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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/7/30/2019 Grant Writer's Seminars and Workshops
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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.cfm7/30/2019 Grant Writer's Seminars and Workshops
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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.html7/30/2019 Grant Writer's Seminars and Workshops
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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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Successful Grant-Writers
Rule # 2
STUDY SECTION DO NOT FUND !
INSTITUTE FUNDS !
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Successful Grant-Writers
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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Does Your Application
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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Does Your Application
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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Does Your Application
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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Does Your Application
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
Avoid weak words that may introducedoubt in the mind of the reviewersabout your ability to do the work.
Example:
Ifwe can demonstrate that...vs.
We expect to demonstrate that...
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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:
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.