Securing Your First Grant: Guide for Successful Proposal Preparation

2. Securing your First GrantPresented by Adrian Walters External Funding Officer Department of Research & Innovation

3. Overview • Department of Research & Innovation (DRI) • Initial Idea Development • Funding • Proposal Preparation • Summary • Q&As

4. Section One • Department of Research & Innovation

5. DRI Mission • To provide support, advice and guidance to all University staff in the management, development and diversification of their research and consultancy activity

6. Writing your first proposal? Support is Provided! • The R&I office provides support, advice and guidance • Each school has a designated Pre-Award & Post-Award Officer • Pre-Award support activities that lead to the award of the grant • Post-Award support grant holders to financially manage the grant • Make it your business to know the name of your R&I contacts • Meet your contact, know how they can help you.

7. R&I Contacts – Pre-Award • Ceri Jones: ext 5412, c.d.jones@swansea.ac.uk • Law; Business & Economics • Julie Williams: ext 5824, j.williams@swansea.ac.uk • ALL European funding • Chris Beynon: ext 5015c.beynon@swansea.ac.uk • Environment & Society; Health Sciences; Medical School; Arts ; Humanities • Adrian Walters: ext 3724, a.s.walters@swansea.ac.uk • Engineering; Physical Sciences; IAT; Human Sciences; DACE

8. To support staff in the identification of research funding To provide support/advice for preparation of grant applications General enquiries on Research and Consultancy To provide a range of relevant and themed staff seminars To provide an interactive Website (http://www.swansea.ac.uk/research-innovation/) complete with a range of comprehensive links and downloadable documents Pre-Award Office Functions Your designated Pre-Award Officer can help you in the following ways:

9. Post Award Support Post-Award Officer for each School Financial Claims, Invoicing & Monitoring Journals (transferring money between accounts) Financial Reporting Financial Database Maintenance Audit Assistance Preparation of Reports for University Committees Post-Award Office Functions

10. Section Two • Initial Idea Development

11. A Starting Point…Your Research Idea • What are you passionate about? • Where do you feel that existing practice or knowledge base is wrong or inadequate? • Why is your idea better? • How is it new, unique, different? • What will it contribute and who will benefit from it?

12. Your Research Idea • Familiarise yourself with up-to-date research • What are the hot topics? • 2. Review Policy Documents (Research Research Website) • 3. Network with other researchers • a. Can collaboration help you? • b. Joint proposals? • 4. Discuss your idea with colleagues

13. Section 3 • Funding

14. Funding your Research Funding is an enabler Funds provide you with independence Funds help you - to develop your skills and professional career - to undertake research of your choice - to build a research team - to have up-to-date equipment and resources - to travel and network with other researchers

15. Types of Funding Available There is funding available for almost any activity associated with research • Research Projects (research students and research assistants) • Research visits and research visitors • Research equipment • Conferences • Fellowships • Knowledge Transfer Partnerships • Exchange programmes

16. Research Funding Organisations • Research Councils • Government Departments • Government Organisations • Charities • Welsh Assembly Government • European Union • Industry • Others

17. Research Funding Organisations (2) • It’s important to choose the right type of funding • Speak to the Programme Director • Find out what the funding organisations wants from you? • Charities require us to protect & exploit the resulting IP / disseminate new knowledge • Industry is concerned about commercial sensitivities • Consider the conditions attached to funding sources • Make it your business to avoid any unpleasant surprises when the grant is awarded!

18. How to Undertake a Funding Search • Check funders web sites- Find out which funding bodies support your subject area; ask colleagues • Check relevant journals / papers- Look through subject specific journals, or the Times HE / Tuesday Guardian / contact professional societies who sometimes have sources of funding. • Speak to colleagues..NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK! • Internet Search Engines • Research Funding Websites • www.rdinfo.org.uk - for medical research funding opportunities. • http://www.cos.com/(Sources for Research, Worldwide) • ResearchResearch.com – funding database / good source of information

19. How to Undertake a Funding Search (2) • University subscribes to the RESEACHRESEARCH.COM funding database • Register & personalise the service • Save custom searches and set alerts

20. You have found a Potential Funder…. What now?

21. Section 4 • Proposal Preparation

22. Writing your proposal: Structure Whilst all proposals need a good idea, there is a ‘standard’ template for application • Previous Research Track Record • a. Research staff (PI and Co-PIs) • b. Host Institution • c. Any collaboration • Description of Proposed Research • a. Background • b. Programme and Methodology • c. Project Risks • d. Relevance to Beneficiaries • e. Dissemination and Exploitation • f. Justification for Resources • g. References • h. Work Plan (Gantt Chart)

23. Is it “enough” to follow the standard template? • No single winning formula for preparing successful proposals • Anything you can do to help reviewers & decision makers understand your application will benefit you • The committee/people assessing your proposal spend a considerable amount of time discussing the feasibility of your research. • Be sure to explain WHY and HOW your ideas will work

24. Good Practice & Developing your Grant Proposal • There is plenty of evidence to show that good ideas are often undermined by mistakes in proposal preparation. • The following are some common sense strategies to consider at the proposal writing phase, highlighting a number of pitfalls to avoid at all costs! • Follow this advice and your chances of success will increase! Pitfalls

25. Pitfall 1: Poor fit 1. Verify the match • Develop your funding search skills • Pay close attention to the programme aims, objectives and eligibility criteria • Read the programme call carefully • Make contact with programme officer /director before starting your proposal! • Send brief (2-3 short paragraphs) overview of proposed project to programme officer and your R&I pre-award contact • Investigate alternative funding sources ! ?

26. Pitfall 2: Weak argument 2. Prove the importance of your project • State your project purpose up front • Identify and highlight the core strengths in your research • Build a compelling argument • Cite an authoritative source(s)

27. Pitfall 3: Excessive jargon 3. Assume an uninformed but intelligent reader • Use clear, accessible language • Stick with direct statements and active voice • Consider the reviewer/reader when preparing your proposal • You must convince both an expert referee and the less expert reviewer that you have an exciting feasible idea • Avoid insider jargon and acronyms if possible

28. Pitfall 4: Vague research plan 3. Illustrate a detailed research plan • Specify major tasks and timelines • Use flow charts, calendars, or Gantt charts • Visualise the project on a single page • Consider the reviewer ….. again!

29. Pitfall 5: Deviating from guidelines 5. Follow application instructions exactly! Errors to avoid • Late submission • Case of support is too long • Fonts, margins, spacing too small (eight point text is not helpful) • Signatures, CVs missing • Budget narrative / Justification of Resources missing • Insufficient number of copies

30. Pitfall 6: Ignoring review criteria 6. Pay attention to all review criteria • Read evaluation standards carefully; then reference them in the project narrative • Touch all the bases--not just the ones you’re comfortable with Reviewers will use the criteria to “score” your proposal

31. Pitfall 7: Weak abstract 7. Develop the abstract with maximum impact • Should reflect entire scope of project • Summarise project purpose and methods • Must convey:- What researcher intends to do- Why it’s important- Expected outcome(s)- How work will be accomplished

32. Pitfall 8: Writing solo 8. Presubmission review • Ask experienced colleagues for comments and suggestions • Should be qualified to critique proposal content • View input as positive criticism and leave your ego at the door • Allow time for rewrites!

33. Pitfall 9: Document errors 9. Use proof readers • Find an eagle eyed perfectionist in your department/school • Proofreaders read for form, not content • Must be someone who has no stake in the project! • Learn to love what they will do for you • Zero tolerance--no error is too small to correct • Root out inconsistencies in format as well as typos, misspellings, grammar, etc.

34. Pitfall 10: Choosing the wrong referees 10. Take time to find the most suitable referees If you have to nominate reviewers (experts from other institutions) make sure these are selected appropriately • Ask a senior colleague for their guidance on appropriate referees • Find a referee who is supportive and does not have a conflict of interest

35. Verify the match Prove the importance of your project Assume an uninformed but intelligent reader Illustrate a detailed research plan Follow application instructions exactly Pay attention to all review criteria Develop the abstract with maximum impact Presubmission Review Use Proofreaders Take time to find the most suitable referees Poor fit Weak Argument Excessive jargon Vague research plan Deviating from the guidelines Ignoring review criteria Weak abstract Writing solo Document errors Choosing the wrong referees Good and Bad Strategies: REVIEW

36. Checklist 1 Before you submit ask yourself…. • Have I established appropriate aims and objectives? • Have I provided a well thought-out Research Design? • Have I given a detailed description of the proposed methods? • Have I considered already existing resources? • Have I thought about research ethics? • Have I recognised and planned for all the skills and competencies required? Are these skills and competencies reflected in the proposal’s research team?

37. Checklist (2) • Have I anticipated potential difficulties and addressed them? • Have I provided a bibliography? • Have I included all CVs? • Have I fully defended research design against critical appraisal? • Have I identified potential users and how to engage them? • Have I provided a clear dissemination strategy?

38. And finally…. • Fit research and grant writing into your job • Find a mentor(s) • Read successful grants; attend workshops & seminars • Find collaborators • Conduct your own searches • Network • Think big, think small, think different!

39. Summary • Department of Research & Innovation • Initial idea development • Funding • Proposal Preparation

40. Securing your First Grant • ANY QUESTIONS?

41. Adrian Walters Research & Innovation Office Tel: 3724 Email: a.s.walters@swansea.ac.uk