;structure your presentation pyramidally.

Use eye-catching headlines to convey yourmain points.

Summarize the main points in an opening

paragraph. Use new paragraphs to emphasize concepts

and specific points and leavespaces

between paragraphs.

C t l St t f th


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Conceptual Structure of the

Ideal Grant Application

IdeaSupporting

Ideas, Concepts

Details of the PlanAppendices


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Use Informative Subheadings

Example:Western Blot Analysis of VCAM Expression in

Tumor Cells Following Transfection

NOT

Western Blot

Example:Statistical Analysis of the Effectiveness of the

Counseling Intervention

NOT

Data Analysis


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Get Your Message Up Front

Justice John Paul Stevens of the

Supreme Court refusedtodelay an Illinois SupremeCourt rulinggiving custody of

ababy boy to thebiologicalfather who hasnever seen him.

W it As Th h F


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Write As Though For

a Newspaper

REMEBER THAT PARAGRAPHS ARE:

Arbitrary units designed to group information

related to an idea or concept. Somewhat subjective as to what constitutes the

functional unit.

Basically under the control of the writer.

Therefore, try to avoid excessively long orexcessively short paragraphs or sections.

Three to four per page is ideal.

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