Tips on writing a competitive grant application Fraser Rogerson Senior Advisor, Research Grant Development College of Science, Engineering & Health
Why apply for competitive research funding to external funding bodies? Money to do research Prestige University receives government money to support research 2
Types of Funding Project: personnel, equipment, consumables Personal: fellowships, scholarships Travel: conferences, research visits 3
Who funds research? Australian Government Australian Research Council National Health & Medical Research Council State Governments Business Victoria Overseas Governments National Institutes of Health (USA) European Commission Horizon 2020 Philanthropies Ian Potter Foundation Gates Foundation Professional Associations Australian Academy of Science National Eczema Association Companies Google Samsung 4
How do I find out about funding bodies? JASON: postgraduate scholarships www.jason.edu.au Research Professional: all funding bodies www.researchprofessional.com Research Alert: RMIT University s database of funding opportunities www.rmit.edu.au/research/alert 5
Tip #1 Determine if your project fits with the aims of the scheme 6
Is my project a good fit? All funding schemes have restrictions on what they fund. Read the website Read the funding rules If available, see what had been funded in the past Contact the funding agency Don t try to finesse your project into a scheme that is not suitable. 7
Tip #2 Determine if you are competitive 8
Benchmarking 1. If available, find the list of past awardees 2. Look up the track record of the principal investigator / fellowship holder in Scopus or Google Scholar 3. Look up your own track record in Scopus or Google Scholar How do they compare? 9
Tip #3 Start writing early 10
Good grant writing: activity time polishing deadline 11
Bad grant writing: activity time deadline 12
Tip #4 Carefully read the Funding Rules / Instructions and comply 13
Tip #5 Write your application so that it will be understood by your audience: the assessors. 14
Who are your assessors? Other academics e.g. Australian Research Council experts in your specific area researchers in your general discipline Non-experts on the ARC panel Non-academics e.g. CASS Foundation (medical research) accountants lawyers businessmen 15
Assumptions to make about assessors Many, and in many cases all, will not be in your area of expertise. They are busy people who will read your application once; twice if you are lucky. They are not doing it because they love reading grant applications. 16
Writing Tips Write in plain English. Keep your sentences and paragraphs short. Do not write huge slabs of text: break up the text with white space. Keep the use of jargon to a minimum. Keep the use of acronyms to a minimum. Use dot points to emphasise key points. 17
Elements of an application 1. Aims/hypotheses 2. Background 3. Research Plan 4. Track Record (individual or team) 18
Tip #6 Keep your application focussed on one central concept. The best applications have a clarity of vision. 19
Tip #7 Respond to the assessment criteria, and make it obvious. 20
Tip #8 Sell your project and yourself 21
Aims The aims should be described at the beginning of the application. Gives the assessors a clear indication of what this project is about. Don t have too many aims (keep the project clear and focussed). 22
Background Major objectives: 1. Convince the assessors that this research is important 2. Show the assessors that you know the field 3. Explain progress in the field 4. Describe your contribution to the research area The background should engage the reader and make them want to read on. 23
Background Focus on what is directly relevant to the project: this is not a comprehensive literature review. Do not avoid controversies in your field that directly relate to your project. Can make you look either not very smart, or dishonest. 24
Experimental Plan The amount of detail required is very dependent on the funding body. ARC, NHMRC: detailed with lots of methodology Philanthropic: mostly broad outline Include sufficient methodology so that the assessors can judge the quality and feasibility of the project. Describe how as well as what. 25
Experimental plan There are no logical holes in your plan. There s no research out there that renders your experiments invalid or redundant Justify why you re taking your particular approach Acknowledge the limitations in your approach Explain how you will deal with problems and setbacks, maybe by trying a couple of different approaches in tandem or having a plan B. 26
Preliminary Data Can support your central hypothesis Provide evidence that you can do the work you propose 27
Track Record Your track record is what it is. The skill is to present it in the best possible light. Do not oversell or undersell yourself. 28
Track Record Publications (journal & refereed conference) Conference presentations (good for ECRs, but as your career advances, of lesser importance) Prizes & Awards Grants, fellowships & scholarships Patents Invitations to speak at conferences Plenary lectures Journal editor Journal reviewer Leadership roles in professional societies Conference organiser 29
Publication Bibliometrics Help assessors understand the quality of your publication and the journal is it published in. 1. Citation number Important to include 2. Journal Impact Factors Highly unreliable but very popular 3. Journal Ranking within discipline Much better indicator of journal prestige than Impact Factor 30
Description of your achievements Evidence based Terms to avoid unless you have evidence: I am world leading, highly respected, My work is seminal, paradigm-shifting Evidence: awards, prizes, plenary lectures, invitations to speak, highly cited publications Better to have a short summary of your greatest accomplishments than a long list of trivia. 31
Tip #9 Get lots of outside feedback 32
Feedback 1. Experts in your particular area Ensure that everything is factual and that the proposed experimental plan is feasible 2. Non-experts that reflect the assessors To see if it can be understood by them, and if they find it interesting/exciting. 33
Outcomes Successful: celebrate! Unsuccessful: if you get feedback (assessors comments, final scores), learn from it. 34
My Tips for Grant Writing Before you begin: 1. Determine if your project fits with the aims of the scheme 2. Determine if you are competitive The writing stage: 3. Start writing early 4. Carefully read the funding rules & instructions and comply 5. Write your proposal for the assessors 6. Have one central concept 7. Respond to the assessment criteria, and make it obvious 8. Sell your project and yourself 9. Get lots of outside feedback 35