Writing Winning Proposals

1. Writing Winning Proposals Trish Lowney, PhD Asst VP, Strategic Research Development 207 Bowne Hall plowney@syr.edu, x2882

2. Topics • Why write a grant application.. • Grants vs fellowships • How to find funding opportunities • Preparation • The writing process • What makes a winning application • Know your audience

3. Why write a ‘grant application’ now? • $$ research • Your time…and others working on grant • Supplies, materials, consumables • Equipment purchases or use • $$ travel to disseminate research results • $$ Cost of living or tuition& fees

4. Why write a ‘grant application’ now? • Prepare for your academic future. • Develop and hone grant writing skills • Start to create a track record of success • Create a great idea worth investing in • Successfully carry it out • Disseminate results • Demonstrate productivity

5. So… you are applying for a… • Grant – $$ to support an activity of common interest • NSF Doctoral dissertation research grant • Travel grant (SU- GSO) • Access to resource

6. Or, you are applying for a… • Fellowship - $$ to aid in individual’s pursuit of study or research, e.g… • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship • DoE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship • Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowships

7. Grants and Fellowships… • Beneficiary – you and THE PUBLIC!! • Are investments in you!! • Reflection - why are you & your research worth investing in?

8. OK  WHOM do you ask for $$ to invest in YOU and YOUR research • Check … • Acknowledgements in journal articles, posters/presentations at conferences • Advisors, mentors, peers… • Federal agencies • NSF, NIH, DHS, DoE, DOI, USDA, NASA etc.. • Grants.gov Find

9. OK  WHOM do you ask for $$ to invest in YOU and YOUR research • Check.. • Non-profit sponsors, foundations, professional societies • Newsletters • Journals – ad’s • Funding opp databases (http://PIVOT.cos.com)

10. Getting started.. Do your homework • What kind of support are you looking for? • What does the sponsor want to fund? • Their mission & strategic interests… • Funding opportunity announcements • Whom have they funded lately? • Awardee lists / databases • Do you know any of them?

11. Getting started.. Do your homework • Maximize overlap between what you want and the sponsor wants.Good fit • Similar research interests • Interested in ‘you’ at your current stage in career • If allowed, contact program technical contact EARLY and discuss your project (first send a 1-pg summary)

12. Now Let’s Get Going! • Read announcement /all instructions carefully • Create a plan: what is needed in each section. When will you complete? Who needs to help? • Respond precisely to what is asked

13. Now Let’s Get Going! • Engage others • Your advisor (reference? Review) • Office of Sponsored Programs (Budget – submit? Certifications) • Your peers (writing group) • The sponsor (confirm fit, advice on why proposals don’t get funded from this program, number of proposals submitted vs awarded)..

14. Know how awards are selected… • Know your audience: • What is their expertise?? • Write for them • Know the ‘process’: how? • Know the ‘selection criteria’ and ensure your entire application is responsive …

15. If you only do one thing.. • Have it be • Follow instructions precisely 

16. More about your ‘work plan’ • Make a timeline for getting the application done • Work back from the deadline • ‘Finish’ 1 wk before deadline • What is the ‘internal’ review and approval process? • Plan for the unexpected • Leave plenty of time to get letters of references or collaborators if applicable • Leave plenty of time for others to read drafts

17. Okay!! What’s needed for a strong application? • A great idea! - WHAT • Concisely stated • Convincing preliminary data (promising idea) (not always necessary when just getting started) • Idea & its outcomes are significant to the sponsor – WHY • Capable recipient – WHO • Have skills and resources needed to do proposed work

18. What’s needed … ? cont’d • Feasible work plan - HOW • Well thought out and planned strategies • Solid rationale for each method or approach used • Why approach is best tack to take.. • Approaches can answer question, test hypothesis etc. • Identified road blocks and plans to get around them • Discuss with others… get lots of input

19. What’s needed … ? cont’d • Feasible work plan, cont’d • Methods clearly presented to indicate what success looks like • positive/negative controls or evaluation plan • How data is analyzed and how results are interpreted • Expected results described and what they mean in context of big idea, question, etc. • If get unexpected, convey what THAT means

20. What’s needed … ? cont’d • Feasible work plan,cont’d • Reasonable amount of work for time and resources ($$) available • Clear impact of each objective and integration of all results– SO WHAT

21. Strong Proposals that get funded are …1 • Neat, well organized and easy to read • Innovative: present new perspective on an important problem • Exciting: convey the writer’s passion • Informative: convey knowledge of field • Compelling: provide preliminary data/rationale • Feasible: Solid work plan and budget 1 adapted from: R. Porter, What do Grant Reviewers Really Want? J. Res. Admin XXXVI, II, 2005 pg. 47-55

22. Have good form • Compliant font (12 pt TNR, 11 pt Arial) • White space (between paragraphs) • Headers to communicate important points • Bold text to emphasize review criteria • Include illustrations, figures.. • Full justification  looks “pretty” but may be hard to read (ragged right preferred)

23. Common Elements • Project Narrative(What, Why, How) • Statement of need/purpose • Goals, objectives/specific aims • Significance • State of knowledge/context

24. Common Elements • Project Narrative • Research Design, Methods, Approach • How will you do ‘it’ • Why have you selected these methods / techniques • Challenges/barriers • Alternative Approaches • Expected results • Interpretation • Timeline

25. Common Elements • Budget, budget narrative • Why expenditures are necessary and costs reasonable • Biographical sketch (Who - capable) • Resources (‘stuff’ – capable) • Abstract • “Cover page”

26. A word about Letters of Reference • Mandatory or not allowed.... • Why you are worth investing in…. why you’re capable or why project is important • Folks who know you and can comment on your potential or your idea • Ask – can you write a strong letter for me? (not everyone agrees with this notion)

27. Letters of Reference…. • Provide them everything they need • Draft letter for them • Identify review criteria for them and help them respond to criteria • Be clear about deadline • Provide access (paper/electronic) • Mail – provide pre-addressed/stamped envelope • Follow up – confirm it’s done • Provide plenty of time – you are not the only one they are writing for

28. Increase your chances for $$ – Get help from others • Get copies of recently funded proposals • Participate in a writing group • Get feedback on your idea from colleagues, advisors and experts – before you write. • Get input from program manager • Work with funded (and unfunded) colleagues, have them read your work

29. Common weaknesses… • Significance, relevance to sponsor’s agenda not clear • Proposal lacks focus • Get to the point early • Laundry list of activities not unified into a coherent project • Is overly ambitious • Isn’t feasible • Is hard to read or sloppy • Is poorly organized

30. MOST important - Persevere!! • Grant writing - Skill that is developed • Everyone gets rejected.. • Who gets funded - • Folks who keep trying • Learn from experience  reflect on reviews • Continuously improve

31. Exercise – get going!! • What’s your idea (1 – 2 sentences) – everyday language • Why is it important? (3 sentences) • How will the world be a better place once completed? • How are you going to accomplish your idea? (2 – 3 paragraphs) • Why is your approach the best tack to take? (rationale each method) • Road blocks? And alternative plans? • Expected results (what does it mean if you get what you expect, what does it mean if you get something different) • So what?? • Next steps (1 sentence) Share with colleagues, critique  do you get it?