Grantsmanship Tips

Grant writers need to be able to justify not just why the work should be done, but also that the work CAN be done. Feasibility hinges on three primary factors: 1) investigator skills and experience, 2) logistics of project scope, budget, and time frame, and 3) suitability of the planned methods. While expectations vary by funding opportunity, all sponsors want assurance that they are investing wisely. 

Here are a few ways to effectively demonstrate feasibility in your next proposal. 

NIH is requiring personnel documents for all submissions due May 8 and after to be created using the Common Form in SciENcv (NOT-OD-26-079). This affects proposals, RPPRs and JIT submissions. Details of the changes can be found in the original notice (NOT-OD-26-018).

A strong grant proposal will: 

Developing a strategic funding plan can help any researcher. But for early career faculty looking to take advantage of opportunities exclusively for newer investigators, planning becomes even more important. Early career funding opportunities support newer researchers become independent investigators. With many of these awards being highly competitive and prestigious, it’s important to strategize when and how to apply. Below are important factors to consider along with resources that we’ve created to help.  

One of the most difficult steps in writing is when you need to edit your own work. After spending days/weeks/months/years on a project, it’s hard to see your work objectively. So, what are ways to help you get a fresh perspective on your own writing? Below are some tips and resources to help you edit your work.

We all need a break from staring at our screens from time to time, and a great way to use those breaks to help your grant writing and fund your research is to listen to a podcast! Below are some of our team’s favorites: 

In grant writing, the One-pager is your proposal pitch. It’s what you would send to a program officer, colleague, and/or potential collaborator to get feedback and check scope, and it is a critical step in the proposal development process. Crafting a One-pager requires you to crystallize the framework and rationale of your proposed idea, outline the objectives and activities of your project, and match your goals to the funding opportunity and sponsor. All of which needs to be done in a clear, concise, jargon-free way.

As researchers, we all have our specialist subjects. Whether yours is the result of a lifelong passion, a driving motivation to solve a problem, or a happy accident that you fell into, the importance of your research is something that seems obvious…to you. It is often more challenging to convince others about the benefits of your work and, in the case of grant writing, why they should fund your research. This is where being able to describe the impacts of your work becomes critical. 

You are likely reading this because you had a proposal rejected. If so, welcome to the club! The good news is that proposal rejection is just part of the process and provides you with an opportunity to improve your grantsmanship, and write a stronger proposal with a clearer vision.

As our team prepares to support University of California, Davis faculty apply for the 2025 National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER, it's a good time to share what we have planned for our researchers this season!