WELCOME

1. WELCOME EFFECTIVE GRANTSMANSHIP WORKSHOP FW5850 CREDIT 3 Mondays and Wednesdays 2.05 to 2.55 pm G002 Forestry $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

2. Objective To prepare a complete research grant proposal in NSF or any other suitable format

3. Course description • FW 5850 - Effective Grantsmanship WorkshopAbility to write successful grant application is an important part of graduate education. Students will learn basic techniques of grant writing for federal, industrial, and international funding agencies and will submit a well-organized proposal for peer review in the class. • Credits: 3.0 • Lec-Rec-Lab: (1-2-0) • Semesters Offered: Spring • Timing: Monday and Wednesday 2-3 in Forestry G002 • Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman, Sophomore, Junior

4. CLASS GOALS • To demystify the process of obtaining research grants by actually writing a grant proposal. • To familiarize students with research grant preparation (learn grants basic). • Proposal evaluation basics • To get as many research proposals as possible ready by the end of this semester • (Hall of Fame!)

5. Why was this course proposed? • Many graduate students are beneficiaries of their advisor’s Grantsmanship. • Graduate students have to write grant proposals sometime in their professional life. • Most students are unprepared to step up to this challenge. • Prospective employers would be impressed (hopefully!) to see Grants Writing Workshop in your curriculum vitae and transcripts. • No such course was offered on MTU campus

6. A Little background.. • I have been writing proposals for > 20 years • I also have served on review panels for many NSF, DOE and USDA • Why not to share this knowledge with Grad students? • In 2004, I decided to offer this 1-credit class • I expected about 4-5 forestry grad students will show up..

7. First year the response was amazing (2004)!! • 45+ students registered for this course. • They came from everywhere on campus (engineering, biology, forestry, chemistry, physics and biomedical engineering). • Only one undergrad senior came in! • So, I had to deliver what I promised.

8. Many things changed since then.. • Our Dean made this class required for all forestry graduate students • Many past students requested to increase the credits to 3 from 1. • Thursday 1 credit lecture class and Tuesdays discussion class (2 credits) was added. • In 2005, 15 students enrolled • “Boon in disguise”: This was a manageable class size

9. In 2006, again new situation… • About 28 students registered for the class • We started meeting for lecture on Tuesdays and discussion on Thursdays between 2-3 pm • They evaluated proposals from other Faculty members.

10. In 2008, another change • Class moved to Spring • Not required for MS forestry students • Required only for PhD in Forestry • 18 students registered of which only 4 came from forestry • Classes moved to Mondays and Wednesdays between 2-3 pm

11. This year (2009) • This class was all most canceled due to my sabbatical plan which is now postponed to next year • We have 13 students registered • Six from forestry • Remaining from CAS: biology, chemistry, education and liberal arts, and • COE: Civil, MEEM and Biomed.

12. Who is your instructor? • Shekhar Joshi (Chandrashekhar P. Joshi) • Professor, SFRES • Over 20 years of grants writing experience • Received NSF CAREER grant in 2003 • PI/Co-PI on ~$6 million grants (NSF, USDA, DOE, CPBR and US Dept. Education FIPSE) • Have been involved in ~$8 million at MTU • But have written worth $25 million grants • Practice makes it perfect!

13. Where and when can you find me? • Room # 168, Forestry Building • I am generally available between 9 am to 6 pm on all weekdays except Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 10 am to 11 am when I teach other class • Office hours: 3 to 4 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays after the class • Phone: 906-487-3480 • Email: cpjoshi@mtu.edu • Web site: http://forest.mtu.edu/faculty/joshi/ • For those who walk up from the main campus: Do call me or email me before walking up the hill! It is better to take my appointment.

14. Main Course objective! • To prepare a complete research grant application in the NSF or any other suitable format. • Choose a topic and an idea of your choice • Research that idea • Develop background information • Write project description and summary • Do all the needed paperwork including budgets! • Submit rough draft by week 8 (March 2nd, 2009) • I will return it with comments by March 18th 2009 • Submit complete proposal by week 12 (April 1st2009) • Help me in evaluating your peers (more later!)

15. Why only NSF will be covered in the class? • Gold standard in research • Basic research with applied outlook • Fastlane: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/fastlane.jsp • Virtually all science areas are included as program areas • Find out which programs could fund your proposal. http://www.nsf.gov This is the second year when you can choose ANY other federal agency such as USDA, DOE, NASA, DOT, NIH etc

16. How your final proposals will be evaluated? • Group of 3-4 students from the same discipline • They will evaluate proposals from their group • One will be selected as the primary reviewer • One will be secondary reviewer who will also be a scribe • Your professors will be invited to review it • You will present final proposal in the class (April 6th, 8th, 13th, 2009) • Panel meetings will be on April 20th and April 22nd 2009 • You will not evaluate your own proposal!

17. Grading system • Two major categories • 20% Class attendance, participation, assignment submissions • 40% Quality and preparation of rough draft: Joshi • 40% Your peers and Professors A 95-100% Outstanding: must fund AB 90-94 Excellent: high priority B 85-89 Very Good: medium priority BC 80-84 Good: low priority C 75-79 OK: Some merit CD 70-74 BAD: Why did you waste my time? D 65-69 Very BAD: Do not fund! No quizzes, midterm or final!

18. Textbook? • No textbook is necessary! • Tons of material on the World Wide Web! • But most of it is for public service projects and not suitable for research projects! • Grants writing for Dummies: B. Browning • Grant writing Book: E. Karsh and A. Fox • Guide to Grant Success: C. Knowles • Experience is the best teacher!

19. How does a final proposal look like? • Title page • Summary • 15 pages of project background, objectives & description • References • CVs • Budget and budget justification • Facilities and equipment

20. Syllabus • Class 1: Overview of course objectives • Class 2: Where is the research money? • Class 3: Selection of research topics and ethics in research • Class 4: Defining Project aims, proposal preparation • Class 5: Project description • Class 6: Methodology and summary • Class 7: CV and other supporting docs • Break for two weeks: No lectures but you will work on proposals • Class 8: Successful Grant Writers meeting

21. Syllabus (..continued) • Class 9: Q and A with Grad school/RS • Week 9: No class. Spring break • Class 10: Budget preparation, paperwork • Class 11: Other federal agencies • Class 11: Foundations and Industries • Class 13: Review process • Class 14: Panel Reviews

22. Assignments • Even though this class has only 1 lecture credit and we will meet only twice per week, you may have to work at least 2-3 hours extra on your own. It will start slowly but will be overwhelming very soon. • Please give me your completed survey forms by Wednesday! Also return the advisor consent form as soon as you can. • No quizzes, tests, midterm, finals, textbook but there will be regular assignments as follows

23. All assignments are due on the Wednesday class of each week. Please bring a print out with your name and submission date on it. • Week 1: No assignment. Introductions • Week 2: Decide the agency, program area and the topic of research. What will be the title of your proposal? What is the name of the program manager and what are his/her contact details? • Week 3: Obtain and study the guidelines and prepare a checklist for submitting a proposal to agency of your choice • Week 4: Define research problem, objectives, and approaches that you plan to take • Week 5: Start on summary and submit a rough draft of summary (one page) • Week 6: Collect and prepare a list of references and write a one-page description of research facilities and equipment needed and available to your research • Week 7: Collect research methods to be used in your proposal • Week 8: Prepare and submit the rough draft of your proposal • Week 9: Spring break no class and no assignment • Week 10: Prepare and submit your cv and your advisor’s cv in the suggested format by the agency • Week 11: Submit completed budget and budget justification on MTU transmittal forms • Week 12: Submit final draft of the proposal • Week 13: Read and prepare proposal reviews assigned to you (about 4) • Week 14: No assignments. You will meet for the panel meeting

24. Who gives you the grant? • Public • Government • Funding agency • Program manager • Panel manager • Review Panel • Peers

25. Holidays • Monday January 19th: MLK day • February 9th, 11th, 16th, and 18th: No class but you will be given home work • Spring break: March 9th, 11th and 13th

26. Who gets the grant? • Your institution • You as a caretaker person (10-20% Success rate) • You build reputation for your institute • Success follows success and failure.. • Only established people? • No, young investigators have a better shot!