Grant Writing and Proposal Development: Getting Started Savannah State University Brenda D. Hayes, MSW, MPH, DSW Research Assistant Prof., CHPM & Director,

Grant Writing and Proposal Development: Getting Started

Savannah State University

Brenda D. Hayes, MSW, MPH, DSWResearch Assistant Prof., CHPM &Director, Grant and Proposal DevelopmentOffice of Sponsored Research AdministrationMorehouse School of MedicineAtlanta, GASeptember 1, 2011

Morehouse School of Medicine 2011 2

Workshop Objectives

By the end of the session, participants will: Be better positioned to initiate, develop and

critique their proposals/grant applications Know the difference between FINER, SMART,

and GNOME mnemonics Understand the important connections between

well defined questions, hypotheses, goals, aims/objectives and the methodology or approach.

Have some ideas about ways to evaluate the projects


In Language,

clarity is everything.-Confucius Chinese philosopher 551-479 BCE


FAQs

What do all of those abbreviations (RFP, RFA, CFP, RFI, FOA, NGA, NOFA, etc.) mean?

When should I start? Where do I look for funding? Are there better or best times to

search for FOAs?


More FAQ: How can I write a proposal or build a

team when I spend all of my time doing _____?

Where can I find examples of successful grants?

I don’t know anything about budgets, so who will help me?

Where can I get some help?


Conduct a personal assessment of your readiness, capability and eligibility to apply for grant funding

Assess, update and determine if your literature review and your ideas are comprehensive and timely

Assemble your team Develop a time line

Before you write a word:


Successful Applications

Direct, concise, compelling, convincing, capable and resourceful

Addresses a significant/important problem

Explicit goals, measurable objectives Comprehensive but succinct

background review Methodology fits the problem Appropriate funding mechanism


Unsuccessful Applications Failure to follow

directions Lack of new or

original ideas Diffuse, superficial

or unfocused research; lack of clearly stated hypothesis and rationale

Lack of an overall research goal; uncertainty about future directions

Lack of knowledge of relevant literature

Questionable reasoning in design

Lack of demonstrated experience in methodology (lacks details)

Format issues Over-ambitious

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Getting Started

• What do you wish to achieve?

• What specific activities/services?

• Capability and Assets• Previous Record• Collaborators and

Partners• Evaluation

• Goals• Objectives• Methodology• Organizational History• Network• Results oriented• Evidence of Impact

Morehouse School of Medicine 2011

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Proposal Teamwork

Morehouse School of Medicine 2011

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Goals of the Organization

Initial ProjectIdea

Assessing Capability

Assessing NeedFor the Idea

Submitting theProposal

Planning ProposalWriting

Writing theProposal

Identifying AlternativeApproaches

DEVELOPING THE IDEA MODEL FOR PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT

Selecting FundingSource

Gathering NecessaryData

Building Support& Involvement

This handout taken from Getting Funded:

A Complete Guide To Proposal Writing by Mary Hill, 1998.

Available from Continuing Education Publication,

P.O. Box 1491, Portland, OR 97207


Developing Your Idea(s)

Needs Assessment Evidence of the problem Local, county, state, national

Capability Assessment Organizational People Past and present history Resources (Funds, expertise, etc.)


Develop Your Research Question

F= Is it Feasible?I = Is it interesting?N = Is it Novel?E = Is it Ethical?R = Is it Realistic?*


If this is a non-research proposal, then

G = GoalsN = NeedsO = ObjectivesM = MethodsE = Evaluation


Proposal Development and Grant Seeking Overview

Plan the Proposal Write the ProposalDesign the EvaluationDevelop the BudgetIdentify Potential Funding Sources

Revise as necessarySubmit the ProposalFollow-Up

Private Proposal Development Template

Project/Program

History/Background

• Analogies• Facts• Statistics• Experience• Expert• Example Need

Action Statement

Summary

Idea

• Organizational history• Population Demographics

• Sites ?• Program areas

• Staff time• Collaborators/Partners

• Small Grants or Pilot Funds?• Training?

• Service/Training Opps with other orgs• Previous partnerships

• Community Based Research• Development Projects?

• One page executive summary on the need for project, competencies to address the need, timetable for completion and funding request

• Prepared by Program or Organizational Staff

• Includes specific funding request and justification for the amount, include in kind amounts and other leveraged (or existing) funding, shared portion of the budget?

Morehouse School of Medicine:

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Grants Language: Vocabulary Objectives can be

Process/Formative Outcomes/Impact/Summative

SMART is an acronym (mnemonic)SpecificMeasurableAchievableRealisticTimely


Proposal (Exec.) Summary or Letter Of Intent (LOI)

At the Beginning of the Proposal 1 Sentence on Credibility 1 Sentence on Problem 1 Sentence on Objectives 1 Sentence on Methods Funds: Requested or On Hand Should be: Brief, specific and to the

point This can also fit an “abstract”


Proposal Introduction Identifies the Grant Applicant States the Purpose and/or Goal Describes Your Programs Describes Your Clients, Target

Population, Focus States Your Achievements Establishes Your Credibility Documents Credibility Keep it Brief


Background and Significance

Did I provide sufficient background information to set the stage?

Does my review reflect a thorough understanding of the field or area?

Are there gaps in knowledge? Is the proposed work innovative? Will it increase knowledge? Is the proposal novel?


Theoretical Considerations

Basic SciencesBiomedical Approaches

Clinical and Translational ApproachesPublic HealthHealth Belief ModelsTrans-theoretical

Behavioral SciencesBio-PsychosocialSocial Ecological ApproachesSocial Determinants of Health


A Social-Ecological Framework: U.S.

Preventive Services Task Force


Bio-Psycho-Social Theories


Methodology Do you have any preliminary data? Must include details about specific

activities One or More activity for Each

Objective Specify

Who will do them When they will be done How will they be accomplished How long will each activity take or occur


Measurement

Should Be in Terms of Data Used To Establish Need

Select Objectives That Show Project Influenced the Same Measures need -- poor reading performance objective -- should not relate to

attendance but to reading performance


Activities: (Experiments, interventions, etc.)

Explanations about how the project will reach the stated objectives

Necessary to the Success of the Project Undertake Only Those That Will Move

the Project Toward Realization of the Objectives

Fully Describe all of the activities in the Proposal


EVALUATION

Can reflect: Structure Process Outcomes Impact A platform or partnership for the

next project


EVALUATION Include an evaluation plan Specifically discuss what you intend

to deliver, based on your objectives There should be some measurement

involved, e.g., number of participants served, brochures developed, contacts made, presentations given, etc.

It is ok to include an evaluator but….


Results and Conclusions

Make sure that there is a consistent and coherent flow

Consider where you started Is the theory you suggested evident

in your conclusions? Did you identify any constraints or

limitations? What are the next steps?


General Tips and Comments

Take sufficient time to prepare a good abstract, LOI, or concept paper

Avoid jargon and acronyms Always include a budget and budget

justification Be careful when you cut and paste:

assure uniformity of font size and type


More tips… You must reflect an adequate and

comprehensive literature review, use relevant and current references and citations

Make sure that the expected study outcome (s) fit the design, e.g., looking for a change in behavior based on a retrospective chart analysis, causation, associations, etc.

Background and significance vs. preliminary studies ???


Some proposals faculty could consider:

(ENHANCEMENT PROPOSALS) Student Access and Success Curricula Revisions and Workforce

Development Partnerships Technology and Distance Education Professional Development


Add student researchers:

Include them in your budget Provide them with mentoring Models for student success (alums?) NSF, RIMI, MARC, etc. Explore other ways to include

students in your research efforts


And So We Begin

Knowing is not enough; we must apply.

Willing is not enough; we must do.

-Goethe


John W. Cresswell. Research Design: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1994

Arlene Fink. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From Paper to the Internet. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1998.

William Gerin (Ed.) Writing the NIH Grant Proposal: a Step-By-Step Guide (2nd Ed.) Los Angeles: Sage Publications, 2011.

Lawrence F. Locke, Waneen Wyrick Spirduso and Stephen J. Silverman. Proposals that Work: A Guide for Planning Dissertations and Grant Proposals. (4th Ed.) Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, 2000.

Jeremy T. Miner and Lynn E. Miner. Models of Proposal Planning & Writing. Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 2005.

Writing Grant Proposals That Win. Edited by Deborah Ward. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2006.

Otto O. Yang. Guide to Effective Grant Writing: How to Write an Effective NIH Grant Application New York, N.Y.: Springer Science & Business Media, Inc., 2005

References


References

● Hayes, Brenda D. Grant Writing for Community-Based Health Disparities Research and Services: The Role of Academic /Community Partnerships. In: Wallace, B.C.(editor) Toward Equity in Health: A New Global Approach to Health Disparities. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Co., 2008.

● Ockene JK, Edgerton EA, Teutsch SM, Marion LN, Miller T, Genevro JL, Loveland-Cherry CJ, Fielding JE, Briss PA. Integrating evidence-based clinical and community strategies to improve health. Am J Prev Med 2007;32:244-252.

● Lusk, S.L. Developing an Outstanding Grant Application. Western Journal of Nursing Research. 2004; 26(3), 367-373.

Master of Public Health Program

NyThea Campbell Tolbert, MPHAcademic Support Specialist

Phone: 404-752-1957

Fax: 404-752-1051

Email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Graduate Education in Biomedical Sciences Programs

Ph.D. in Biomedical SciencesM.S. in Biomedical ResearchM.S. in Biomedical TechnologyM.S. in Clinical Research ([email protected])Post baccalaureate Certificate in Biomedical Science

Contact for program information:Douglas F. Paulsen, Ph.D.

Associate Dean for Graduate Studies

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Thank You!

Questions and Comments