Grant Writing 101 Grant Proposal Timeline
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A grant proposal timeline can differ for every proposal that is submitted to a funding sponsor; and should be for months prior to submission, not prior to funding. The timeline presented below is a sample timeline offering suggestions and a brief description of some of the tasks that may be involved during the Planning, Writing, and Submission phases. Often, the timeline can be shorter than what’s being presented here.
Planning Phase
10 to 12 months before the sponsor deadline:
• • • • • • • • • • • • • Assess yourself and your field. Identify the need. Start to think of interesting ideas and projects. Try to find a balance between something “sure” and something that is truly innovative and/or risky. Hold preliminary discussions with colleagues to determine interest and significance. Accept all feedback and criticism and assess your capability to successfully pursue the project. Assess your funding goals and possible resources that may be needed for the project. Identify prior work or related activities of other institutions. Develop a case for how your work differs from or compliments others. Define your project. Begin to identify potential funding sponsors and send letters of inquiry if appropriate. Get the endorsements from your department chair or ORU director and from your DBO or MSO. Inform your business office of your grant proposal intentions.
8 to 10 months before the sponsor deadline:
6 to 8 months before the sponsor deadline:
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Develop your project idea in a summary format to clarify the project elements and scope. Create a budget wish list by reviewing your summary; list everything that’s going to cost money. Identify a funding sponsor that is compatible with the scientific and financial scope of your project. Read the specific proposal instructions and guidelines of the sponsor’s funding announcement. Know the sponsor’s published grant proposal submission deadline. Determine the involvement and use of human subjects, animal subjects, and/or stem cells. Identify personnel and specific individuals who may need to collaborate on the project.
Writing Phase
2 to 6 months before the deadline:
• • • • • • Outline the application structure. Work with your business office on the completion of any UCSD forms, as well as sponsor forms. Plan, develop, and draft preliminary data and complete the first draft of the entire grant proposal. Seek high-quality feedback and impartial criticism from qualified scientists and/or your colleagues. Write all sections, which can include the Signature Page, Abstract, Research Plan, and Budget. Coordinate with your business office any remaining tasks that need to be completed
Submission Phase
1 to 2 months before the deadline:
• Proof-read the entire proposal, make all budget revisions, and all necessary proposal adjustments. • Review and make final updates to your grant proposal timeline so the sponsor deadline will be met. 10 working days prior to the sponsor’s deadline: • Send final proposal to the UCSD proposal review office for review and submission to the sponsor. • Implement all comments and suggestions, given during the review, into your grant proposal. 2 working days prior to the sponsor’s deadline: • Submit your grant proposal to your proposal review office for mailing or electronic submission. After the sponsor’s deadline: • Initial screening by the sponsor’s administrative staff takes place. • Additional review or peer review takes place by the sponsor’s qualified scientific experts. • Approval or rejection is received with comments from the sponsor’s reviewers.
Office of Contract and Grant Administration
Grant Writing 101 Federal Government and Non-Profit Foundations Advantages / Disadvantages
Federal Government
Advantages
• • • • • • • • • • • • Purpose established by legislation. Focus on functions usually affecting significant groups in society. Have the most funding available. More likely to make big grants/contracts. More likely to pay all project costs. More likely to pay indirect costs. Easier to identify and research. Have known application processes and firm deadlines. Use prescribed formats for proposals. Have policies about renewals. More staff, with resources for technical assistance. Funds available to a wider array of organizations. Accountable to elected officials if sponsors if the rules are not followed. • • •
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Disadvantages
Much more bureaucratic. Proposals are lengthy, more complex, and require compliance with a variety of stipulations. May require institutional cost-sharing and matching. Many more requirements to follow once funds have been received. Reviewers tend to favor established applicants. Sometimes find it difficult to support new ideas or high-risk approaches. Proposal preparation costs to applicant of securing such funds and carrying out projects can be much higher. Changing political trends affect security of some programs and continued availability of funds.
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Non-Profit Foundations
Advantages
• More likely to focus on emerging issues, new needs, populations not yet evolved into special interest groups. Some can make very large grants. Better source of funds for start-up or experimental projects. Proposals need not be complex or lengthy. Can be much more flexible in responding to unique needs, circumstances and time frames. Less likely to have bureaucratic requirements to follow in administering grants. Can help leverage large public grants. Usually have fewer applicants. Can generally be much more informal. Often better sources for more local needs and small sponsors. • • • •
Disadvantages
Average grant size usually smaller. Priorities can change rapidly, making continued support harder to predict. Applicants have limited influence on the decision-making process. Information on policies and procedures harder to track; require more lead time for research. Some unwilling to pay all project costs. Limited staff size lessens opportunities for preliminary discussion/sire visits. May not explain a rejection, making it harder to compete more effectively next time.
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Office of Contract and Grant Administration
Grant Writing 101 Questions/Components/Guidelines/Phases/Resources
A successfully funded grant proposal is a well-researched, meticulously prepared, compelling, persuasively written presentation of your work, aimed at individuals who decide whether they want to support your research project.
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The Big Picture - Questions to Ask Yourself:
► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► What do I want to do? Is my project original? What are my goals and priorities? How do I plan to do it? How much will it cost? Who would benefit from my project? How will I evaluate the results? How much time will it take?
Resources:
Funding Opportunity Databases:
► SURF - Search for University Research Funding:
UCSD's central repository for funding announcements http://research.ucsd.edu/surf/
► Community of Science - COS:
Tools and services for the scientific community http://www.cos.com/
Components to Consider Early in the Process:
► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► Type of grant program to fund your project Types of funding announcements Deadline for proposal submission Informing your business office of your intentions UCSD approvals for humans, animal, or stem cells use Budget estimations Inviting individuals to collaborate on your project Sponsor forms and proposal instruction requirements
Grant Writing Tools:
► Grant Writer's Toolbox:
Grant writing guides, articles, and links http://research.ucsd.edu/surf/tools.html
► NIH - All About Grants:
Helps Principal Investigators plan and write grant applications and manage their awards. http://www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/grants/
10 Guidelines for Proposal Success:
1. Start early 2. Contact the funding sponsor 3. Verify funding announcement matches your research 4. Know the funding sponsor 5. Know the review process 6. Consider the proposal reviewer 7. Follow the proposal instructions precisely 8. Prove the importance of your proposal 9. Proofread your proposal 10. Submit your proposal on time
UCSD Tools:
► OCGA Web site:
− Research Admininstration − Funding Opportunities: Search Tools Agencies − Proposal Preparation: NIH, NSF, ONR, Non-Profit, Generic, Grants.gov − Budget Preparation: Fringe Benefits, Tuition Remission, Indirect Costs http://ocga3.ucsd.edu
10 Guidelines for Proposal Rejection:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Proposal Proposal Proposal Proposal Proposal Principal doesn't have clear focus lacks original idea doesn't have a public benefit is unrealistic or too ambitious is prepared carelessly Investigator lacks specific project expertise
► eLearning Classes:
− About OCGA − Grant Proposal Overview − Grant Proposal Budget Preparation Overview − NIH Grant Proposal Preparation Overview − Introduction to Grants.gov − Conflict of Interest for Researchers − Grant Writing 101 Offered exclusively thru OCGA. No registration is necessary! Simply access any class 24/7; when the time is right for you! http://ocga3.ucsd.edu/OCGA/eLearning/OCGA_eLearning.htm
8. Costs appeared greater than the benefits 9. Proposal instructions were not followed 10. Deadline was missed
The 6 stages can include: 1. Define project 2. Identify funding sponsor 3. Read proposal instructions 4. Know submission deadline 5. Determine personnel requirements 6. Update timeline
The Planning Phase
The 11 components can include: 1. Signature Page 2. Abstract 3. Table of Contents 4. Introduction 5. Background 6. Research Plan 7. Relevant Instituional Resources 8. Bibliography or References Cited 9. Personnel 10. Budget and Budget Justification 11. Appendices
The Writing Phase
The final steps can include: 1. Proof-read entire proposal 2. Make all final updates ► 10 days before deadline:
Send final proposal to the UCSD proposal review office for review. Implement all comments and suggestions.
The Submission Phase:
► 2 days before deadline:
Submit proposal to your review office for mailing or electronic submission.
Office of Contract and Grant Administration