securing your first grant presented by adrian walters external funding officer department of...
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Securing your First GrantPresented by Adrian Walters
External Funding Officer Department of Research & Innovation
Overview
• Department of Research & Innovation (DRI)
• Initial Idea Development
• Funding
• Proposal Preparation
• Summary
• Q&As
Section One
Department of
Research & Innovation
DRI Mission
To provide support, advice and guidance to all
University staff in the management, development
and diversification of their research and
consultancy activity
Writing your first proposal?
• The R&I office provides support, advice and guidance
• Each school has a designated Pre-Award & Post-Award Officer
• Pre-Award support activities that lead to the award of the grant
• Post-Award support grant holders to financially manage the grant
• Make it your business to know the name of your R&I contacts
• Meet your contact, know how they can help you.
Support is Provided!
R&I Contacts – Pre-Award
• Ceri Jones: ext 5412, [email protected] Law; Business & Economics
• Julie Williams: ext 5824, [email protected] ALL European funding
• Chris Beynon: ext 5015 [email protected] Environment & Society; Health Sciences; Medical School;
Arts ; Humanities
• Adrian Walters: ext 3724, [email protected] Engineering; Physical Sciences; IAT; Human Sciences; DACE
Pre-Award Office Functions
To support staff in the identification of research funding
To provide support/advice for preparation of grant applications
General enquiries on Research and Consultancy
To provide a range of relevant and themed staff seminars
To provide an interactive Website (http://www.swansea.ac.uk/research-innovation/) complete with a range of comprehensive links and downloadable documents
Your designated Pre-Award Officer can help you in the following ways:
Post-Award Office Functions
Post Award Support
Post-Award Officer for each SchoolFinancial Claims, Invoicing & MonitoringJournals (transferring money between accounts)Financial ReportingFinancial Database MaintenanceAudit AssistancePreparation of Reports for University Committees
Section Two
Initial Idea
Development
A Starting Point…Your Research Idea
• What are you passionate about?
• Where do you feel that existing practice or knowledge base is wrong or inadequate?
• Why is your idea better?
• How is it new, unique, different?
• What will it contribute and who will benefit from it?
Your Research Idea
1. Familiarise yourself with up-to-date research
a. What are the hot topics?
2. Review Policy Documents (Research Research Website)
3. Network with other researchers a. Can collaboration help you? b. Joint proposals?
4. Discuss your idea with colleagues
Section 3
Funding
Funding your Research
Funding is an enabler
Funds provide you with independence
Funds help you
- to develop your skills and professional career- to undertake research of your choice- to build a research team- to have up-to-date equipment and resources- to travel and network with other researchers
Types of Funding Available
• Research Projects (research students and research assistants)
• Research visits and research visitors
• Research equipment
• Conferences
• Fellowships
• Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
• Exchange programmes
There is funding available for almost any activity associated with research
Research Funding Organisations
• Research Councils
• Government Departments
• Government Organisations
• Charities
• Welsh Assembly Government
• European Union
• Industry
• Others
Research Funding Organisations (2)
•It’s important to choose the right type of funding
•Speak to the Programme Director•Find out what the funding organisations wants from you?•Charities require us to protect & exploit the resulting IP / disseminate new knowledge•Industry is concerned about commercial sensitivities •Consider the conditions attached to funding sources•Make it your business to avoid any unpleasant surprises when the grant is awarded!
How to Undertake a Funding Search
•Check funders web sites- Find out which funding bodies support your subject area; ask colleagues
•Check relevant journals / papers- Look through subject specific journals, or the Times HE / Tuesday Guardian / contact professional societies who sometimes have sources of funding.
•Speak to colleagues..NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK!
•Internet Search Engines
•Research Funding Websites
www.rdinfo.org.uk - for medical research funding opportunities.
http://www.cos.com/ (Sources for Research, Worldwide)
•ResearchResearch.com – funding database / good source of information
How to Undertake a Funding Search (2)
• University subscribes to the RESEACHRESEARCH.COM funding database
• Register & personalise the service
•Save custom searches and set alerts
You have found a Potential Funder….
What now?
Section 4
Proposal Preparation
Writing your proposal: Structure
Previous Research Track Recorda. Research staff (PI and Co-PIs)b. Host Institutionc. Any collaboration
Description of Proposed Researcha. Backgroundb. Programme and Methodologyc. Project Risksd. Relevance to Beneficiariese. Dissemination and
Exploitationf. Justification for Resourcesg. Referencesh. Work Plan (Gantt Chart)
Whilst all proposals need a good idea, there is a ‘standard’ template for application
Is it “enough” to follow the standard template?
• No single winning formula for preparing successful proposals
• Anything you can do to help reviewers & decision makers
understand your application will benefit you
•The committee/people assessing your proposal spend a
considerable amount of time discussing the feasibility of your
research.
•Be sure to explain WHY and HOW your ideas will work
Pitfalls
Good Practice & Developing your Grant Proposal
• There is plenty of evidence to show that good ideas are often undermined by mistakes in proposal preparation.
• The following are some common sense strategies to consider at the proposal writing phase, highlighting a number of pitfalls to avoid at all costs!
• Follow this advice and your chances of success will increase!
• Develop your funding search skills
• Pay close attention to the programme aims, objectives and eligibility criteria
• Read the programme call carefully
• Make contact with programme officer /director before starting your proposal!
• Send brief (2-3 short paragraphs) overview of proposed project to programme officer and your R&I pre-award contact
• Investigate alternative funding sources
1. Verify the match
? !
Pitfall 1: Poor fit
• State your project purpose up front
• Identify and highlight the core strengths in your research
• Build a compelling argument
• Cite an authoritative source(s)
2. Prove the importance of your project
Pitfall 2: Weak argument
3. Assume an uninformed but intelligent reader
Use clear, accessible language
Stick with direct statements and active voice
Consider the reviewer/reader when preparing your proposal
You must convince both an expert referee and the less expert reviewer that you have an exciting feasible idea
Avoid insider jargon and acronyms if possible
Pitfall 3: Excessive jargon
3. Illustrate a detailed research plan
Specify major tasks and timelines
Use flow charts, calendars, or Gantt charts
Visualise the project on a single page
Consider the reviewer ….. again!
Pitfall 4: Vague research plan
5. Follow application instructions
exactly!
Late submission
Case of support is too long
Fonts, margins, spacing too small (eight point text is not helpful)
Signatures, CVs missing
Budget narrative / Justification of Resources missing
Insufficient number of copies
Pitfall 5: Deviatingfrom guidelines
Errors to avoid
6. Pay attention to all review criteria
Read evaluation standards carefully; then reference them in the project narrative
Touch all the bases--not just the ones you’re comfortable with
Reviewers will use the criteria
to “score” your proposal
Pitfall 6: Ignoring review criteria
7. Develop the abstract with maximum impact
Should reflect entire scope of project
Summarise project purpose and methods
Must convey:- What researcher intends to do- Why it’s important- Expected outcome(s)- How work will be accomplished
Pitfall 7: Weak abstract
8. Presubmission review
Ask experienced colleagues for comments and suggestions
Should be qualified to critique proposal content
View input as positive criticism and leave your ego at the door
Allow time for rewrites!
Pitfall 8:Writing solo
9. Use proof readers
Find an eagle eyed perfectionist in your department/school
Proofreaders read for form, not content
Must be someone who has no stake in the project!
Learn to love what they will do for you
Zero tolerance--no error is too small to correct
Root out inconsistencies in format as well as typos, misspellings, grammar, etc.
Pitfall 9: Document errors
10. Take time to find the most suitable referees
Pitfall 10: Choosing the wrong
referees
Ask a senior colleague for their guidance on appropriate referees
Find a referee who is supportive and does not have a conflict of interest
If you have to nominate reviewers (experts from other institutions) make sure these are selected appropriately
Good and Bad Strategies: REVIEW
1. Verify the match2. Prove the importance of your project3. Assume an uninformed but intelligent
reader4. Illustrate a detailed research plan5. Follow application instructions exactly6. Pay attention to all review criteria7. Develop the abstract with maximum
impact8. Presubmission Review9. Use Proofreaders10.Take time to find the most suitable
referees
1. Poor fit2. Weak Argument3. Excessive jargon4. Vague research plan5. Deviating from the guidelines6. Ignoring review criteria7. Weak abstract8. Writing solo9. Document errors10.Choosing the wrong referees
Checklist 1
Have I established appropriate aims and objectives?
Have I provided a well thought-out Research Design?
Have I given a detailed description of the proposed methods?
Have I considered already existing resources?
Have I thought about research ethics?
Have I recognised and planned for all the skills and competencies required? Are these skills and competencies reflected in the proposal’s research team?
Before you submit ask yourself….
Checklist (2)
Have I anticipated potential difficulties and addressed them?Have I provided a bibliography?Have I included all CVs?Have I fully defended research design against critical appraisal?Have I identified potential users and how to engage them?Have I provided a clear dissemination strategy?
• Fit research and grant writing into your job
• Find a mentor(s)
• Read successful grants; attend workshops & seminars
• Find collaborators
• Conduct your own searches
• Network
• Think big, think small, think different!
And finally….
Summary
1. Department of Research & Innovation
2. Initial idea development
3. Funding
4. Proposal Preparation
Securing your First Grant
ANY QUESTIONS?
