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

humanities

How to Write a Successful Humanities Grant

In the many grant writing workshops I teach throughout the United States and Canada, participants who are interested in humanities grants frequently ask me what their odds of being funded are, and if there is a magic formula to obtaining a grant. Given that thousands of applications are submitted yearly to the National Endowment for… read more

Update

2015 Federal Budget: What it Means to You

A new year, new appropriations, a new congress, and new fiscal management procedures will bring new concerns for grantees. Increasingly, applicants must focus their attention on accountability and performance measurements. The need for research money for large universities and laboratories is increasing, as is the pressure for faculty to receive external support. Given that the… read more

Politics

Grants: Who Decides Where the Money Goes

The process of deciding which funding to provide and which to cut is constantly in flux. Changes are happening both regionally and nationally, in both the public and private sectors. It was for this reason that the Department of Education of one Southern state invited me to work with those making the decisions about which… read more

Weymouth_-_Harbour_Bridge_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1007800

Science & Humanities: Should You Bridge the Divide?

Every time I greet workshop participants prior to teaching, the introductions quickly outline divisions in the disciplines. In a typical grant training course, I see about seventy percent scientists, twenty-five percent social scientists, and three to five percent various humanities professionals. Within minutes, I notice a stark behavioral approach between the two groups. The scientists,… read more

Van Gogh Starry Night

Dreaming the Possible Dream: 3 Areas of Humanities Funding

Don Quixote dreamed the impossible dream. To keep his dream alive, courage and persistence were his tools against windmills and other hurdles. As artists and researchers in the humanities, we dream possible dreams of preserving the past, creating the present, and exploring the future. A variety of donors believe in and encourage our work through… read more