international

Increase Your Funding via International Partnerships

In my own career, I recall a very wealthy donor from Asia, who funded a major program at a leading university department where I was the director. He asked me what I believed would be an important funding area if he were to donate $1 million to my department. I told him that international research… 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

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

shake

How to Write Successful Collaborative Applications

Writing a research grant application by yourself is daunting, and this feeling doesn’t go away, even when you collaborate with others to write the grant. Multidisciplinary collaborative research grant applications are becoming the norm for early and seasoned investigators. But navigating through these applications is different from writing an application as a single investigator. For… read more

teams

Five People You Need on Your Proposal Writing Team

The most successful grant seekers are able to utilize effective teams. Not all individuals on your team may end up being part of the grant, but they will define the way the entire process of the grant request is assessed, constructed and written. You will need people on the team who understand the institutional mission… read more

fatal

Five Lethal Research Grant Flaws

The success rate for scientific proposals can be as low as 12%. Poor writing, insufficient preliminary data, and a deficient literature review can all contribute to rejection, but are fixable. On the other hand, the five most fatal flaws which follow are very difficult to overcome even with multiple submissions. Lack of significance To help… 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

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

questions

11 Questions You Must Ask Before You Write

Before considering writing a grant proposal, several crucial steps need to take place. These all drive a proactive approach to ensure you are eligible, qualified, and ready to design your project. Most importantly, create a timeline for implementation of each of the following steps: Is your idea part of a strategic plan? If you are… read more

Free Tool

Your Most Helpful Tool: The Logic Model

(scroll down to download fillable logic model tool) Outcomes and evaluation are key components in today’s proposal requests. Using a logic model will ensure you properly demonstrate these elements, thus giving you the best chance of being funded. Donors want clarification of the relationship between their investments and the activities, outputs, and anticipated outcomes of… read more