Getting and keeping your research funded is tough these days. It is especially hard to write that first successful grant proposal. Perhaps one proposal out of ten submitted, one in twenty, or even one in one hundred will be selected for funding. To beat those odds, you must be prepared to have your proposal criticized and rated by reviewers, be turned down once or more, and resubmit with appropriate revisions. If the funding agency staff members encourage resubmission, it is important to follow their suggestions, as well as those of the reviewers – the staff will probably be the same during your next submission, the reviewers may not be. But, the most important thing is to submit the best possible grant proposal the first time and every time. Here are some suggestions.
The three most important aspects of a grant proposal are justification, justification, justification. Your proposal must clearly justify the purpose and goals of the research, the approach and methods, and the ultimate contribution to your field. The abstract and statement of goals are probably the most important sections of the entire proposal and should be revised and re-revised until they are perfect.
Because every funding agency sets limits on the length of the proposal, each section should include only the most relevant information. For example, the Background section should not be a broad review of the literature, but should focus on previous work that is directly related to the proposed research. Be sure to cite papers by the prominent researchers in your field, since they may well review the proposal and will not appreciate being omitted. The methods section should include enough detail to convince reviewers that you know what you are doing, but not so many details that they might find minor points to disagree with.
Perhaps the fourth most important aspect of a grant proposal is preliminary data. If the data have already been published, so much the better. But, it is also valuable to include unpublished data that support your hypotheses or demonstrate your ability to master the proposed methods.
Finally, don’t do what so many of my colleagues have always done, which is to put off writing the proposal until a few days (or the night) before the deadline. Submitting the best possible proposal requires careful thought, writing, and polishing, which take time. No reviewer will be impressed by a sloppy submission that was obviously thrown together at the last minute. Leave sufficient time for a colleague, or graduate student or two, to read the proposal and provide feedback. If you are planning to resubmit a proposal that was previously rejected, start the revisions as soon as you have recovered from the sting of rejection. And consider getting help from a professional writer/editor. They might provide the help you need to beat the odds.
Good luck! I wish you success in getting your research funded.
Val Gerard, Ph.D.
Science and medicine editor
About the Author
VAL GERARD, MA, PhD in Biology
Editor/Writer, Science and Medicine
Val Gerard retired in 1999 after 30 years as a scientist and professor. With a strong record of publications and successful research funding, she now uses her skills to help others achieve similar successes.
Past and current clients from Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Columbia, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Patagonia, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Thailand, Uganda, the U.K., the U.S., and Venezuela.
High rate of client success with manuscripts submitted to scientific and medical journals, and with grant proposals to various funding agencies, including NIH and NSF (largest successful grant to date, $120 million).
Assists clients in developing written materials for commercial websites, brochures, etc.
Specializes in organization, interpretation, and clear presentation of complex information.
Helps clients improve their own writing skills for future projects, including non-native English speakers.
Provides rapid turnaround. Helps you submit your grant proposal, manuscript, book, chapter, or report on time.
More than fifty publications (see publication list, below) and one million dollars worth of successful grant proposals of her own.
Past experience as associate editor and/or reviewer for over two dozen scientific journals, including Science, and government funding agencies.
“Dr. Gerard is a wonderful writer. She took something that was a bit dry and made it engaging and easy for regular people to understand. Also, she is lovely to work with.” Vanessa Spann, associate editor, Healthy Travel Media
“Dr. Gerard help was the key for the success of my PhD thesis. She right away picked up my writing flaws and worked with me so I could understand the right way to write. Also, her suggestions about structure and comprehension were right on the mark. My committee was very impressed with the quality of the work presented and I have already recommended Dr. Gerard work to some of my colleagues.” - Successful Ph.D. Candidate in immunology, 2010
"DONE!!! The paperwork is signed and submitted, the after-defense party has been held, and I am feeling very good!!! As far as congratulations go - you deserve MUCH credit. Thank you once again, Val. That mock defense was incredibly helpful, as at least 2 questions were nearly word-for-word! Your assistance with the talk was also of great benefit, as [my advisor] said that it was one of the best defense presentations he had ever witnessed! I can put this project on the 'finally finished' pile. Your help in all this has been pivotal. I will never forget it. I have never—in my life—ever—received such targeted, useful professional advice, and productive feedback. It has been a true pleasure working with you, and learning a new way of writing and putting together a scientific story."Successful Ph.D. candidate in Ecology, U.S. 2007 (contact information on request)
"I had completely given up on the Masters, I emailed my tutor again this week and he said he would chase it up. He has just emailed back saying it has not only passed but been awarded a distinction! I owe this to you over and over, I would have given up but you just kept pushing me on." M.Sc. in Medical Education, UK, 2009 (contact information on request)
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