INTRODUCTION to GRANT WRITING

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INTRODUCTIONto GRANT WRITING

• Presented by
• College of Social Behavioral Sciences and
• Social Behavioral Sciences Research Institute
• Instructor JoAnn di Filippo
• Joannd_at_u.arizona.edu

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All information contained in this presentation
may be found at the SBSRI web site located at

• www.w3.arizona.edu/sbsri/

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Workshop Objectives

• Objective 1
• To gain a better understanding to the grant
  writing process
• Objective 2
• To develop a preliminary grant proposal that you
  can submit to an agency for funding

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Presentation Focus . . .

• The majority of the information contained in this
  presentation focuses on procedures for filing a
  research grant application to organizations like
  the National Science Foundation, however . . .
• Information contained in this presentation also
  discusses general components of a non-research
  grant application.

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Development Workshop Agenda

• Introduction
• Access to Information How to Locate Funding
• Reading an RFP / NOFA
• Constructing the Grant Narrative
• Sample NSF grant application and Reviewer
  Comments
• Sample Writing Exercises

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Pre-Proposal Contacts

• 4-STEP PROCESS to fine tune your proposal
  planning
• Download the application forms and guidelines
  from the Internet or write for the application
  forms and guidelines
• Call a past grantee
• Call a past reviewer
• Contact the Program Officer

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General Information on Completing a Grant
Application

• Potential applicants frequently direct questions
  to officials of the Department regarding
  application notices and programmatic and
  administrative regulations governing various
  direct grant programs.
• In general, this information applies to all grant
  competitions, however, it is necessary to review
  grant guidelines for each and every grant.

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Extension of Deadlines

• Waivers for individual applications are not
  granted, regardless of circumstances. Under very
  extraordinary circumstances a closing data may be
  changed. Such changes are announced in the
  Federal Register and apply to all applications.

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Copies of the Application

• Each grant guideline will state the number of
  original(s) and copies that must be provided to
  the grantor. If bound, one copy should be left
  unbound to facilitate electronic scanning and any
  necessary reproduction.
• Applicants should not use colored paper,
  foldouts, photographs, or other materials that
  are hard to duplicate.

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Notification of Funding

• You can expect to receive notification within 3
  to 6 months (or longer) of the application
  closing date, depending on the number of
  applications received and the number of
  competitions with closing dates at about the same
  time.
• The requested start date should therefore be a
  minimum of 6 months after the application closing
  data.

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Format for Applications

• The application narrative should be organized to
  follow the exact sequence of the components in
  the selection criteria used to evaluate
  applications.
• Always check your grant guidelines to learn the
  sequence of components required.

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Length of Application

• All applications must adhere to the requirements
  specified in the grant guidelines.
• Under no circumstances should the grant narrative
  exceed the prescribed limit of pages allowed in
  the narrative.

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Locating Funding Sources

• Social Behavioral Sciences Research Institute
  website
• http//w3.arizona.edu/sbsri/

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How to Read an RFP/NOFA(Request for Proposal /
Notice of Funding Availability)

• Answer these questions
• What is the purpose of this grant?
• Is it compatible with your mission and purpose?
• Are we eligible to apply?
• If not, could we jointly apply with another
  organization?
• What is the deadline for submission, receipt or
  postmark?

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• What is the expected average award amount and
  range?
• How many awards are anticipated?
• What are the match or in-kind requirements?
• Are the application materials included in the
  RFP/NOFA? Is not, where can I obtain them?
• Who is the Program Officer and how can I contact
  that person?
• What specific activities/expenditures are
  eligible under this grant?
• What are the caps/limits on activity expenditures?

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• What activities/expenditures are ineligible?
• Will this program fund new, continuing and/or
  expansion of projects?
• What selection criteria will be used to evaluate
  proposals?
• How will points be distributed among the
  criteria?
• What additional features will be considered in
  making award decisions (for example geographic
  location low income participants)
• What guidelines are given for preparing the
  application itself (page length, supporting
  documentation, signatures, number of copies)

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Reading Between the Lines . . .

• Is the grantor expecting applicants to propose
  solutions to solving a broad challenge or
  concern?
• Does the grantor already know what kinds of
  strategies and approaches it will fund and is
  just looking for grantees to support them?

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Model for Proposal Development

• Initial Project Idea / Goals of Organization
• Assess your capability
• Assess the need for the idea
• a. Build Support and Involvement
• b. Gather the Necessary Data
• Select the Funding Source
• Plan Proposal Writing
• Write the Proposal
• Submit the Proposal

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General Components of a Programmatic Grant
Proposal

• Title Page
• Abstract
• Purpose
• Statement of Need / Significance
• Project Design Methodology
• Evaluation
• Dissemination
• Qualifications / Key Personnel
• References Cited
• Budget
• Appendix

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General Components of an NSF (Research) Grant

• Abstract
• Project Summary
• Problem Statement
• Theoretical Background and Hypotheses
• Literature Review
• The Research Setting
• Applied Significance
• Research Design and Methods
• Research Timetable
• References Cited
• PI Background

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Sample NSF Research Grant

• Obtain a copy of the Cultural Anthropology NSF
  grant application and reviewer comments for The
  Effects of Infertility on Status and Access to
  Resources Among Wamakonde Women of Tanzania
• This grant was submitted by Principal
  Investigator, Monique Borgerhoff Mulder at
  University of California at Davis.
• The grant application and reviewer comments can
  be downloaded from the NSF website at
• www.nsf.gov/sbe/bcs/anthro/samples/borgprop.htm

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Title Page(s) / Cover Sheet

• This sheet provides all the basic information
  about your grant.
• In federal grants this is called the Federal
  Assistance Form and includes such information
  as title of project project directors name,
  address and phone inclusive dates of grant,
  total budget amount, signature of authorizing
  agent.
• In research grants this is called the Cover
  Sheet and includes applicable program
  announcement, solicitation or program description
  information.

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Table of Contents

• NSF Grants A Table of Contents is automatically
  generated for the proposal by the FastLane
  system. The proposer cannot edit this form.
• Programmatic Grants you will need to generate a
  Table of Contents (use automatic table generation
  format provided by your word processing software
  such as Word or WordPerfect)

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Abstract

• A self-contained ready for publication
  description of the project covering objectives
  need and significance procedures evaluation
  and dissemination components.
• Should stress end products or projects
  advancement of knowledge. Usually 200 to 500
  words long.

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Best Way to Prepare Program Abstract

• The program abstract should be one page in
  length, unless otherwise indicated, and
• List the title of the program
• Name of the Priority and CFDA Number or
  appropriate grantor funding program number
• Indicate if the project addresses a new or an
  improvement of an ongoing program
• Basically answer the questions Who, What, Where,
  When, Why, and How

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Project Description(format for research grants)

• The main body of the proposal should be a clear
  statement of the work to be undertaken and should
  include

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Project Description

• The main body of the proposal should be a clear
  statement of the work to be undertaken and should
  include
• Objectives for the period of the proposed work
  and expected significance
• Relation to longer-term goals of the PIs project
• Relation to the present state of knowledge in the
  field to work in progress by the PI under other
  support and to work in progress elsewhere

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Problem Statement

• The statement also should indicate any broader
  impacts of the proposed activity, addressing the
  following
• indicate how the project will integrate research
  and education by advancing discovery and
  understanding while at the same time promoting
  teaching, training, and learning
• Discuss any ways in which the proposed activity
  will broaden the participation of
  underrepresented groups

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Problem Statement contd.

• If relevant, discuss how the project will enhance
  the infrastructure for research and/or education,
  such as facilities, instrumentation, networks,
  and partnerships
• Indicate how the results of the project will be
  disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and
  technological understanding
• Identify potential benefits of the proposed
  activity to society at-large

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Sub-Components of a Research Grant (refer to the
sample NSF grant application)

• Theoretical Background and Hypotheses
• Literature Review
• The Research Setting
• Applied Significance
• Research Design Methods
• Research Time Table
• References Cited

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Know the difference between . . .

• GOALS happen AFTER the life of the grant
• OBJECTIVES happen DURING the life of the grant
  and generally incorporate a component within
  which to measure effectiveness

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Non-Research Grant Procedures(see Objectives
Methods sample sheets)

• A plan of action for how the purposes will be
  achieved.
• In non-research projects, this section usually
  starts with a description of the overall approach
  and its relevance or innovativeness and then
  provides details on methodology, participants,
  organization and timeline.
• In research projects, one usually describes the
  design, population and sample, instrumentation,
  data analysis and time schedule. This may also
  include a review of related research.

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Evaluation

• Details the means by which the local agency and
  funding source will know that the project has
  accomplished its purposes.
• May also describe plans for collecting
  information or data to improve project operation.
• States purpose of evaluation type of information
  to be collected details on instruments, data
  collection, analysis, utilization and how results
  will be reported.

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Dissemination

• Specifies how products and findings will be
  shared with others. This section may also detail
  reports to be provided to funding source.

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Qualifications

• Documents the ability of the sponsoring
  organization to successfully complete the
  project, including prior related experience.
• Outlines facilities and equipment required and
  how these will be provided.
• Lists specific personnel who will work on the
  project and what they will do. Includes brief
  resumes describes rational for any consultants
  to be involved, their role, and background and
  evidence of their commitment to participate.

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Sustainability (Future Funding)

• Sustainability, or future funding statements,
  enable a grantor to see what plans or options you
  have developed to secure funds beyond the life of
  the grant.
• No grantor wants to see the funded program
  disappear after the initial funding expires.

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Reviewers Comments(refer to sample NSF grant)

• The reference NSF grant received the following
  overall ratings
• Reviewer No. 1 Excellent
• Reviewer No. 2 Very Good
• Reviewer No. 3 Good-Fair
• Note the distinction in the reviewers comments.
  The reviewer comments are downloaded off the NSF
  website at
• www.nsf.gov/sbe/bcs/anthro/samples/borgrevs.htm

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Sample Grant Writing Exercises

• University of Arizona
• College of Social Behavioral Sciences
• Grant Writing Tips
• http//w3.arizona.edu/sbsri/
• Writing_Tips_frameset.htm