How to write a grant

1
How to write a grant

• Moira OBryan
• Monash Institute of Medical Research
• Monash University

2
Know the grant system

• Read the full set of instructions (and
  instructions to reviewers)
• Choose the best panel key words
• This will dictate the type of critique you get
• Type of reviewer and questions
• Relevance of impact factors
• Look at last years panel members
• predict your reviewer
• likely one will be familiar with the area
• likely one non-expert (but smart)

3
Know the grant system

• The score sheet
• Scientific Quality 50
• Chances it will result in good publications / ?
  in clinical practice
• Descriptive vs. functional data
• Feasibility
• Significance innovation 25
• Potential impact on health system
• Exciting science outcomes or approach
• Team track record 25
• Primarily CIA
• Junior CIA are significantly strengthened by more
  experienced CIBs

4
Know the grant system

• Grants are ranked out of 7 (see handout)
• Scores of 6 7 get funded automatically
• Scores of 5 get ranked relative to other grants
  in the panel, then merged with other panels
• 2007 grants with scores of gt5.1 got funded
  (28)
• NB There are really good grants that score 4

5
Track record

• NB this is absolutely relative to career stage
• Publications
• Absolute number
• IF (the impressive number will vary between
  fields)
• Number of 1º authorships i.e. first/last
• Bold your name
• Previous grant funding
• First CI or not
• Evidence of institutional support helps junior
  CIs
• Awards
• Fellowships
• Research-based awards
• Travel awards (really only help junior
  researchers)

6
Track record

• If your track record isnt stellar, recruit a CI
  whose track record is.
• Be realistic (dont be precious, but dont be a
  pushover either)
• Work with what youve got and make the most of
  it, i.e., highlight exceptional achievements,
  dont fabricate reasons for lack of productivity.
  Its better to say nothing if theres no real
  reason.
• Time off / decreased productivity to have kids is
  completely acceptable
• (this affects females and males)
• - Teaching / clinical duties is an acceptable
  excuse
• Dont be too big headed

When youre famous, remember to carry junior
CIs
7
Writing the grant

• Start writing early i.e. November.
• Thinking about it isnt enough
• Write the whole thing. Work out where there are
  gaps you can fill quickly. Re-write the grant.
• Have breaks from the grant (days), so you can
  refresh your brain.
• Get staff or students to prepare figures
• Be prepared to throw whole sections out.

8
Writing the grant

• Tell a story
• Use pictures, diagrams and tables
• I particularly like concept diagrams
• Write simply Use short sentences
• Use consistent wording
• Avoid too much jargon and too many acronyms
• Grammar is really important
• If you are introducing a new concept, use the
  subject to start the sentence

9
Grant Organization

• Aims 4 max
• Do the additional work once you get the money
• Write the aims up-front
• Use the aim headings in the Experimental Plan
  section also
• i.e. match aims and experiments
• Start with safe aims. Finish with high risk /
  high payoff aims
• Sequential grants are considered risky
• Include a section on Expected outcomes and
  feasibility
• Include a Competitive advantage section after
  each major experiment

10
Background

• Set the scene
• Make this a story. Lead people through simply.
• Preliminary data is essential
• This counts towards feasibility
• Is your grant too early?
• Clearly define the knowledge gap your grant will
  fill
• Seed your experiments and their significance
• This is an opportunity to promote your research
  and competitive advantage
• Use OBryan et al 1998 type reference, rather
  than numbers
• Dont only reference yourself.
• NB there will be at least 4 reviewers (2 on the
  panel and 2 external)

11
Experimental Plan

• Projects that will only generate descriptive data
  dont rank highly
• Models are good
• Directly address each aim. Open ended / fishing
  trips dont rank highly
• Indicate competitive advantage in relation to the
  field
• Indicate which techniques you have established.
  Recruit PIs if you require specialist
  techniques/systems
• Indicate the number of replicas, time points,
  reagent availability etc.

12
Significance

• Include a section on Significance
• Clinical translation
• e.g. therapy, diagnosis, clinical practice,
  intellectual property.
• co-funding / seed funding from industry can be a
  positive
• Be realistic.
• Its OK for it to be a long-term aim
• Outstanding science is a perfectly good
  justification

13
Proof reading

• Dont just get your mates to read it
• Do get high-achieving colleagues from another
  field to read it (they should have won multiple
  grants)
• Get a conflicted (ex-) panel member to read it
• If someone has to read a sentence twice to
  understand it, you need to re-write it or use a
  diagram
• Listen to advice from proof-readers you respect
  be prepared to start again
• Get a research assistant to proof read the final
  version for typos / grammar, etc.

14
How I write the grant

• I write a LONG version.
• Generally free thinking, far too ambitious
• Talk to colleagues / your lab about it
• Read, read, read!
• Cut out excess aims and experiments
• Read it out aloud
• Tweak figures
• Give to senior researchers to read
• Re-write based on advice (end up re-writing
  multiple times)

15
The rebuttal

• This can be a maker or breaker
• Dont be defensive
• You dont need to address all comments
• Pick the important ones
• New data is good
• New publications are good

16
Traps

• Putting too much in the grant
• Not feasible within the allocated time
• Dense writing style
• Forgetting that although you are expert, its
  the reviewer who decides if you get funded or not
• If they cant understand it, your grant is dead
• Starting late leads to a poorly resolved grant
• Not recruiting additional CIs
• Being allocated to the wrong panel
• Taking it too personally and not listening to
  advice
• NHMRC (and Cancer Council) grants are different
  to NIH grants and ARC grants

17
Tips

• Read some successful grants (funded by your
  likely panel)
• Go on a panel

THANK YOU and GOOD LUCK!