Research Development Toolbox
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Welcome to the Proposal Development Services (PDS) team's Research Development Toolbox! Here you will find everything you need for successful grant writing. The toolbox includes an extensive library of templates, guides, checklists, and more to help UCD Faculty plan out your proposal. We also have recordings of previously held webinars and information about upcoming events and trainings. If there's anything you are looking for that you can't find, be sure to reach out to us.
Research Development Blog
Improve your grantsmanship
We have a variety of resources to help you improve your grantsmanship skills and write a stronger proposal:
- Grantsmanship Learning Lab - A Canvas-based resource available to all UC Davis affiliates (no need to be added). Modules on all aspects of grant writing: finding help on campus, developing your funding plans, writing components of your proposal, science communication, designing figures, and much more!
- Grant Writing Tips - Read our original tips and tricks for improving your proposal writing.
- Learning library of articles - In addition to our original grant writing tips, we have curated a library of helpful articles covering all aspects of grantsmanship.
Get started on your proposal
Our team has developed a vast library of templates, checklists, and samples to ease the path to preparing a grant proposal. Below are some of the key ways to find our resources and make progress on your proposal:
- Browse materials by funding agency - We regularly update resources for preparing DOE, DOD, NASA, NIH, NSF, USDA, and more!
- View our more general materials - These are resources and guidance documents that can apply to many agencies
- Begin with a One-pager - We always recommend starting your proposal writing with a One-pager that will help you frame your ideas in the form of a pitch that can be shared with colleagues, potential collaborators, program officers, and more! And we are happy to provide feedback on One-pagers, so feel free to reach out to us with your draft at [email protected].
- Weekly Grant Writing Power Hour sessions - Every Monday from 9-10:30 am on Zoom, we host sessions to provide protected writing time so that you can make progress on your grants. Make some progress on your grant writing in this supportive environment alongside colleagues and members of our team.
View Early Career resources
We have a wide range of resources available to support Early Career investigators:
- Browse our materials for early career funding opportunities - These templates, samples, and checklists are updated regularly, but be sure to reach out to us at [email protected] if you do not see what you're looking for.
- Weekly Grant Writing Power Hour sessions - Every Monday from 9-10:30 am on Zoom, we host sessions to provide protected writing time so that you can make progress on your grants. Make some progress on your grant writing in this supportive environment alongside colleagues and members of our team.
- Grantsmanship Learning Lab - Our ever-growing, Canvas-based resource to help develop your grant writing skills. Available to all UC Davis affiliates using your kerberos login.
- Articles for Early Career investigators - Links to articles and posts specifically for early career researchers, curated by the PDS team.
- Reach out for a consult - We are happy to meet with you to discuss strategies for applying for funding, to provide feedback on drafts, and more! Reach out to us at [email protected] if you'd like to meet with us.
Keep up with changes in the funding landscape
The funding landscape has been changing rapidly, and the PDS team has been busy tracking updates that can impact the UC Davis research community. Here are some resources to help you keep up with the latest funding agency changes:
- View our Agency Updates - When funding agencies release new policies, our team writes up analyses to clarify how these updates impact our research community, describe action items for impacted researchers, and share resources to help.
- Set up an RSS feed for our posts - If you have an RSS tracker, you can add our news feed to your list so that you know when we've published as new analysis.
- Subscribe to the PDS newsletter - Once a month, we share a Research Development Newsletter that provides news on recent changes, tips for preparing a strong proposal, information about upcoming events, and more. You will need to log into Outlook to subscribe - reach out to Stephanie at [email protected] for help.
- Subscribe to the SIRF team's funding newsletters - The Strategic Iniatives and Research Funding (SIRF) team sends out weekly funding newsletters about the latest funding opportunities.
How we can help!
About us: The Proposal Development Services (PDS) team offers extensive services and resources to UC Davis researchers to assist in the development and submission of extramural funding proposals, including individual research grants, individual fellowships, larger center-scale and team grants, equipment grants, and institutional training grants. The unit provides early career research support, project management for large team grants, and a toolbox with templates, training opportunities, and resources to facilitate successful proposals.
Our services include:
- One-on-one consultations
- A research development toolbox housed on this website containing our library of templates and samples
- Direct assistance in proposal development, including document review and editing, budget development and, in some cases, project management
Additionally, we provide year-round professional development opportunities for faculty and researchers, such as workshops, proposal clinics, and writing retreats, to bolster the confidence and competence of UC Davis grant seekers.
Don't hesitate to reach out to the PDS team at [email protected] for help!