Grant Writing: Let’s Get Started!DEC 2004

Jennifer L. KilgoUniversity of Alabama @ Birmingham (UAB)

Michael Gamel-McCormickUniversity of Delaware

www.udel.edu/cds

Today’s Agenda

• Rationale for Grant Writing

• Issues and Challenges

• Steps in the Proposal Development Process

• Pointers for Successful Proposals

• Why Proposals Fail

• Questions and Discussion

Writing a grant …Why should I?

• Because I can!• I’ll have funds!• I’ll have release time!• I’ll have grad students!• I’ll get summer salary!• I’ll publish a lot!• I’ll be tenured/promoted!• It’s wonderful!

Oh, and yeah…

• I’ll be able to accomplish a project or meet a need!

What?!#% ………I didn’t get funded?

Typical responses…..

• Why not?• What was wrong?• Review teams are biased!• It’s hopeless!• It’s a waste of time!• The review sheets told me nothing!• I’m quitting!

Greatest issues and challenges?

• Timing is Everything!• Getting Started• Knowing the Lingo (RFP, PI,

Indirect Costs, etc.)• Committing to the Task• Making Grant Writing a Part

of What You Do• Not Being Afraid of an

Unsuccessful Proposal• Getting Back Up and Doing It

Again!

Wisdom from successful grant writers……

Unsuccessful proposals

Funded proposals

“Our stack of un-funded proposalsis much higherthan the funded ones!!”

Successful Grant Proposals…..

• Are ones in which the project goals and objectives of the grantee and those of the granter are in agreement, and the recipient has convinced the provider that the proposed plan described for bringing about the goals is reasonable and will be successful.

Yeah!• Three important steps to getting that grant (The

Three A’s):– Assess, assess, assess (identify the need!)– Articulate, articulate, articulate (tell ‘em what you

want to do!– Align, align, align (make sure your need and the desire

of the funder matches!)

Steps To Successful Grant Writing

I. Prepare to Write—Find the appropriate funding source and determine what they want

II. Write—Write an awesome proposal

III. Follow-up and Execute If Funded—Engage in appropriate follow-up activities

I. Prepare To Write….. Know the Funding Opportunities! (Various Sources and Types)

Research, Demonstration, Personnel Preparation, etc.

Federal (or State) - DOE, NIH, HHS

Private Sources or Foundations - Scholastic, Gates

Organizations (National or Local) – DEC, NAEYC, ASHA

Here’s some of the funding sources:

• National Institutes of Health (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/index.cfm)

• Head Start Bureau (http://www2.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb/grant/index.htm)

• Administration on Developmental Disabilities (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/add/pns.htm)

• Maternal-Child Health Bureau (http://mchb.hrsa.gov/grants/default.htm)

Here’s some more:

• Department of Education Office of Special Education Program (http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/programs.html)

• National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/nidrr/index.html)

• Rehabilitation Services Administration (http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/discretionary.html)

Sources for Searching

• Community of Scientists (http://www.cos.com/)

I. Prepare To Write (cont.)

Read in Detail the “Request for Proposals” (RFP)

• Determine the granters’ reasons for funding

• What is the perspective of the granting agency in relation to the area of your interest?

• What are the agency’s specific goals for this funding?

• Do your needs fit these goals?

I. Prepare to Write (cont.)

Check on specifics concerning the available money

• How much is available; how many and what size grants are expected to be awarded?

• What can the money be used for? (People? Capital expenses? Supplies and material? Acceptable activities)

I. Prepare to Write (cont.)… Utilize Available Resources

I. Prepare to Write (cont.)…….Allow Ample Time for Collaboration!

• Grant writing team?• Input from constituents?• Support letters?

• Advisory board?• Evaluators?• Mentors or consultants?

II. Write an Awesome Proposal…– Preface Section

• Cover pages, Forms, Signatures• Abstract• Reviewer’s Guide• Budget

– Main Body• Need / Problem Statement• Goal / Objectives• Plan of Operation / Methods• Evaluation Plan

– Appendices• Support Letters• Vitae• Other

II. Present an Organized Document (cont.)…The Main Body

Justification of Why the Proposal is NeededJustification of Why You Will Be Able to Do It

Long and Short Term GoalsObjectives to Meet the Goals

Methods to Meet the ObjectivesEvaluation Plan to Determine if Objectives Were Met

Realistic Time & Budget to to Meet Objectives

II. Present an Organized Document (cont.)… Ways to Improve your Chances

• Write to convince the reader• Assume they know nothing• Have a great title and abstract (wow them at the beginning!)• Include a reviewer’s guide (make it easy for them!)• Use ample figures & tables to help tell the story• Be sure the proposal is neat, clean, well-organized, to the point, easy to read (headings, bullets, etc.)• Select supportive materials for the appendix

III. Follow-up and Execution….

It’s All About Orchestration!!!

Conduct appropriate follow-up activities

The PI leads the effort

Keep everyone, including the funding agency, “in the loop”

Be a good steward of their money

Try to get pilot data for your next project

PUBLISH YOUR (THEIR) WORK!

Caution! Top 10 Reasons Why Proposals Fail

10. Topic or purpose is not appropriate for agency/reviewers

9. Didn’t follow the instructions

8. Lack of expertise & team/collaborative approach

7. Lack of new or original ideas

6. Poor communication of ideas and plans

5. Purpose and plan not sufficiently detailed

4. No specific outcomes or benefits or products

3. Insufficient attention given to related work of others

2. Poor evaluation design

Finding the Funding Agency

• Is an agency interested in your idea?• Does the agency have special

mandates?• What is the agency’s funding profile?• Are they interested in your idea?• Would they like to receive a proposal?• Is there a “champion” for your project?• Sometimes requests are just “wired”

Caution! Top 10 Reasons Why Proposals Fail

10. Topic or purpose is not appropriate for agency/reviewers

9. Didn’t follow the instructions

8. Lack of expertise & team/collaborative approach

7. Lack of new or original ideas

6. Poor communication of ideas and plans

5. Purpose and plan not sufficiently detailed

4. No specific outcomes or benefits or products

3. Insufficient attention given to related work of others

2. Poor evaluation design

Study….I mean study the RFP!

Caution! Top 10 Reasons Why Proposals Fail

10. Topic or purpose is not appropriate for agency/reviewers

9. Didn’t follow the instructions

8. Lack of expertise & team/collaborative approach

7. Lack of new or original ideas

6. Poor communication of ideas and plans

5. Purpose and plan not sufficiently detailed

4. No specific outcomes or benefits or products

3. Insufficient attention given to related work of others

2. Poor evaluation design

Expertise and Team/Collaborative Approach

Team/Collaborative PI – expert in specific area

Specialists: Related services, Research; Community; Minority; Evaluation

Senior mentor or consultants

Your Expertise

Published papers

Experience

Presentations

Pilot studies

Caution! Top 10 Reasons Why Proposals Fail

10. Topic or purpose is not appropriate for agency/reviewers

9. Didn’t follow the instructions

8. Lack of expertise & team/collaborative approach

7. Lack of new or original ideas

6. Poor communication of ideas and plans

5. Purpose and plan not sufficiently detailed

4. No specific outcomes or benefits or products

3. Insufficient attention given to related work of others

2. Poor evaluation design

Personnel Shortages in EI/ECSE

• A major problem throughout the US but even worse in Alabama

• Directly contributes to poor outcomes for children and families

• Therefore, we’re going to address the problem

• We’re going to address it in a new and different way

• We’re going to do it better than anyone else can

• We’re going to evaluate how we do it

• We’re going to share the results with everyone

Caution! Top 10 Reasons Why Proposals Fail

10. Topic or purpose is not appropriate for agency/reviewers

9. Didn’t follow the instructions

8. Lack of expertise & team/collaborative approach

7. Lack of new or original ideas

6. Poor communication of ideas and plans

5. Purpose and plan not sufficiently detailed

4. No specific outcomes or benefits or products

3. Insufficient attention given to related work of others

2. Poor evaluation design

Good Proposal = Good Idea + Good Plan

Meaningful and much needed modelor idea that may solve a problem

Do-ableWell thought outSufficient skills

You are Selling a Product

Identify What You Want to Do

Do you Know … Can you Communicate …

What you want to do? What you want to accomplish?

Why you want to do it? Why this project is needed?

Who you want to do it? Who will carry out the project?

If it will work? How much it will cost?

If you are qualified to do it?

Does it matter to anyone else?

Caution! Top 10 Reasons Why Proposals Fail

10.Topic or purpose is not appropriate for agency/reviewers

9. Didn’t follow the instructions

8. Lack of expertise & team/collaborative approach

7. Lack of new or original ideas

6. Poor communication of ideas and plans

5. Purpose and plan not sufficiently detailed

4. No specific outcomes or benefits or products

3. Insufficient attention given to related work of others

2. Poor evaluation design

Your Purpose & Plan

What you want to accomplish?

Why this project is needed?

Who will carry out the project?

If it will work?

How much it will cost?

If you are qualified to do it?

Does it matter to anyone else?

Essential Elements

Aims & Objectives & Plan

“Needs or Shortages”

PI & Other Personnel

Pilot Data

Must Be Realistic

Your Expertise/Track Record

“Great Outcomes”

Month 1 2 3 4 5 6

Planning x

Hiring x

Recruitment x x

Screening x x

Enrollment x

Months 1-6 Planning, Recruitment, Enrollment

Staff hired: 1 Project Coordinator, 1 GA, 1 EvaluatorRecruitment: N = 50 recruitedEnrollment: N = 25 eligible

Caution! Top 10 Reasons Why Proposals Fail

10. Topic or purpose is not appropriate for agency/reviewers

9. Didn’t follow the instructions

8. Lack of expertise & team/collaborative approach

7. Lack of new or original ideas

6. Poor communication of ideas and plans

5. Purpose and plan not sufficiently detailed

4. No specific outcomes or benefits or products

3. Insufficient attention given to related work of others

2. Poor evaluation design

End Points of Benefits

By 2010, the U.S. Public Health Service and the hundredsof agencies involved in developing health goals for the nationmust report their success. HP2010

Robert Wood Johnson PA...Policy & Environment

Secretary of DHHS Steps for Health

NIH Obesity Epidemic in Children

You can help them reach their goals

Caution! Top 10 Reasons Why Proposals Fail

10. Topic or purpose is not appropriate for agency/reviewers

9. Didn’t follow the instructions

8. Lack of expertise & team/collaborative approach

7. Lack of new or original ideas

6. Poor communication of ideas and plans

5. Purpose and plan not sufficiently detailed

4. No specific outcomes or benefit or products

3. Insufficient attention given to related work of others

2. Poor evaluation design

Caution! Top 10 Reasons Why Proposals Fail

10.Topic or purpose is not appropriate for agency/reviewers

9. Didn’t follow the instructions

8. Lack of expertise & team/collaborative approach

7. Lack of new or original ideas

6. Poor communication of ideas and plans

5. Purpose and plan not sufficiently detailed

4. No specific outcomes or benefits or products

3. Insufficient attention given to related work of others

2. Poor evaluation design

Caution! Top 10 Reasons Why Proposals Fail

1. It sure won’t get funded if you don’t

write the darn thing!!!!

Questions?

Wrap up!

www.udel.edu/cds

To A Future of Successful Grant Writing…