Project scope—how much is too much, or not enough? A proposal deemed “too ambitious” may read as overly broad, too high-risk, or outside the skills and resources of the proposers. Alternatively, grants described as “not ambitious enough” may show limited impact or innovation. The challenge for grant writers lies in developing a competitive proposal that strikes a balance between the two. 

“Too ambitious”? 

If you get the dreaded “too ambitious” feedback on your grant, seek feedback from the program officer and colleagues to see if any aspects of your proposal make it seem unfeasible. If, after reflecting on your proposal, you know you can complete the work within the funding guidelines, then shift your focus on how to better demonstrate how you’ll do what you propose to do. 

• Scope too broad? Clearly define the specific goals that you plan to accomplish in your proposal. Perhaps take out controversial components to run as a separate pilot project. By focusing on smaller, manageable goals, you can demonstrate the feasibility of your project. 

• Outcomes not realistic? Create a clear timeline and focus on the project’s achievable metrics. Outlining how you will achieve your outcomes in detail will increase reviewer confidence that you have a clear plan for completing your project within the given timeframe. 

• Overestimated experience or resources? Show that you have the skills, experience, and resources to complete the work by discussing aspects that strengthen your likelihood of success. Emphasize pilot data and research supporting the techniques you plan to use, maximize your biographical sketch to showcase your qualifications and experience, and discuss collaborators that will fill in gaps in your experience related to the project. 

“Not ambitious enough”? 

Reviewers sometimes fault grants that appear limited in terms of impact or innovation as "not ambitious enough." In this case, it's important to focus on areas to expand your grant and better champion your case. 

• Expand your goals: Perhaps you can integrate components that you originally left out because they seemed too risky or find ways to address bigger questions, other fields, or populations. 

• Increase your impact: Expand the scale of your research impacts to emphasize the importance of your project. 

• Focus on innovation: Highlight the novel aspects of your project to reinforce how your project will make a difference. 

Key takeaway

If you get negative feedback on the scope of your proposal, discuss the comments with your program officer and assess whether you truly need to adjust your project scope or if you simply need to modify how you discuss your project. Sometimes, balancing feasibility and ambition in your proposal can be achieved simply by adjusting what you emphasize in your writing.