plan

10 Key Ingredients of Winning Proposals

There are numerous components that comprise a winning proposal, and there are many factors that ultimately lead to the donor’s decision to fund or not to fund a proposal. The key elements, however, begin with a solid idea, continue with a clear business plan and end with deliverables that are evidence-based. Specifically, winning proposals should… read more

NSF logo

Navigating the National Science Foundation Website

Becoming familiar with the various resources available on the funding agency’s website is the first step in learning how to write a successful grant proposal. For example, the applicant should show familiarity with the mission and the strategic plan of the funding agency. What are the key words in these documents? The applicant should use… read more

shake

Why You Cannot Afford to Bypass Collaboration

I once had the good fortune of being able to receive funds for collaborative research from a well-known, wealthy, international donor. He asked me what I thought would be the most productive way for him to spend his money for faculty grants. Since I was then working at a university, I asked if he could… 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

style

Want to Get a Grant? Change Your Style

Every time I look at a grant proposal that my colleagues in academia give me to review, I am astounded at how difficult it is to read and comprehend. They often use extensive scholarly language that is specific to their field. Their proposals sound like publications in academic journals rather than business plans for grant… read more

fail

20 Ways to Fail at Grant Proposal Writing

I have seen numerous proposals fail during my grant reviewing career. The reasons for this vary greatly. Some grantees fail due to a lack of understanding of the purpose of the grant, others due to time constraints. Although the following directions are of course meant ironically, it is not uncommon to see them in practice…. read more

climate

Climate Change: Sea Levels and Funding on the Rise

On a recent trip to Trinidad and Tobago to discuss sustainable tourism, I was appalled to learn that entire villages had disappeared due to the rising sea level. On another trip to Alaska, I could see the melting icebergs, which is one of the causes of the sea level rise in the Caribbean. As I… read more

fellowship

Fellowships: Diversity, Criminal Justice Reform, Education and More

Throughout my career, fellowships were central in assisting my academic pursuits and research with colleagues in the U.S. and abroad. I have fond memories of these awards, because they enriched my life and work. Federal and private donor fellowships are awarded for a multitude of reasons, including dissertation completion, advanced research, collaborative and interdisciplinary work,… read more

first step

Your First Step: Understanding the Request for Proposal

Before you start writing, you absolutely must thoroughly read and understand the Request for Proposal (RFP). My very first experience with the RFP was so intimidating that I almost did not want to proceed with the submission. However, when I realized that much of it contained boilerplate information about the agency and their legal requirements,… read more

abstract

The Abstract: First Impression that Seals Your Fate

The abstract is the most important part of your proposal because it is the first impression you make on the donor. This introduction will seal the fate of your request – for better or worse. You should devote a substantial amount of time and effort to writing this section. You need to keep in mind… read more