Proposal Development

1. Proposal Development Kristin Wetherbee CAH Research Office February 16, 2011

2. Workshop Overview • Sources of Funding • Building Relationships • The Proposal Process • Proposal Components • Dos and Don’ts • I’ve Submitted, Now What? • Resources

3. Where do I start? Funding Sources Community of Science (COS): www.cos.com Illinois Research Information Service (IRIS): http://www.library.illinois.edu/iris/ The Foundation Center: http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/ Grants.gov

4. Building Relationships • Sponsor • Know their funding priorities and giving history • Look for list of funded or sample grants on agency web site • Read agency’s annual report • Call sponsor agency contact program officer • Peers • Contact successful applicants to request a copy of proposal • Involve those who will work on the project • Don’t get caught with funding for a project no one is willing to implement • Avoid barriers to submission or implementation contact chair, CAH Research, and ORC (i.e. budget issues, IRB approval, intellectual property, subcontracts)

5. UCF Proposal Process • Discuss with chair • Meet with CAH Research • Write proposal • Submit ARGIS PTF for electronic approvals • PI or CAH Research can enter • ORC submits proposal to agency

6. Proposal Components • Abstract or Project Summary • Introduction or Need Statement/Research Questions • Organizational History and Capabilities • Project Description • Workplan and Timeline • Budget and Budget Narrative • Bibliography • Other

7. Abstract/Project Summary • One page or less • Write for a general audience • Discuss significance, principal activities, and expected results • NEH and NEA limited to one-page • NSF requires statement of intellectual merit and broader impacts • http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/HCRR.html

8. Introduction, Need Statement, and Research Questions • State the need or problem your research addresses • Express how you identified this need and its significance • Who will benefit from the project? • List research question(s) and/or objectives • Bullet list • Action-oriented • Related to sponsor’s goals

9. Organizational History and Capabilities • Org history and mission • For Research Foundation submissions – list RF mission first, then UCF • Explain institution’s strengths for conducting the project • Technical infrastructure • Scientific facilities • Staff • Other resources • Describe prior experience in areas related to the project

10. Project Description • Literature Review • Topical, area of theory, related to methodology • Methodology • Subjects, type of design, data collection techniques • Data Analysis/Evaluation • How will you analyze data? • What effects will be analyzed? • How does it relate to objectives or hypothesis? • Sustainability

11. Workplan and Timeline • Be detailed • Break project into stages or phases • Show when results will be attained • Use a chart or table

12. Budget and Narrative • Be as exact as possible • Verify allowable expenses • Equipment, salary limits, tuition, overhead • Narrative categories should match with budget categories and amounts • Break out costs (3 printers @ $150 each) • CAH budget workshop: March 2 and 3

13. Bibliography • Use format noted in guidelines or standard in field (APA, MLA, Chicago) • Cite your sources in body • Verify all citations are in bibliography • iThenticate - Turnitin.com version for researchers and publishers

14. Other Documents • Resumes/CVs – adhere to page limits • Current and Pending Support • Letters of Support • Work Samples

15. http://homepages.sover.net/~paulven/sit/proposal.html

16. Dos and Don’ts Do: • Thoroughly read the sponsor’s guidelines • Research the sponsor • Read successfully funded proposals • http://www.neh.gov/news/recentawards.html • Outline proposal based on sponsor guidelines • Follow all directions (font, spacing, page limits, attachments, forms, etc.) • Write to the evaluation criteria • Cite your sources

17. Dos and Don’ts (Cont.) Don’t: • Make the reviewer hunt for material • Use too many acronyms or jargon • Repeat yourself, get off topic or be repetitious • Criticize other researchers in the field • Submit proposals that are incomplete, unproofed, or nonconforming to guidelines • Submit proposals that are not a match to the funder’s priorities • Submit only 1 proposal to 1 agency; find other submission opportunities

18. I’ve Submitted, Now What? • While waiting for response: • Start writing for a new project • Find additional opportunities for same project • If declined: • Contact sponsor for feedback, resubmission process • If funded: • Start thinking about phase II

19. Resources CAH Research Office www.research.cah.ucf.edu Office of Research and Commercialization (ORC) www.research.ucf.edu The Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing, 5th edition, by Jane Geever. Free audiobook download. http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/learnabout/audiobook.html

20. Questions? • Questions? • Thank you for attending • Contact:CAH Research Office Dr. Nancy Stanlick or Kristin Wetherbee cahresearch@mail.ucf.edu

21. References Carlson, M. (2002). Winning grants step by step. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Smith, J.A. (n.d.). Writing a research proposal. Retrieved February 15, 2011, from http://research.cah.ucf.edu/resources.php The Foundation Center. (2011). Proposal writing short course. Retrieved February 15, 2011, from http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/shortcourse/