michael a. sesma, ph.d.; nimh what is a strong grant application? what is a strong grant...

Michael A. Sesma, Ph.D.; NIMH

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What Is A Strong Grant What Is A Strong Grant Application?Application?

Simple steps to a successful Simple steps to a successful grant applicationgrant application

Michael A. Sesma, Ph.D.National Institute of Mental Health

Office For Special Populations

Michael A. Sesma, Ph.D.National Institute of Mental Health

Office For Special Populations

HU-UTEP 5HU-UTEP 5thth ANNUAL INSTITUTE ANNUAL INSTITUTE on on

POSTDOCTORAL PREPARATIONPOSTDOCTORAL PREPARATION


What Research does NIH What Research does NIH support?support?

• NIH conducts and supports basic, NIH conducts and supports basic, applied, and clinical and health services applied, and clinical and health services research to understand the processes research to understand the processes underlying human health and to acquire underlying human health and to acquire new knowledge to help prevent, new knowledge to help prevent, diagnose, and treat human diseases diagnose, and treat human diseases and disabilities.and disabilities.

• 24 NIH Institutes/Centers support 24 NIH Institutes/Centers support research in a wide range of institutionsresearch in a wide range of institutions



• Meritorious projects that address research Meritorious projects that address research priorities and mission of an priorities and mission of an Institute/CenterInstitute/Center

• Most research grants are investigator Most research grants are investigator initiated projects initiated projects

• A variety of mechanisms support large A variety of mechanisms support large and small scale projectsand small scale projects

• Training that supports the NIH research Training that supports the NIH research efforteffort



• CRISP: a public, searchable CRISP: a public, searchable database with titles, abstracts, and database with titles, abstracts, and institutional information about institutional information about individual NIH supported grants.individual NIH supported grants.

• WWW.NIH.GOVWWW.NIH.GOV

((CComputer omputer RRetrieval of etrieval of IInformation on nformation on SScientific cientific PProjects)rojects)


Identify the appropriate NIH Identify the appropriate NIH Grant MechanismGrant Mechanism

• Match where you are in your career Match where you are in your career • Pre-doc, Post-doc, New faculty memberPre-doc, Post-doc, New faculty member

• Match the type of research Match the type of research • e.g. basic, risk and protective factors, pilot e.g. basic, risk and protective factors, pilot

data, intervention development, secondary data, intervention development, secondary analyses, treatment, efficacy/effectivenessanalyses, treatment, efficacy/effectiveness

• Match what funds are neededMatch what funds are needed• e.g how much $$, over how many yearse.g how much $$, over how many years


Be careful where you startBe careful where you start

Step 1: Identify a mentor(s)Step 1: Identify a mentor(s)• with a track recordwith a track record• with a commitment to you & your with a commitment to you & your

career goalscareer goals• need not be your research advisorneed not be your research advisor• more than one is OK!more than one is OK!


Don’t be impulsiveDon’t be impulsive

Step 2: Plan aheadStep 2: Plan ahead• Grant writing takes time…probably more Grant writing takes time…probably more

time than you expecttime than you expect• Bounce ideas off mentors & colleaguesBounce ideas off mentors & colleagues• Talk to NIH program staffTalk to NIH program staff• Decide on your target deadlineDecide on your target deadline• Get organizedGet organized• Talk to NIH program staffTalk to NIH program staff


Know the answers to these Know the answers to these questionsquestions

Step 2.1: Plan aheadStep 2.1: Plan ahead• What do you intend to do?

• Why is the work important?

• What has already been done?

• How are you going to do the work?


There are standardsThere are standards

Step 3: Don’t be cute…make theStep 3: Don’t be cute…make thereviewers’ job easierreviewers’ job easier• Use the correct forms (PHS398, PHS416, 424 Use the correct forms (PHS398, PHS416, 424

R&R)R&R)• Follow the instructionsFollow the instructions• Use the recommended formatUse the recommended format• Fill the forms out completelyFill the forms out completely• Follow the instructionsFollow the instructions• Don’t guess—ask questions, e.g., NIH contactsDon’t guess—ask questions, e.g., NIH contacts• Follow the instructionsFollow the instructions


Harness your passionHarness your passion

Step 4: Be creative but Step 4: Be creative but pragmatic…pragmatic…

• Formulate your Specific AimsFormulate your Specific Aims• Seek feedback (remember planning)Seek feedback (remember planning)• Focused?Focused?• Feasible?Feasible?• Realistic (what can you actually get done)?Realistic (what can you actually get done)?• Good training vehicle for you?Good training vehicle for you?• Every aim and experiment must be clearly Every aim and experiment must be clearly

related to the overall goal of your proposal.related to the overall goal of your proposal.


What’s really being What’s really being evaluated?evaluated?

Step 5: It’s about you AND your Step 5: It’s about you AND your ideaidea

• The candidateThe candidate• Research planResearch plan• Training/career development planTraining/career development plan• The sponsorThe sponsor• The institutional environmentThe institutional environment


How does the Reviewer Review?How does the Reviewer Review?

Step 6: Consider the review criteria (F)Step 6: Consider the review criteria (F)• Candidate : your background and potential to : your background and potential to

develop into an independent researcherdevelop into an independent researcher• Sponsor/Mentor and Training Environment : :

mentor research and mentoring track record; quality mentor research and mentoring track record; quality of resources and commitment to training/career of resources and commitment to training/career development of the candidatedevelopment of the candidate

• Research Training Proposal: scientific merit, : scientific merit, significance, feasibility & relationship to career planssignificance, feasibility & relationship to career plans

• Training Potential: value of this experience in context of candidate’s preparation


How does the Reviewer Review?How does the Reviewer Review?

Step 6.1: Consider the review criteria (R Step 6.1: Consider the review criteria (R type)type)• SignificanceSignificance: Does the study address an important : Does the study address an important

problem?problem?

• ApproachApproach: Are conceptual framework, design, methods, : Are conceptual framework, design, methods, analyses, problems and alternatives appropriate?analyses, problems and alternatives appropriate?

• InnovationInnovation: Is the project original and innovative?: Is the project original and innovative?

• InvestigatorsInvestigators: Does team have appropriate training, : Does team have appropriate training, experience, suitability for project?experience, suitability for project?

• EnvironmentEnvironment: unique features, collaborations, : unique features, collaborations, institutional support institutional support


Be Convincing! Be Convincing!

Step 7: Demonstrate mastery of your Step 7: Demonstrate mastery of your research topicresearch topic

• Explicitly state your rationale.Explicitly state your rationale.• Cite the appropriate literature thoroughly.Cite the appropriate literature thoroughly.• Include preliminary data.Include preliminary data.• Identify problematic aspects of hypotheses or Identify problematic aspects of hypotheses or

techniques; indicate back-up strategies.techniques; indicate back-up strategies.• Provide expected/alternative outcomes and Provide expected/alternative outcomes and

interpretations.interpretations.• Don’t forget your training/career development Don’t forget your training/career development

plan!plan!


Can You help the Reviewer?Can You help the Reviewer?

Step 8: Help the reviewers do their Step 8: Help the reviewers do their jobsjobs

• Use a “reviewer-friendly” format.Use a “reviewer-friendly” format.• Present the proposal in “bite-sized bits.” Use Present the proposal in “bite-sized bits.” Use

section headings, bold type, etc. to enhance section headings, bold type, etc. to enhance readability.readability.

• Be concise!Be concise!• Walk the reader through the experiments. Don’t Walk the reader through the experiments. Don’t

just present a list of methods.just present a list of methods.• Include an explicit timeline.Include an explicit timeline.


The application is you on paper

Step 9: Don’t assume…don’t be sloppyStep 9: Don’t assume…don’t be sloppy• Don’t assume the reviewers will know what you Don’t assume the reviewers will know what you

mean…spell it out for them.mean…spell it out for them.• Attend to your grammar. Avoid jargon.Attend to your grammar. Avoid jargon.• Make sure you’ve completed all required sections Make sure you’ve completed all required sections

in the indicated order.in the indicated order.• Get in-house critiques well in advance of the Get in-house critiques well in advance of the

deadline. (planning)deadline. (planning)• Use headings, captions, legends, figures with careUse headings, captions, legends, figures with care• Spell Check and ReadSpell Check and Read your application carefully your application carefully

before submitting.before submitting.


What is in your control?What is in your control?

Step 10: Common problems to avoidStep 10: Common problems to avoid• Lack of new or original ideasLack of new or original ideas• Absence of an acceptable scientific rationaleAbsence of an acceptable scientific rationale• Lack of knowledge of relevant, published workLack of knowledge of relevant, published work• Overly ambitious (unrealistic) research planOverly ambitious (unrealistic) research plan• Superficial or unfocused research planSuperficial or unfocused research plan• Questionable reasoning in experimental approach Questionable reasoning in experimental approach

(feasibility)(feasibility)• Lack of experience with an essential methodology Lack of experience with an essential methodology

(feasibility)(feasibility)• Insufficient experimental detail Insufficient experimental detail • Quality of presentationQuality of presentation


What makes a winner?What makes a winner?

Step 11: A strong research application…Step 11: A strong research application…• Has well-defined Specific Aims.Has well-defined Specific Aims.• Proposes novel, interesting & focused hypothesis-Proposes novel, interesting & focused hypothesis-

driven experiments.driven experiments.• Promises to advance knowledge.Promises to advance knowledge.• Provides supporting Preliminary Data.Provides supporting Preliminary Data.• Has an appropriately detailed Experimental Design.Has an appropriately detailed Experimental Design.• Documents appropriate scientific expertise.Documents appropriate scientific expertise.• Has a reasonable & justified budget.Has a reasonable & justified budget.• Training applications need other strengths too.Training applications need other strengths too.• Addresses the agency priorities and missionAddresses the agency priorities and mission


Even the best laid Even the best laid plans……plans……

Step 12: If you need to reviseStep 12: If you need to revise• Remember that the review is not a judgment Remember that the review is not a judgment

of you personally, only of your application. of you personally, only of your application. • Read/Study the review carefully and discuss it Read/Study the review carefully and discuss it

with the program official.with the program official.• Get help in revising.Get help in revising.• Be polite in responding to criticismBe polite in responding to criticism• Be responsive to all of the reviewers’ Be responsive to all of the reviewers’

criticisms.criticisms.• Put all ego aside. If in doubt, do it their way.Put all ego aside. If in doubt, do it their way.


Let’s ReviewLet’s Review

Step 13: Don’t make the process Step 13: Don’t make the process more difficult than it is.more difficult than it is.

• Plan carefully, follow directionsPlan carefully, follow directions• Be RealisticBe Realistic• Ask for Help and AdviceAsk for Help and Advice• Convey your Convey your passionpassion for your science for your science• Ask for Help and AdviceAsk for Help and Advice• This is supposed to be funThis is supposed to be fun• Let us know when you succeedLet us know when you succeed


www.nih.govwww.nimh.nih.gov Michael A. Sesma, Ph.D.

[email protected]