challenges

Proposal Rejection – Next Steps

You submit a grant proposal that you think has an excellent chance of success. Several weeks or months later you receive an email from the donor saying that it was not funded. Rejections can be difficult to swallow, especially since some reviewer comments might seem unjust. The best way to proceed is to give careful… read more

success

The Core of Your Proposal: The Problem Statement

In this blog, I will address need statements specifically for programmatic grants, which will have a heavy focus on the beneficiaries. The need statement, also known as the problem statement, is a key element of any proposal. It makes a clear, concise, and well-supported statement of the idea you are proposing. It needs to be… read more

match

5 Things to Know About the Language and Culture of a Grant Donor

I am often asked: “Can I submit the same grant proposal to multiple funding agencies?” Obviously, the answer is a definite no, but it is also important to understand the implications behind such a question. It assumes that all donors are the same; that they would fund whatever we wish funded; that there is a… read more

management

Five Crucial Aspects of Grant Management

You have been awarded the grant that you so diligently developed. There is no question that everyone on your team is elated, but now the hard work of implementing and managing the grant begins. If you start immediately, the task will go smoothly. If, on the other hand, you wait, serious issues can occur that… read more

success

Seven Characteristics of Successful Grant Writers

Panic is often the first reaction I hear from grant writers who have not fully developed their ideas, do not have an understanding of what exactly is needed from each person on their team, and who are writing at the last minute. On the other hand, I hear cautious optimism from people who are ready… read more

cuts

Profound Attack on US Education Funding

Just as US education outcomes have begun showing statistical improvement, the new budget cuts passed by the House and awaiting Senate approval, are an assault on education at all levels. The long term impact of these cuts on the K-12 levels will be felt especially by lower income students and families and underrepresented groups. Higher… read more

review

The Final Step to Avoid Grant Rejection

I have received funding for the majority of the grants that I have submitted. One of the main reasons for my success is the pre-review process which, I believe, is a must before proposal submission. This process involves asking three different types of colleagues to provide feedback on your grant. The pre-review steps are: A… read more

trump

What the Trump Budget Means for Grant Funding

President Trump’s federal budget plan will mean stiffer competition for research, education, and humanities funding. Although the proposed budget will likely undergo changes before it is finalized, the stage has been set for potentially severe cuts. Specifically, the deepest proposed cuts are: Environmental Protection Agency (31% reduction), State Department (29% reduction), and the Department of… read more

connecting

Grant Success: Stop Stating, Start Connecting

If you want to connect, take your audience with you from the start. Effective communication in a grant proposal requires knowing your goal and stating it clearly, but also remembering that you have to construct that goal around what your donor wants to hear. Within this context, I want to convey an interesting encounter I… read more

dod

Expand Your Research with DoD Funding

So you are thinking of applying for Department of Defense (DoD) funding, but do not know where to start, what they fund, and if your project fits their interests? This blog is about why you, as a researcher working in an academic setting, could be eligible to apply for DoD grants, and how to begin… read more