Grant Writing Information Session

1. Grant Writing Information Session Kristen Burwell Graduate Writing Fellow May 1, 2013

2. Types of Grants - NIH • T: Institutional Research Training Grant – granted to institutions for graduate students and post-doc appointments • F: Fellowships – Individual post-doc fellowships for behavioral science or biomedical research • K: Research Center Development Awards – granted to develop research scientists with potential

3. Types of Grants – Cont’d • R: Research Grants – awarded to fund a specific objective or study in the area of interest of the principal investigator • P: Program Grants – awarded to senior investigators to fund a broad long-term program of research (typically focus on disease mechanisms) • P: Center Grants – awarded to senior investigators

4. Grant Outline • Specific Aims • Research Strategy • Background • Significance • Innovation • Approach • References • Human Subjects, Environment, etc…

5. Grant Outline Cont’d • Budget and budget justification • Subcontract paperwork (optional) • Biosketches • Letters of Support • Administrative pages

6. Scoring Criteria

7. Before you begin… • Be very familiar with the review criteria • Significance – scientific, practical relevance • Investigators – expertise and training • Innovation – shift in current research • Approach – soundness of research strategy • Environment – institutional resources and access to relevant equipment

8. Timeline Create a writing timeline or calendar Be realistic Incorporate opportunities for multiple reviews before final submission Use your resources

9. Grant Components • Specific Aims • Discuss the purpose of the proposal and public health relevance • Discuss current literature • Discuss the gap in knowledge and why it should be addressed • Include long-term and short-term goals • Include hypothesis for each aim • Demonstrate the impact of your work (innovation and expected outcomes)

10. Grant Components Cont’d • Background and Significance • Mention why the work is significant, including benefits to the knowledge obtained • Conduct a critical evaluation of major findings • Cite key articles • Discuss how your project may address discrepancies in the literature • Provide a rationale for all of the gaps that you have identified

11. Grant Components Cont’d • Preliminary Studies • Demonstrate you and your teams’ competence and expertise • Prevent relevant data and conclusions • Connect the preliminary data with your proposed research • Include figures and tables

12. Grant Components Cont’d • Research Design and Methods • Discuss how you will conduct your research study • Organize by specific aims • Include specific methodology to accomplish your research goals • Include your power analysis • Mention limitations and alternative strategies to avoid or handle potential problems

13. Grant Opportunities • EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowships for Graduate Environmental Study • http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2013/2013_star_gradfellow.html • Deadline: late October, early November • New Requirement: cannot involve human subjects • Proposal Description: 5 pages

14. EPA STAR Materials • Application for Federal Assistance, (SF) 424 • EPA Key Contacts Form (5700-54) • Front Page • Personal Statement • Proposal Description • Background Information: • Education & Relevant ExperiencesPublications & PresentationsCourse Work • Letters of Recommendation (sent by referees)

15. How can I help you?