Tips for Grant-Writing

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Barbara O’Neal’
5 years ago
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1 Tips for Grant-Writing John L. Wallace Director Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute

2 CIHR The Central Challenge: your grant needs to be ranked in the top-fifth of a group of grants from other investigators who are, by and large, just as good as you. Thus, there is usually very little to separate your grant application from your competitors grant applications. Small things can (and do) make a very big difference.

3 Why are grants provided? CIHR wants to invest their limited funds wisely, in ways that benefit them (pleasing the government of the day) and/or the public. This latter point is often overlooked by researchers who do not clearly emphasize the outcomes of their research, or how their research will provide a return-on-investment.

4 Successful grants convince readers that: Your proposal addresses important clinical issue Your research plan will answer this issue in an efficient and convincing manner You know the contemporary research literature in your field, as well as its limits Your study will extend our knowledge, and in doing so will help to significantly address the clinical issue

5 Components of the application CIHR grants have 3 parts Research Proposal ~11 pages. Progress report Summary/abstract the only thing everyone reads For re-applications there may be a rebuttal section CV of applicant (s) Budget

6 SMART Objectives Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time-defined

7 Introduction: 1 page Clearly and succinctly introduce the clinical problem you are addressing and why it is important to the investors. Deaths, money, pain!! (also emphasize specific relevance to Canada, if applicable) Identify the major gaps in our knowledge of the problem, and how it is impeding remedy of the problem Identify a specific or guiding hypothesis to the project as a whole Introduce the specific aims of the project (each aim is often a specific hypothesis or question). Briefly and generally describe main techniques you will use to answer questions

10 Background: ~2 pages Use this section to convince the reviewer that you know the subject of the application very well (i.e., the literature, limitations of other studies/approaches) Remain focused on the issues your experiment will address; in other words, how will your experiments resolve important issues in the area that you propose to study

12 Experimental Approaches The meat of the grant. Use the specific aims or questions as the titles for the section(s) Provide a brief rationale for each aim Describe the approaches, giving details including experimental methods, animal/subject numbers, statistical methods, etc. Identify limitations of the methods to be used, and alternative approaches you will employ if necessary anticipated results SMART

13 Experimental Approaches Convince the reviewer that you CAN DO the experiments you are describing Provide evidence (appended pubs, prelim data) that you can successfully employ the techniques, or provide written confirmation from collaborators that they will assist you Identify limitations/pitfalls of the methods to be used, and alternative approaches you will employ if necessary cite references by number SMART

18 Experimental Approaches Employ sound scientific method (state the use of blinds, randomization, negative and positive controls, etc). Be specific about reagents/drugs that you ll use, and the doses. Don t assume the reviewer will assume anything positive about you! Avoid dead end designs i.e., if experiment A shows X, we will procede to experiments B, C and D. What if experiment A does not show X?

19 Experimental Approaches Explain how you will analyze your data in a thoughtful and honest way with sufficient power to find effects. Show how you will accomplish your experimental plan in the time requested and with the amount of money requested. The timelines and experiments have to align with the Budget section of the proposal. SMART

20 Figures Figures are not included in space limits Use them to illustrate key points, preliminary data, models, etc. There can be too much data, and too many figures be prudent! Clear, simple figures work best; use colour Preliminary data figures with n = 1 or 2 may hurt more than help Embed!

26 Summary/Conclusion/Future Directions/Timelines: ~0.5 page Summarize and conclude the grant emphasize how the aims will actually tested the hypotheses and what the overall project will Consider future directions where will this grant lead? Describe the timelines SMART

29 The proposal You want a happy reviewer. Make it easy to read. Are the preliminary data figures clear? Often these let a grant down because they cannot be read or cannot be understood. Abbreviations that are not standard are irritating, and confusing. Better to avoid their use. Use of UPPERCASE, bold, underlining, italics, are nice and can be helpful white space is often nicer. Use Spell-Check!!!! (little things can make a big difference)

30 The CV module: a reality check Is the applicant credible? The publication record provides evidence to support your claim that you CAN DO the proposed work (i.e., you can deliver). Don t lie! Assume the reviewers will check for accuracy A new investigator needs to show evidence of training and publications consistent with the scope of the grant and a level of independence (or potential thereof) from their previous supervisor(s) a letter may help.

31 The Budget module Justify, justify, justify Tip asking for trainees? be sure to specifically identify the project they will be working on and be sure that it is a suitable project in terms of the time-lines and the skills of the trainee

33 The Budget module Tip be sure that what you are asking for in each year of the budget is consistent with your timelines in the research proposal

34 Progress report Has there been good progress? Is this well-documented and clearly defined. If the grant is a renewal, what have they done and how does this lead the investigator to the next grant If applicant has multiple grants, identify pubs specifically from the grant for which renewal is being requested (remove the guesswork on the part of the reviewer)

35 Rebuttal to Previous Reviews Pay attention to the reviewer s comments (they are probably right!) Don t behave like you are the only person in the country who got a score of 4-point-something and didn t get funded. Don t behave like the CIHR owes you a grant. They don t. Don t whine, don t criticize the reviewers Clearly and specifically outline what the primary concerns of the previous reviews were, and how you have addressed them (note that there is every chance that you will not have the same reviewers this time around) If you are going to argue a point, do it carefully and respectfully

36 Rebuttal to Previous Reviews If productivity was a significant criticism, and you have not addressed this significantly since the last submission Reconsider submitting until you have addressed this concern!

37 Reviewers will look for: Significance Content research plan Originality Researcher Environment

38 TAKE HOME MESSAGES Keep it simple. Tell a story. Remember the SMART principles Less is more. Make the application clean and clear space it out, use an attractive Be honest, humble and enthusiastic Get it reviewed by your peers! (you are the worst-qualified person to review your grant) jwalla@mcmaster.ca

Truman State University How To Develop A Proposal: Some General Information

Truman State University How To Develop A Proposal: Some General Information Use the Grants Office Website The Grants Office has developed a comprehensive website located at http://grants.truman.edu. The