problems

Five Common Problems Facing Grant Writers

During a recent grant training workshop I conducted in Pennsylvania, I asked participants what they considered to be the key obstacles they face in seeking, submitting and ultimately winning grants. The answers varied according to institution, discipline and experience, but the most universal problems and solutions for everyone were: Timelines: “We can never find the… 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

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

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

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

questions

Five Key Questions for Grant Success

Five key questions that are universal to all grant writing will determine the success of a proposal. Knowledge, credibility, direction, research, and passion are essential components of any proposal. Politics will also play an important part in this process. This requires a full understanding of what the funder wants. If the objectives and the language… 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

1st-step

The Most Important Advice for New Grant Writers

Several million dollars in funding, heaps of grant proposals that have been implemented, numerous partnerships, and many interdisciplinary successes have taught me that grant writing is a process. Like any other skill, it takes passion, preparation, credibility, and perseverance. If you are writing your first grant proposal, it is extremely important you remember the following… read more