PAD Seminar Preparing to Submit Your Proposal

1. PAD SeminarPreparing to Submit Your Proposal ANDREW FEIG, Ph.D. Department of Chemistry Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

2. You will not get funded if you do not apply… • Unwritten or unfinished proposals do not get funded • Put your pride aside; we have all written many grantsthat went unfunded • I recently went 0 for 12 before getting 3 proposals funded in 2013 • Funding is tight, but grants are still getting funded (except this week) • Try to understand what the priorities are of your grant agencyor organization • Be explicit regarding how your work meets the goals of the funding agency PAD Seminar – Preparing to Submit a Proposal

3. Available time is finite – use it wisely • Where do I spend my time in proposal preparation? • Reading literature and refining ideas and plans • Collecting preliminary data (often implicitly required even if the agency denies it) • Specific aims page (single most important page of proposal) • Achieving clarity in the language and ideas • I typically start writing relatively late in the process but the planningand framing goes on for months PAD Seminar – Preparing to Submit a Proposal

4. Time line for proposal preparation T - 16 weeks Oct. 1 T - 12 weeks Nov. 1 T - 8 weeks Dec. 1 T - 4 weeks Jan. 1 Due date: Feb. 5 T - 14 weeks Oct. 15 T - 10 weeks Nov. 15 T - 6 weeks Dec. 15 T - 2 weeks Jan. 15 • Identify funding opportunity • Speak with program officer if necessary • Notify grant manager/administrator regarding intent to apply for a given deadline PAD Seminar – Preparing to Submit a Proposal

5. Time line for proposal preparation T - 16 weeks Oct. 1 T - 12 weeks Nov. 1 T - 8 weeks Dec. 1 T - 4 weeks Jan. 1 Due date: Feb. 5 T - 14 weeks Oct. 15 T - 10 weeks Nov. 15 T - 6 weeks Dec. 15 T - 2 weeks Jan. 15 • Consider the specific aims of your proposal? • What is the core question? • Does it meet the agency’s goals/mission? • Are they interesting and important? • Do they meet the requirements of the RFA? • Do you need regulatory approvals (IRB? Radiation Safety? Biosafety? etc.) PAD Seminar – Preparing to Submit a Proposal

6. Time line for proposal preparation T - 16 weeks Oct. 1 T - 12 weeks Nov. 1 T - 8 weeks Dec. 1 T - 4 weeks Jan. 1 Due date: Feb. 5 T - 14 weeks Oct. 15 T - 10 weeks Nov. 15 T - 6 weeks Dec. 15 T - 2 weeks Jan. 15 • What data will be required to put forth a convincing argument? • Get lab focused on new data you might need… • Set up regular discussions to keep on timeline for collecting required data. • Deadline for last minute data from your co-workers is ~1/15. PAD Seminar – Preparing to Submit a Proposal

7. Time line for proposal preparation T - 16 weeks Oct. 1 T - 12 weeks Nov. 1 T - 8 weeks Dec. 1 T - 4 weeks Jan. 1 Due date: Feb. 5 T - 14 weeks Oct. 15 T - 10 weeks Nov. 15 T - 6 weeks Dec. 15 T - 2 weeks Jan. 15 • Think about the methods you are using? • Will you need collaborators? • Nowis the time to identify them and make sure that they are on board. • Request letters of collaboration and biosketches PAD Seminar – Preparing to Submit a Proposal

8. Time line for proposal preparation T - 8 weeks Dec. 1 T - 16 weeks Oct. 1 T - 12 weeks Nov. 1 T - 4 weeks Jan. 1 Due date: Feb. 5 T – 14 weeks Oct. 15 T - 10 weeks Nov. 15 T - 6 weeks Dec. 15 T - 2 weeks Jan. 15 • Literature searching… • Have you identified everything there is to know about your project and read the relevant literature? • Write introduction and make figures for proposed experiments. PAD Seminar – Preparing to Submit a Proposal

9. Time line for proposal preparation T - 16 weeks Oct. 1 T - 12 weeks Nov. 1 T - 8 weeks Dec. 1 T - 4 weeks Jan. 1 Due date: Feb. 5 T - 14 weeks Oct. 15 T - 10 weeks Nov. 15 T - 6 weeks Dec. 15 T - 2 weeks Jan. 15 • Outline the specific experiments you plan to propose? • Are they the best methods to use? • What are the alternatives? • Pros and Cons of the methods? • Share ideas with a colleague over coffee. PAD Seminar – Preparing to Submit a Proposal

10. Time line for proposal preparation T - 4 weeks Jan. 1 T - 16 weeks Oct. 1 T - 12 weeks Nov. 1 T - 8 weeks Dec. 1 Due date: Feb. 5 T - 14 weeks Oct. 15 T - 10 weeks Nov. 15 T - 6 weeks Dec. 15 T - 2 weeks Jan. 15 • Draft goes out to colleagues for review… A second pair of eyes is always useful. • While proposal is with colleague(s) for evaluation, complete budget and form pages (biosketches, justification, data plan, etc.). • Understand what you are asking for and ensure that it is allowed by the agency. • Stay within budget limits; adjust as necessary. PAD Seminar – Preparing to Submit a Proposal

11. Time line for proposal preparation T - 16 weeks Oct. 1 T - 12 weeks Nov. 1 T - 8 weeks Dec. 1 T - 4 weeks Jan. 1 Due date: Feb. 5 T - 14 weeks Oct. 15 T - 10 weeks Nov. 15 T - 6 weeks Dec. 15 T - 2 weeks Jan. 15 • Revise grant in light of comments from colleagues… • Listen to your colleagues… Did they get the point? If not, that is yourproblem, not their problem. Reviewers will likely not get the point either? • If your colleagues only tell you about typos and formatting, they are nothelping; find other colleagues to read your proposal deeply next time. • Add last minute data PAD Seminar – Preparing to Submit a Proposal

12. Time line for proposal preparation T - 16 weeks Oct. 1 T - 12 weeks Nov. 1 T - 8 weeks Dec. 1 T - 4 weeks Jan. 1 Due date: Feb. 5 T - 14 weeks Oct. 15 T - 10 weeks Nov. 15 T - 6 weeks Dec. 15 T - 2 weeks Jan. 15 • Remember that due date to SPA is several days ahead of due date to theagency; For Feb. 5 due date, your real due date of Feb. 1 to be done. PAD Seminar – Preparing to Submit a Proposal