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Preparing a Grant Proposal: Some Basics

Learn how to write persuasive grant proposals, find funding sources, and avoid common pitfalls. Prepare, write, and submit proposals effectively. Useful tips and guidelines included.

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Preparing a Grant Proposal: Some Basics

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  1. Preparing a Grant Proposal:Some Basics Barbara Gastel, MD, MPH Texas A&M University bgastel@cvm.tamu.edu

  2. Overview • Grant proposals as persuasive writing • Finding funding sources • Matching your ideas and the funder’s goals • Some common sections of proposals • Preparing to write the proposal • Writing the proposal • Common problems to avoid • Resubmitting a proposal • Preparing progress reports • Some resources

  3. Grant Proposals as Persuasive Writing The proposal must persuade the potential funder that • the goal of the proposed work is worthwhile • the goal is relevant to the funder’s mission • the proposed approach is sound • the staff is capable of doing the work • adequate facilities will be available • the requested amount of funding is reasonable

  4. Finding Potential Sites of Funding • Some sources of ideas: • Your professors and colleagues • Acknowledgments etc in journal articles • Published or posted announcements • Listservs in your field or at your institution • Published or posted guides • Note: Consulting a program officer at the potential funding source can help.

  5. Look for a Good Match Seek funding from entities • With goals that are consistent with what you want to do • That tend to give grants of the size you are seeking • Ideally, with programs that match your intended work

  6. Some Common Sections of Proposals • Background information • Statement of goals • Research plan or program plan • Budget • Information on qualifications of staff (for example, resumes or curricula vitae) (Note: Depending on the requirements, proposals can range from one page to many pages.)

  7. Some Other Items Sometimes Included • Letter of transmittal (cover letter) • Title page • Abstract • Table of contents • Lists of tables and figures • Description of predicted impact • Plan for disseminating results • Information on facilities • Reference list

  8. Appendixes • Optional to include • Examples • Papers accepted but not yet published • Letters of support from potential collaborators • Additional details about activities planned • Remember: Reviewers typically are not obligated to look at appendixes.

  9. Preparing to Write the Proposal • Carefully review materials from the potential funding source. • Consult the program officer, if appropriate. • Look at examples of successful proposals to the funding source • From colleagues • From the program officer • Published or posted

  10. Writing the Proposal • Start early—sometimes at least 6 months in advance. • Consider including a writer or editor on the team. • Read the instructions carefully, and follow them precisely. • Match the technical level of the proposal to the background of the reviewers.

  11. Writing the Proposal (cont) • Write the proposal readably. For example • Organize the writing carefully. • Present overviews before details. • Use simple, common wording where possible. • Avoid wordy phrases. • Make effective (but not excessive) use of such devices as headings, boldface, and italics. • If relevant, include a timeline. • If the proposal will include an abstract, devote special care to it.

  12. Writing the Proposal (cont) • If the potential funder has forms to use, complete them carefully. • If part or all of the proposal will consist of freestanding text, format it readably • Standard typeface • Large enough type and margins • Unjustified (ragged) right margin unless otherwise requested • Carefully follow instructions for submitting the proposal (often done electronically).

  13. Common Problems to Avoid • Failure to follow the instructions • Seeming unfamiliarity with relevant published work • Lack of originality • Superficial or unfocused research plan • Lack of a valid scientific rationale

  14. Common Problems (cont) • Problems with the experimental approach • Lack of experience with key methods • Insufficient experimental detail • Lack of preliminary data, if needed

  15. Common Problems (cont) • Unrealistically ambitious plans • Unrealistic budgeting • Failure to justify budgetary items enough • For service projects, lack of sufficient information on evaluation plans • Inconsistencies in the content • Excessive use of acronyms/abbreviations

  16. A Suggestion As you prepare and refine your grant proposal, envision yourself writing journal articles or a book about your completed research. Will you have all the needed information? If not, revise your research plan.

  17. Resubmitting a Proposal • Note: For some funding sources, revising and resubmitting proposals is common. • In revising the proposal, use the advice from the reviewers. • Consider consulting the program officer. • In general, accompany the revised proposal with a list showing, point by point, how the reviewers’ advice was followed.

  18. Progress Reports: Some Functions • For the funding source or supervisor: help see how the work is progressing and thus whether the plans or funding level should be adjusted • For those doing the work: • Provide incentive to keep up • Aid in assessing one’s own progress and adjusting one’s approach • Provide material to draw on for presentations and publications

  19. Preparing to Write a Progress Report • Obtain any instructions or forms. • If possible, obtain relevant examples to use as models. • Review your proposal or project plan.

  20. Progress Reports: A Common Structure • Background information • Summary of project plan • Description of present status • Achievements thus far • Comparison of progress with that anticipated • Significant problems encountered, if any • Conclusions • Overall assessment • Proposed modifications, if any

  21. Writing a Progress Report • In general, structure the progress report like the project plan. • Be specific. Include numbers, names, and dates. • If appropriate, include tables and figures. • Consider using headings etc to guide readers.

  22. Writing a Progress Report (cont) • Strive to sound positive, competent, and confident. • Do not hide problems. Say how they are being addressed. • If you write a series of progress reports on a project, put each in the same format. • Edit the progress report carefully.

  23. Some Resources • Texas A&M Office of Proposal Development: http://opd.tamu.edu/ (includes a grant writing workbook, which lists and has links to other resources—see Chapter 16, “Learning More”) • Annotated grant proposal: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/grants/app/default.htm

  24. Thank you!

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