Two very different types of changes reshaped the research landscape this year. First came the planned reforms. Starting January 25, the NIH rolled out a streamlined peer review process, condensing five evaluation criteria into three core questions: Should this research be done? Can it be done well? And are the right people in place to do it? The goal was noble for it is meant to reduce bias, ease reviewer burden, and refocus attention on scientific impact rather than institutional prestige.

Researchers also adopted new application forms and updated fellowship processes designed to level the playing field for early-career scientists from diverse backgrounds. On paper, these administrative changes promised a fairer, more efficient system for discovering tomorrow’s medical breakthroughs.

But 2025 also delivered the unexpected. Throughout the year, the Trump administration froze or terminated over 5,000 NIH research grants that were already underway on everything from pediatric brain cancer to addiction recovery. While many were eventually restored, nearly $2 billion in medical research remains in limbo. Some researchers received four years of funding upfront rather than gradually, creating a short-term windfall that actually reduced the total number of available grants. Others faced proposed caps on infrastructure costs that threatened the very labs where discoveries happen.

For early-career scientists, the impact has been particularly devastating. Graduate students lost paid research positions. Postdocs postponed academic careers. One researcher described the current generation of young scientists as “the most demoralized early-career workforce” they’ve ever seen, not because of the science, but because funding that seemed secure vanished overnight.

Why should you care? Because medical research isn’t an abstract academic exercise. It is how we develop treatments for diseases that don’t yet have cures, understand emerging health threats, and improve quality of life for millions. When promising young researchers leave science because funding is too precarious, we all lose the discoveries they would have made.

The silver lining? Researchers are resilient. They’re finding alternative funding sources, advocating for stability, and continuing their work despite uncertainty. Universities are adapting to the new review framework, and some scientists report the simplified criteria actually help them focus on what matters most, which is the science itself.

As we move forward, the question isn’t just whether individual grants get funded. It’s whether we maintain a research ecosystem stable enough to attract brilliant minds and support the long-term projects that lead to genuine breakthroughs. The discoveries of 2035 will depend on the researchers we support or lose today.

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Ingredients    

1. Excellent match between the grant proposal and the donor’s priorities
2. Answering the “so what” question of your research
3. Simple prose and white space on the paper
4. Examples of the approach
5. A clearly written proposal
6. The grand finale: the significance of the results

Preparation

Read the entire RFP, from top to bottom. Once you clearly understand the directions that the donor provided, you can begin to put the pieces of the proposal together. Double check that you and your organization are eligible for the grant you are seeking, and that your project or research aligns with the donor’s mission. This makes certain that the match is made between yourself and the donor, and preparation of the pieces of the proposal can begin. These segments will be the product of extensive research on your part to move in the right direction. The pieces are:

1. Abstract – This will take careful preparation since it is the most important part of the application. It is the first impression, the precise summary of the entire proposal, and the evidence that success is possible.
2. Introduction – This is where you will present the problem or question to be addressed. The “so what” question for your project or research must be apparent, and should begin or lead into the narrative.
3. Need Statement/Statement of Significance – This is where the convincing argument for the project takes place. You will tell your impressive story, citing research and examples with enthusiasm and clarity.
4. Plan of Operation/Methodology – This is the heart of the proposal. Your plan should be tightly structured and consist of the goal (or hypothesis), objectives (or Specific Aims), and activities. Each segment will clearly illustrate the way your proposal will unfold in a logical manner. The evaluation follows, which should be clearly outlined in the incremental measurements of each activity – and these will be used to ensure your success in meeting your goal.
5. Outcomes and deliverables– This will be the section that demonstrates how the outcomes have unfolded, and what you are delivering to your constituents and the donor. In short, this is the resulting product of your proposal.

Presentation

Your presentation should be memorable. Don’t assume that reviewers will overlook sloppiness because your idea is phenomenal. You can achieve a superior presentation with images, graphs, and Gantt charts, which are easy to understand and memorable. Most importantly, if your proposal will make a significant impact, it should be stated as such. For instance, provide examples of how your work will make a difference, change the field, save lives, or set the stage for future change. Whether the presentation necessitates the elegance of a fine dining restaurant or the simplicity of a well-prepared meal at home, the true mark of success lies in what was expected and what has been delivered in an impressive manner.

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Most US institutions of higher education encourage faculty to apply for external funding, but the assistance they provide varies extensively. Teaching institutions, now more than ever, stress the importance of research. Unfortunately, due to the heavy teaching loads, many provide little if any assistance to faculty, while at the same time expecting them to submit successful grant requests. Among the most well-funded institutions, including R1 Doctoral Universities (very high research activity) and R2 Doctoral Universities (high research activity), assistance given to faculty varies, but all financially support projects that lead to faculty success in procuring external funding.

The following, although not inclusive, are some of the necessary infrastructure support steps an institution needs to take to assure increased funding and faculty support:

• Institutional level: This includes development of an administrative unit, such as a Sponsored Research Office, which will support many grant-related activities such as grant searches, grant compliance with the Requests for Proposals (RFPs), budget development and grant submissions. The university should recruit and pay graduate research assistants and financially and philosophically support departments that encourage and assist faculty in their funding pursuits. Some of these areas might be content reviews, editing, evaluation and statistical services.
• Departmental level: On the departmental level, the key faculty incentives are salary increases and reduced teaching loads. Also, the departmental goals should include funding success in the tenure and promotion criteria. In addition, many departments hire support staff to assist faculty in grant seeking and writing.
• Individual level: Faculty should be encouraged to augment their grant writing skills by attending ongoing extensive workshops sponsored by their department or conducted by external contractors. Another essential activity is creating partnerships and mentorships between the established senior and junior faculty in order for the former to review proposals and recommend changes. Ongoing mock grant review panels, whereby senior faculty review and score junior faculty proposals, are extremely helpful in order for faculty to see how their proposals will be critiqued and scored by the donor agency panels.

Other key aspects are visits by grant program officers, sharing and dissecting of successful proposals, online tutorials, departmental writing retreats, centers of research excellence, and standing committees that can work with faculty on a continuous basis. All of these must be institutionalized and conducted throughout the year. Faculty need to be incentivized and encouraged to attend the training, mentoring and other related activities. Coordination between all areas of the institution is essential. In addition, the orientation for all newly entering faculty should stress the importance of research, grant procurement and the assistance that the university provides in those respects.

From my extensive experience in working with universities throughout the nation, those that implement a culture of grant procurement including as many as possible of the above activities are the institutions with the highest funding success rate.

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Every donor is unique. For example, the institutes that comprise the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have dissimilar missions, and each has its own culture and requirements. The same can be said of the Department of Defense (DoD) and a myriad of other donors. Chasing the money rather than good ideas is a major flaw. Donors do not fund those focused on money, they fund those who are passionate about a good idea that aligns with their goals. Consequently, here are the five things you need to know about the language and culture of any donor before you write:

• What are the priorities of the donor? Each donor has its own priorities. For example, the National Science Foundation (NSF) encourages interdisciplinary programs and transformative ideas, and their definition and characteristics appear on their website. The DoD has five major foci: peacekeeping and war-fighting efforts, homeland security, evacuation and humanitarian causes. Each of these subcategories has their own mission and language. Turning to foundations, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation seeks to understand the world’s inequities. “Whether the challenge is low-yield crops in Africa or low graduation rates in Los Angeles, we listen and learn so we can identify pressing problems that get too little attention. Then we consider whether we can make a meaningful difference with our influence and our investments, whether it is a grant or a contract.” As this demonstrates, each donor clearly addresses their funding culture via their priorities.
• What is the mission of the donor? All donors have their own missions, which give us an understanding of how they visualize their funding priorities. For example, the NSF’s mission is: “To envision a nation that capitalizes on new concepts in science and engineering and provides global leadership in advancing research and education.” The NIH’s mission is: “To seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.” The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) run by the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command of DoD has a similar emphasis to NIH, but its mission is to relate health research to the armed forces. Even though both NIH and DoD fund innovative ideas to combat disease, their missions and foci are different.
• What have donors funded in the past and why? One of the best insights into a funding agency is who and what they funded in the past and how much money they awarded. Federal donors list abstracts of winning proposals, along with the name of the funded institution and the Principal Investigator/Project Director. Accordingly, we can instantly know who they consider credible and their focus. Foundations will often describe what they have funded in the past on their website. Their 990pf tax forms will also show how their funds were allocated. The decisive question for you to ask is how your idea and their funding patterns match.
• What are the evaluation criteria for awarding grants? How grants are evaluated is one of the best indicators of the donor’s culture. This will include the evaluation criteria, who the evaluators are and how they are chosen. For some donors, such as NIH and NSF, reviewer selection is not a blind process as reviewers who are chosen have a deep understanding of the agency culture. In the case of foundations, it is more difficult to discern who the reviewers are, but one good way is to understand the vision of the leadership and the makeup of the board, which will be reflected in the reviewers chosen.
• What is the language of the donor? In many cases donors speak different “languages”, which are in the same family of languages. For example, the various US Department of Education Title Programs (e.g. Title III or Title VI), address different topics. Some address underrepresented groups, others international and others centers of excellence. Similarly, NSF directorates and NIH institutes have different missions, speak to different audiences, and address their vision of the world on their own terms. It is these “languages” that need to be understood, spoken, and incorporated into grants in order to give you the competitive edge.

In conclusion, submitting similar proposals to different donors is a fatal flaw. In order to succeed, we have to understand first and seek to be understood secondly.

The post 5 Things to Know About the Language and Culture of a Grant Donor appeared first on Grant Training Center Blog.

1. Begin early – In many cases this could mean starting about nine months before the submission deadline. There are many phases prior to the final proposal submission, and it is difficult to assess ahead of time how long each of these will take. Therefore, it is wise to allow extra time for completion of the proposal.

2. Understand that grant writing is a team effort – Getting buy-in from all who will be involved in the various phases of the proposal is the very first step that needs to be taken. An initial meeting to determine the commitment, expertise, and division of labor will start the process. Once the overall structure is delineated, systematic follow-up sessions should occur.

3. Research the situation that requires an intervention – A thorough literature review of the existing problem is necessary in order to understand the intervention that will be the ultimate purpose of the grant. Once the specifics on what is working and what is not in the field are laid out, the need for the proposal becomes very clear.

4. Address the innovation gap – In almost all cases, donors are looking for innovative approaches that will solve an existing problem or contribute to advancement in the field. Innovative models that will improve the field emerge from preliminary data, pilot studies, and extensive research.

5. Comprehend that simplicity equals complexity understood – A grant is a business plan that is linear and methodically developed. The more the grant requester understands what he/she is asking of the donor, the easier it will be to write the proposal in a way that can be easily understood by the reviewers.

6. Know the culture and language of the donor – Speaking the language of the donor and navigating their culture with ease will win the confidence of the reviewers by ensuring that the proposal addresses what they want to fund and how the request aligns with their mission and vision.

7. Take their audience with them – Understanding who will review the proposal is a key characteristic of every successful grant writer. Thus, they write for their audience – the reviewers. It also goes without saying that the review criteria used to score proposals must be understood. If writing to a foundation, this approach may not be possible in all cases; however, speaking with the donor’s program officer will provide useful insight.

Upon submission, the components of a winning grant proposal will be: an excellent idea that needs to be implemented for change to occur, focusing or narrowing the request to what is realistic and doable, innovation, extensive preliminary work, and strong teams.

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Follow these five simple steps to achieve great results:

Employ a strategic approach to grant writing

Grant writing takes time. This implies excellent research, exceptional writing, understanding the donor’s mission, making the match, collaborating with colleagues, planning strategically, and developing an outstanding business plan. If your proposal is prepared correctly, it will guarantee higher chances of rising to the top of the competition and receiving the funds.

Find the right program for you and your idea

Making the match means aligning your mission and your funding request with the donor’s mission. The closer both of you are in what you wish to accomplish, the more likely you will be funded. One of the most fatal mistakes any grant writer can make is to ignore the interests of the donor.

Follow directions

It is critical that you follow the donor’s directions to the tee, for if you do not, the grant will be returned to you without review. This is one of the major reasons many submissions are rejected. Minor mistakes such as not answering the required questions, not following the obligatory format, or even simply not checking the appropriate boxes may get you immediately disqualified.

Start with a good idea

Poor ideas will not be successful regardless of how well they may be packaged. Behind poorly presented grant proposals often lie poorly reasoned research plans. Crafting a good idea is a process that requires discipline. Ultimately, a good idea is one that is needed, will lead to paradigm shifts, and will have a broad impact for its beneficiaries.

Develop a timeline

A timeline will help you determine how long it will take to develop your proposal. Also, timelines will demonstrate the individual steps you will be taking and the time it will take to accomplish them. Seeing this process clearly and realistically laid out can be achieved by organizing the activities in terms of the time it will take to effectively accomplish them.

Understand the evaluation criteria

Understanding the evaluation criteria before you begin preparing your proposal will provide you insight into where to place your greatest efforts. In most cases, the main concerns for reviewers will be the need for the project or research, the relevance of the application to their program priorities, the qualifications of the personnel, and the credibility and stewardship of the organization. This is not an exhaustive list, and there may be other key areas that you will need to address. If you are writing a federal grant, the evaluation criteria will be in the application itself or on the website of the agency. If you are writing a foundation grant, their website or the program office may have this information.

Attention to detail, carefully crafted ideas, excellent planning of the project, ensuring credibility and following directions are the key steps to having your proposal funded.

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• An idea that is clearly defined and focused, is well researched, is needed, has a broad impact, and can be accomplished within the lifetime of the grant should be the main focus of your proposal.

• A Statement of Need/Significance that makes a strong argument for funding is an integral component proposal component. You will need to specify how this need for was identified. If you are writing a research grant, your preliminary data should justify your argument for further research. If you are writing a project grant, utilize your literature review and experience to make the case for why you should be funded.

• Examples of how your project will unfold and how your team will work together are of critical importance for the donor to understand the specific implications of your project. Also, describing real-life scenarios is an approach that gives emphasis and meaning to the project you are undertaking.

• A Plan of Operation that presents the specifics of your proposal in a logical manner is your business plan. The donor must understand what you intend to do throughout the lifetime of the proposal. You should include a clear goal, measurable objectives, activities that can easily be budgeted, and outcomes that clearly parallel and are related to the objectives.

• A narrative that is written in positive terms should be utilized throughout the proposal. Some writers believe that if they describe how bleak a situation is, someone will give them money to solve the problem. This is not true. Funders prefer backing proposals that describe worthwhile programs that will meet identified needs and match the criteria set forth by the granting agency.

• Clearly written prose that does not overuse jargon or acronyms is a key ingredient for success. The use of language that is unknown to the reader is a distraction that could easily work against you. After all, you may use terminology that is specific to you on a daily basis, but that may not be the case for the reviewer.

• A budget that matches each activity of the proposal will demonstrate that you paid close attention to detail. All bases must be covered. If you are going to purchase hardware, have you purchased software? If you plan to offer training, how long will it be, who will conduct it, how much will it cost?

• Strong dissemination components signal that you will give back to your community what you learned throughout the lifespan your grant. This section is often extensive in some proposals that require broader impacts to address education, while in others it might be a presentation at a conference or a publication.

• Directions that are followed precisely will ensure your stewardship. If a scoring rubric or evaluation checklist is given to you, read it and follow those directions. Also, ensure that the margins, font size, and formatting are exactly as requested in the Request for Proposal (RFP).

• Professional presentation requires excellent grammar, concise sentences, a mixture of graphics and narrative and well constructed arguments for funding. It will translate into the impression you make on the reviewers.

Extensive preparation should take place before you begin writing a proposal. You need to determine exactly what you want to do, describe why your project is important, make the match with the donor’s interests, and then decide what should be included in your grant. This will be the conceptualization of your grant, and will initially involve the design of your project, not the writing. By carefully designing your project first and writing second, you will set in place the key elements that will make for a winning proposal.

The post 10 Key Ingredients of Winning Proposals appeared first on Grant Training Center Blog.

1. What types of grants are available for my research and my institution?

Federal, state, foundation, and corporate grants are available to faculty, teachers, K-12 schools, nonprofit organizations, and colleges and universities. The primary source of grant funding by far is the Federal Government, followed by individual giving, and foundation and corporate support. Federal funding includes both federal entitlements or formula funds, and competitive grants.

2. How much time does it take to prepare a grant proposal?

The amount of time and work it takes to prepare a grant application is a direct function of the number of people on your project team. Most grants have four to six weeks between the time the application is released and when the proposal is due. For larger, more complex grant proposals, this may not be enough time. Planning well in advance of the application release date can give you a head start and alleviate some of the pressure.

3. Who should I include on my grant writing team?

In addition to the content experts (PIs, Co-PIs, or Project Directors), every grant writing team should include key administrators. These are the people who have authority to make administrative decisions for the project, which can be invaluable during the proposal writing process. In addition, you may include personnel from the budget office, graphic designers, editors and grant reviewers, evaluators, technology coordinators, statisticians, and – in some rare cases – marketing consultants.

4. What are the key components of a grant proposal?

Competitive grants require a specific type of application. Although state and federal agencies and especially foundations have different requirements, the basic parts of a grant application remain the same. Those components are:

• Summary or Abstract is the most important part of your proposal because it is the first impression you make on the reviewer.
• Needs Statement/ Statement of Significance is the reason for your project and makes the argument for why the grant should be funded. Relevant data and research, such as surveys, preliminary studies, a literature review, and identified successful models of previous studies will all substantiate the needs of the targeted population or for your research project.
• Goals and Objectives are your plan of operation, and must be aligned with the project’s identified needs. A goal will be the end result of your project or research, and the objectives will prove how the goal will be met in measurable and quantifiable terms.
• Activities explain how each objective will unfold to meet the goal.
• Timelines describe the project activities in terms of deadlines. These may include your plan of operation, evaluation, and budget.
• Evaluation Plan is one of the most critical components for a project grant application, especially with the current heightened level of accountability. You must detail a comprehensive evaluation plan that incrementally tracks the effectiveness of your proposed objectives.
• Outcomes are critical in all evidence-based grant proposals. Outlining the short-, mid-, and long-term outcomes with specific benchmarks for success is vital for the donor’s understanding of the ultimate purpose for the funding. A helpful tool in developing and demonstrating the process indicators for successful outcomes of your proposal is the logic model.
• Budgets estimate as accurately as possible what the cost of each activity will be in personnel and non-personnel costs. Be certain to include a cost for each activity mentioned in your narrative, since it aligns directly with your budget.

5. What does it take to win a grant?

Many grant applications are accompanied by scoring criteria or rubrics. Read them carefully, because they will give you specific guidelines for creating a winning proposal. In the absence of a scoring rubric, read through the grant guidelines and make a careful list of all the items you must answer. As you fill out the application, check off each item so your proposal is in full compliance with the grant requirements. Aside from knowing the donor’s prerequisites to win a grant, you must have a well-crafted idea, excellent research, collaboration, innovation, and need for your proposed proposal.

6. What do I do if my grant is rejected?

This will depend on the scores of your application, rejection comments or letter. If your proposal has been rejected for a flawed idea or because you applied to the wrong donor, you should not reapply. However, if you have been rejected for defects in some of your activities, lack of examples, or a weak evaluation, you should speak with the donor concerning their recommendations on what needs to be fixed, and reapply as soon as possible.

As you develop the grant application, many more questions will arise. These can be answered by experienced colleagues at your institution or your grant administration office. Others, which deal directly with your expertise, can only be answered by you. The range of universal questions is wide; however, the ability to answer them effectively will lead you in the right direction for being funded. Most importantly, success depends on a well-crafted idea, extensive research, collaboration, innovation, and perseverance.

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• 1. clearly defined needs and describing how those needs were identified

This section of your proposal is probably the most important. It is your convincing argument on why you should be funded. Research, preliminary data, surveys, and planning grants help you identify the problem you want to solve. The idea for which you will request funding will be determined once you have a solid foundation based on need.

• 2. describing what will be done

Your plan of operation – which contains your goal, objectives and activities – will need to clearly define the steps you are going to take to achieve your goal. This is the reason your objectives must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.

• 3. presenting the material in a logical manner

A good plan of operation should, by its very nature, be easy to present in a logical manner. The plan of operation and its precise and logical presentation is your business plan. In addition, clearly identified sections and a parallel structure should be maintained throughout your proposal.

• 4. writing in positive terms

Some writers believe that if you describe how bleak a situation is, someone will give you money to solve the problem. This is not true. Funders prefer to back proposals that describe worthwhile programs presented in a positive light.

• 5. using clear and plain language

Remember that your audience – the reviewers – may not all be experts in your field. Even for scientific peer reviews, you should assume that some of the panel is composed of professionals outside your specific area. Regardless, jargon should be avoided at all costs. Have a naïve reader go over your application to let you know what is not immediately understandable. His or her input will be useful in determining which sections your reviewers may have trouble understanding.

• 6. presenting detailed budgets that match your proposed program

Your plan of operation will lead you directly from the measurable objectives to the activities of your project. A cost should be linked to each activity. For example, if you plan to offer training, how much will both the personnel and non-personnel costs be? Each budget item should have a detailed budget justification and explanation.

• 7. giving something back

It is expected that you will have a plan to disseminate your results to others who can learn from your work. This could be done via website information, training, conference presentations, or publications.

• 8. following the guidelines specified in the RFP

You must always follow the guidelines to be successful. The request for proposal (RFP) will give you specific directions on how to present, write, and budget your proposal. Follow them to the T! If the RFP mandates a page limit, DO NOT exceed that number. It is important to note that 50% of all proposals are returned without review because applicants have not followed directions.

• 9. looking professional

A professional-looking proposal is one that is easy to read, uses graphs and timelines to describe key areas, and is grammatically correct. Most of all, your proposal absolutely must be presented according to the guidelines of the RFP.

• 10. being the right length

Your application should be only as long as stated in the RFP. If your application has the scoring guidelines, use those to determine the length for various sections. For example, let’s say the granting agency wants the finished proposal to be no longer than ten pages and the guidelines weigh the evaluation section as 20 percent of the final score. That means 20 percent, or two pages, should be allotted for the evaluation.

In a competitive environment where less than 20% of the submitted grants are funded, your success will depend on all of the above elements. Crucial to this formula is your expertise, credibility, politics, and strategic planning. It takes a team to achieve the ultimate goal of being funded. The ten elements for success will take you and your team to the finish line where preparation and opportunity meet.

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What you say and how you say it will determine how effectively you keep pace with or surpass your competition. Demonstrating the extent of the problem through examples, statistics, and expert opinion, and following these up with effects, causes, and solutions will be your first step. Your second – and just as important – task will be to write in eloquent prose and clear language. Preparation for the competition will include three important tasks: your research, your vision, and your writing. To accomplish these, you will need to begin with the following:

Study

Having more knowledge, data, background, and creativity will always give you the upper hand over other proposal writers. To find out who will be competing, you should examine all the awards of the previous competition and see how you compare to them. Then, contact previous awardees and speak with them about their projects and to what they would attribute their success. Ask the program officer what the reviewers get enthusiastic about in the review process. Finally, you should know about your reviewers and their backgrounds (e.g. publications, experience, etc.). Studying your competition and the judges will give you the edge on how you approach your proposal, both in content and language.

Develop

Build up the skills necessary to achieve excellence in your grant writing. This can include taking a grant training course, reading superior sample proposals, speaking with your peers who have been successful, and seeking professional reviews and editing of your project. Once you have gained this experience and developed the skills needed to write a successful grant for the donor, chances are that you will be ready to effectively swim with the sharks.

Practice

Many superior athletes contribute their success to practice. For example, Tiger Woods was interviewed on the Golf Channel and was asked what he thought was the key to his success. His answer: practice. For proposal writers, practice does not mean applying and reapplying to various donors. Instead, it means analyzing how you will meet the goal of your research or project. Rigorously combing through your process will allow you to remove bad patterns in every step.

Play the Game in Your Head First

Having studied, developed, and practiced, you are now ready to play the game. Just like preparing for a debate, an important phone call, or an important meeting, running through the event in your own head is critical to success. As a proposal writer, you are trying to persuade others. To achieve this goal, you must reach your audience through logic and when necessary, emotion. You will need to convince them that you have a solution to a specific problem, and then you must maintain their attention so they score in your favor. To be effective, you first need to play the scenario in your head over and over again, ensuring that each objective or aim is doable, focused, and achievable. What will the scenario look like when you are funded? How will you begin? How will you execute each step? What obstacles will you need to solve? The more of these questions you can answer, the closer you will come to success.

Increase your odds in the competition first and foremost with the understanding that you are playing to win. You will be swimming with the sharks knowing that your life may depend on victory. This is the case for many grant writers who need their grants for tenure and promotion, as well as for others who need to sustain their jobs and salaries. You should not enter the competition merely hoping to win, but doing everything you can to prepare yourself for success. You are now in it to win it.

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