Identifying Funding Sources:How to Search for Funding Opportunities for

Graduate Research and Study

Graduate Funding Information CenterThe Graduate School

307 Bynum Hall

Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

gfic@unc.edu

2

Topics for Today

Funding fundamentals Tips for researching funding opportunities Tools:

Funding databases Setting up funding alert service/s Funding guides and print resources Awards made and expertise resources Funding agencies Proposal writing help

3

Funding Fundamentals

Start early Plan ahead for your long-term funding needs Be aware of lengthy turnaround times Use a variety of resources, including print,

electronic, and especially people Become familiar with sponsors in your field Check for funding offered by your department,

professional organization, honor society, and other affiliation groups

PDF Handout: Funding Fundamentals

4

Tips for Researching Funding Opportunities Look for funders with a good fit - identify their

goals or needs Widen your search - look at the larger field and

approach your work from different perspectives Brainstorm broad and specific keywords

Categories that apply to yourself Types of awards sought

PDF Handout: Tips for Researching Funding Opportunities

5http://gradfunding.web.unc.edu

Graduate Funding Information Center

6

Funding Databases

COS Pivot Funding Opportunities Database Large, multi-disciplinary funding database – search,

create accounts, receive alerts Carolina Internal Funding Database

Information on funding provided by or administered by UNC-Chapel Hill

Graduate & Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES) Database Free database of graduate and postdoctoral funding

opportunities compiled by UCLA

7

Funding Alerts, Guides, and Print Resources Funding Alert Services

Sponsor-specific alerts Subject-specific alerts

Funding Guides General guides for graduate students Discipline- and population-specific funding lists

Print Resources at GFIC Money for Graduate Students series Financial Aids for Special Populations series

Handout: Selected Major Fellowships for Graduate Students

Funders and Funded

Databases of Awards MadeUsed to find out who and what was

actually funded Faculty Expertise

Information on research activities of faculty

Funding AgenciesLinks to important sponsor information

8

9

Proposal Writing Resources Successful Proposals Collection

Carolina graduate students’ successful proposals General online proposal writing guides

“Grantsmanship in Support of Study or Research: Writing a Fellowship Proposal or Statement of Purpose,” chapter 5 of Scholarly Pursuits, Harvard• Contains sample proposals, cover letters,

biographical statements, CVs, and more Funder or field-specific proposal writing guides

NIH and NSF graduate resources Guides for grads in the humanities and sciences

10

Thank You!

Start early Think broadlyWork your resourcesGather informationStrategize

Please take a moment to tell us how we did.