Top 10 Tips for Effective Grant Writing

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Top 10 Tips for Effective Grant Writing

• Karen Kidd, Canada Research Chair Professor,
  Biology, University of New Brunswick, Saint John
• Presented at the Symposium for Women Entering
  Ecology and Evolution Today (SWEEET), Halifax,
  14th May 2009

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Tip 10

• Read the instructions/information from the
  granting agency and your institution (some people
  dont)
• Know deadlines
• Stick to page limits
• Include all sections/information requested
• Include and emphasize aspects important to
  funders (e.g. training of students for Discovery
  grant)
• Use right page margins and font size
• Understand evaluation criteria

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Tip 9

• Find mentors, seek help from successful
  applicants (colleagues, former supervisor)
• Discuss ideas with them before starting the
  writing
• If possible, read his or her successful
  application
• Get feedback on your application

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Tip 8

• Do your homework
• Know the literature, questions, controversies,
  issues in your field
• Place your work in context with literature (if
  controversial, include both sides)
• Discuss potential pitfalls and describe options

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Tip 7

• Be ambitious but also realistic
• Proposals assessed based on your proven abilities
  
• New researcher proposing to supervise 15 graduate
  students is unrealistic
• If heading into newer territory, do preliminary
  work first to have proof of concept
• Some questions reviewers ask
• Can applicant accomplish the work?
• Does applicant have ability to manage workload?
• Will it generate information that will advance
  the science?

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Tip 6

• Agree to review grants or sit on grant review
  committees
• Gain a lot of experience
• Learn to recognize well crafted proposal
• Better understanding of how agencies like NSERC
  work

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Tip 5

• Be clear and concise in your writing
• State your objectives
• Describe the methods you will be using to meet
  those objectives
• Include details on what will be accomplished when
  and by whom
• Headings and subheadings very helpful
• Proofread (have zero tolerance for typos)
• Most innovative research less likely to get
  funded if it is not well presented and sold

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Tip 4

• Avoid jargon (the special language of a certain
  group or profession )
• Review committees often have range of expertise
  (e.g. aquatic toxicologist reviewing proposal on
  effects of fires on grassland communities)
• If not possible, define jargon at the beginning
• Otherwise, risk losing some non-specialist readers

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Tip 3

• Most people find grant writing challenging,
  recommend writing
• grants as soon as you can (as graduate student or
  postdoc), get better with practice
• during your best time of the day
• when focused
• when you are enthusiastic about what you are
  proposing to do
• early, rushed proposals very obvious

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Tip 2

• Maintain productivity
• Good grantsmanship cannot replace lack of
  productivity
• Submit papers and publish your work
• Describe any delays in productivity due to
• Maternity leave
• Illness (yours or family member)
• Other exceptional circumstances such as long-term
  nature of work
• It is taken into account by review committee

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Tip 1

• Write like a man (no offense intended)
• In general, women do not promote themselves well

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Example of difference

• This publication has made a significant impact
  on the field and has lead to an invitation to
  present these findings, participate on a board,
  and write a review paper.
• versus
• This first-authored publication in a
  high-impact journal has been cited 35 times, and
  has resulted in an invitation to present at
  Harvard, sit on a national board, and write a
  review paper on the many advances this technique
  has made to the field.
• Which style do you think is more effective?