Strategies for Grant Writing Success

Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development

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Five Phases of the Proposal Lifecycle

1. Development

Start Early

Eliminate Surprise

2. Evaluation

Read the Solicitation

Evaluate the Opportunity

3. Pursuit

Analyze the Solicitation

Create a Realistic, but Aggressive Timeline

4. Production

Lead

Write

Use Your Resources

5. Debrief Always Improve

1 Start Early

Eliminate Surprise

1: Start Early

• Cultivate relationships within your network

• Contact and interact with sponsor agencies

• Craft and distribute high level technical scenarios

• Identify team members six months to two years in advance

1: Eliminate Surprise

• Understand the sponsor’s budget priorities, mission, and vision

• Identify and contact potential resources

• Track solicitations over time

2 Read the Solicitation

Evaluate the Opportunity

2: Read the Solicitation

• Read• Re-read• Internalize• Interpret

2: Evaluate the Opportunity

• Is the timeline reasonable?• What are the inherent risks to the

proposal and the award?• Can you start work immediately?• How does your research mission

fit with the sponsor’s mission?

3 Analyze the Solicitation

Create a Realistic, butAggressive Timeline

3: Analyze the Solicitation

• Deconstruct the solicitation into key components

• Identify requirements• Connect content with review

criteria• Assign responsibilities

3: Create a Realistic, but Aggressive Timeline

• Include internal and external deadlines• Set personal deadlines• Include structured reviews• Incorporate budget and graphics

development• Make roles and responsibilities clear• Address all required components• Prioritize “nice to haves”

4 Lead

Write

Use Your Resources

4: Lead

• Hold meetings with outcomes• Include all team members• Send updates frequently• Check in with team members• Use technology to connect team

members• Assign tasks• Be transparent

4: Write

• Protect your time• Write frequently• Request input and content

contributions• Do not use boilerplate• Address all components equally

well• Revise, edit, reconsider

4: Use Your Resources

• Use research administration contacts

• Complete internal or peer review• Identify graphics, editing,

proofing assistance• Familiarize yourself with

available technology and platforms

5 Always Improve

5: Always Improve

• Incorporate sponsor reviews and debriefs

• Seek constructive advice• Ask the team for input• Send thank you’s• Take advantage of training and

mentoring opportunities

Questions?

Faye.Farmer@asu.edu