GRANT WRITING TIPS

1. GRANT WRITING TIPS R. Jay Turner, Ph.D Marie E. Cowart Professor Of Sociology and Epidemiology7

2. HOW TO WRITE YOUR FIRST GRANT • Nothing beats a good idea • Be realistic • Make the presentation clear and simple • Make the presentation easy to read • Present yourself as the greatest expert in the field • Submit a realistic budget

3. NOTHINGBEATS A GOOD IDEA • Articulate a worthwhile, single, overall objective (a rather focused objective in the case of experimental research) • Articulate Specific Aims that are clearly related to one another and logically fit under the umbrella of the overall objective • Present gaps in our knowledge • Plant the seed for achieving each specific aim by presenting the questions to be asked which will fill the gaps

4. BE REALISTIC • Ask questions which are answerable • Provide tantalizing preliminary data as evidence that the questions are worth asking and answerable • Propose technical approaches which are within the realm of your published technical expertise OR provide preliminary data • The volume of work proposed should be proportional to the time of support requested and your other obligations

5. MAKE THE PRESENTATION CLEAR AND SIMPLE • Assume total ignorance on the part of the reviewer • Provide all of the simplest conceptual background • No abbreviations or acronyms without definition • Use diagrams and to illustrate concepts and models • Use formatting for emphasis • Be redundant

6. MAKE THE PRESENTATION EASY TO READ • Think of the reviewer • Avoid verbosity • Do not force the reviewer to hunt through the application for information

7. PRESENT YOURSELF AS AN EXPERT IN THE FIELD • Know the literature in depth and breadth • Do not make statements without attribution or preliminary data • Do not be reluctant to admit shortcomings • Seek collaborators or mentors when your expertise cannot be documented

8. SUBMIT A REALISTIC BUDGET • Request only what you need and you can defend • Justify every item in the budget thoroughly • Do not request less than you need • Present evidence that your institution supports your research

9. THE RESEARCH PLAN • Specific Aims • Background and Significance • Preliminary Studies • Research Design and Methods • Human Subjects • Vertebrate Animals • Literature Cited • Consortium/Contractual Arrangements • Consultants

10. SPECIFIC AIMS • The aims of the proposed research indicate what is to be accomplished so clarity is of utmost importance. • The review committee will evaluate your application in terms of the adequacy of the design, sampling plan, and data analyses for addressing each specific aim. • The Background and Significance and Data analysis sections should be organized in terms of each specific objective.

11. BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE • Provide enough background information so the reviewer appreciates what you are proposing • Extraneous information is distracting • Organize information by specific aim and use bold headings. • Use terminal sentences pointing to your goal at the end of each specific aim section

12. SIGNIFICANCE • Be imaginative • Avoid unrealistic ideas • Keep it simple • Be brief • Present in layman’s terms if possible

13. PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTS • Present preliminary data which supports the feasibility of each specific aim • Do not present preliminary data which will completely accomplish the specific aim • Present preliminary data which proves you can use a new technique • Present preliminary data to support your development and validation of a previously undescribed technique

14. PRELIMINARY STUDIES (field research • For applications to continue a program of research, describe findings and methods from related prior studies, especially those that bear on feasibility of proposed work, the adequacy of sample sizes available etc. • For first time applicants, describe all of the relevant prior work and experience of each key investigator. As part of demonstrating feasibility, provide information on training experience and skills represented in the team. Argue your collective capacity to accomplish the field work and do the science.

15. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND METHODS • Present most often used methods first each in separate titled paragraphs • Present in a depth which is inversely proportional to your published experience with the methods • Cite publications in which you have used the methods • Refer to the preliminary data when describing unpublished methods

16. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS • (social and behavioral research) • Under the heading of “Approach” reviewers will consider whether the research design, sampling plan, measurement plan, and data analysis plan are adequate to effectively address each research aim. • A non-experimental study will be judged highly to the extent that the design and methods minimize the probability that results may be artifactual or difficult to interpret

17. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSExperimental approaches to each Specific Aim • Each specific aim is its own section • State specific aim • State hypothesis associated with that specific aim • State question(s) associated with that hypothesis • Provide rationale for each question • Describe experiments • Expected results, interpretation, shortcomings and pitfalls

18. EXPERIMENTAL QUESTIONS • Each question should logically fit under the umbrella of its hypothesis • The rationale for each question should serve to clarify the question, the necessity for asking the question and its relationship to the hypothesis What is to be gained by asking the question?

19. SAMPLING • Central considerations summarized in handout

20. MEASUREMENT • DATA ANALYSES

21. SHORTCOMINGS, PITFALLS, LIMITATIONS • What are possible alternative approaches? Why are you using the approach you are? Why are you not using one of the alternatives? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the approach you are using? • Are there any pitfalls you foresee? How will you deal with them? • What are the major strengths and weaknesses of your research plan?

22. HUMAN SUBJECTS/VERTEBRATE ANIMALS • Follow the instructions carefully • Verbosity with detail is good • Be realistic about number of subjects/animals • Be aware of rules governing limitations of use

23. SUMMARY STATEMENT • Some experienced applicants assist reviewers by writing their own brief summary statement as if they were a reviewer Significance, Approach, Innovation, Investigator, Environment • Be brutally honest Strengths and Weaknesses Shortcomings • What will the project accomplish? • What will the project not accomplish?

24. CONSULTANTS/COLLABORATORS • Use consultants for techniques that you intend to use for the first time Secure letters confirming their role • Obtain letters of collaboration • Have a senior level colleague with the greatest experience obtaining grants and serving on Study Sections read and critique the application

25. YOU CAN HAVE SOME CONTROL WITH RESPECT TO THE REVIEW PROCESS • Before mailing application, review the charge and membership of the possible Study Sections to which it may be assigned http://www.csr.nih.gov/committees/rosterindex.asp#A • Write a cover letter to be included in your application package Request assignment to the Study Section you select

26. COMMON REASONS GRANT APPLICATIONS RECEIVE UNFUNDABLE SCORES • Poor organization Not an integrated body of work • Exercise in data collection “Fishing expedition” • Work too descriptive and not analytic or experimental. • No compelling case made for the theoretical or practical utility of anticipated findings

27. COMMON REASONS GRANT APPLICATIONS RECEIVE UNFUNDABLE SCORES • Lack of sufficient detail • Insufficient convincing preliminary data • Applicant not capable of performing the work • Inadequate institutional support • Objective not very important to health and disease • Overly ambitious

28. WHAT DO I DO IF APPLICATION IS NOT APPROVED FOR GRANT FUNDING? • Find out why Ask SRA and Institute official Obtain Summary Statement Read Summary Statement thoroughly and often Ask a mentor to read Summary Statement Mentor and yourself should highlight issues for attention

29. WHAT DO I DO IF NOT APPROVED FOR GRANT FUNDING? • Re-write application • Respond to Summary Statement by: Enumerating each criticism and the actions you propose to take

30. WHAT ACTIONS SHOULD I TAKE? • Take the criticism constructively No finger pointing or accusations Admit the reviewers were right • Articulate your response to each Reorganize and simplify presentation Provide more detail Provide preliminary data in response Get a consultant Add a research aim or eliminate one. DIPLOMATICALLY point out reviewer error

31. AND NOW…………. • You can do nothing more……. SO…… AWAIT THE AWARD NOTICE!!!!!!!