Evaluating Funding Opportunities

1
Evaluating Funding Opportunities

• MALRC Seminar Series 2
• Robyn Pearson
• Office of Proposal Development
• June 4, 2008

2
Deciding when a Funding Opportunity is Right for
You

• What do they want to accomplish through this
  program?
• How much money is allocated and how many awards
  are anticipated?
• Who is eligible to apply?
• What are the budget guidelines?
• What, if any, partnerships are required?
• What products does the funder expect?

3
Reading the Solicitation

• Read, read, and re-read the solicitation!
• The solicitation is not a list of suggestions it
  is a list of requirements
• It is a window into the thinking of the funding
  agency

4
Request for Proposals, RFP

• Program description
• Mission context
• Eligibility information
• Award information
• Review criteria
• Program officers
• Reference documents
• Award administration

• Proposal Guidelines
• Format
• Document order
• Project description
• Scope of Work
• Performance Goals
• Management
• Attachments
• Budget Guidelines

5
Things to Look For

• Purpose of the program
• Research topics of interest
• Changes from previous cycles
• Inspiration for program and embedded references
• Program requirements
• Proposal requirements
• Budget guidelines
• Review criteria
• Note If you are pursuing an unsolicited
  opportunity, you will have to find these things
  out using other available information sources
  (talk to program officer, review funded awards,
  discuss with colleagues, etc.)

6
Purpose of the program

• Typically discussed in a Background section
• Make sure the goals of your proposed project
  mirror the goals of the program
• Note terminology and language used
• e.g., innovative, transformative
• Use these words to describe your project (and
  back up your claims)
• Your proposed outcomes should support the
  sponsors objectives

7
Research Topics of Interest

• Understand which topics are fundable under this
  solicitation
• Read solicitation
• Look at funding history (use databases, if
  available)
• Talk to Program Officer

8
Databases of Funded Projects

• NSF
• http//www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/index.jsp
• NIH CRISP
• http//crisp.cit.nih.gov/
• NEH
• http//www.neh.gov/news/recentawards.html
• ED
• http//wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/grantaward/start
  .cfm
• USDA CRIS (undergoing modification in 2008)
• http//cris.csrees.usda.gov/
• Also see Annual Reports on foundation websites

9
Inspiration for Program and Embedded References

• Programs may derive from a committee report
  (e.g., National Academies, National Science
  Board, special study committees)
• May be documented in Workshop presentations and
  reports
• May be documented in final reports and
  publications of previously funded projects
• May be outgrowth of agency roadmap, strategic
  planning
• Read and cite these reports, if appropriate, in
  your proposal

10
Program Requirements

• Read carefully and make a checklist
• Plan to explain how you will meet each program
  requirement
• Start work on setting up collaborations or
  partnerships, if needed
• Supporting letters may be needed for your
  proposal
• To be competitive, you must meet all program
  requirements

11
Explicit Proposal Requirements

• Carefully note formatting rules (page limits,
  required fonts, margins, etc.) these may appear
  in a separate document
• Look for suggested or required sections/headings
• Make an outline that mirrors the solicitation
• Include a checklist of everything that must be
  addressed, divided by sections stick to this
  checklist through early drafts
• Note supplementary documents needed
• Bios, Current Pending Research summaries,
  letters of support/collaboration, Facilities and
  Equipment, etc.
• Dont wait until last minute to gather required
  supplementary documents

12
Unspoken Expectations

• Qualifications and experience of the PI(s)
• Infrastructure provided by the PIs institution
• Preliminary data
• Very important!
• Can vary depending on agency, discipline, etc.
• Info sources
• Previous awardees
• Previous reviewers
• Program officers and previous program officers

13
Talking to the Program Officer

• Do your homework Ask early, ask often!
• Read solicitation carefully
• Read background documents
• Investigate previously funded projects
• Prepare a concise description of your project
• Goals, objectives, outcomes
• One short paragraph
• Try e-mail and phone
• If possible, use e-mail to set up a phone
  conference
• Ask open-ended questions and listen carefully

14
Talking to Previous Awardees

• Most previous awardees are very generous (unless
  theyre competing with you for a renewal
  application)
• Ask about program reviews and the feedback from
  the program officer
• Be aware that programs may evolve and criteria
  may change
• Previous awardees are often reviewers
• Strategy may be to cite results of previous
  awardees or forge a connection with previously
  funded programs

15
Review Criteria

• Most important part of the solicitation!
• Specific criteria differ from one agency to
  another, and from one foundation to another
• Plan early how to address each review criterion
• Structure your proposal outline to reflect review
  criteria
• If you are weak in an area, include a plan to
  address that area

16
Review Process

• Standing review committee
• Ad hoc panel
• Ad hoc mail reviewers
• Internal review
• Combination
• Who will be your reviewers and what are their
  backgrounds?

17
Learn by becoming a reviewer

• NSF
• http//www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/meritreview/rev
  iewer.jsp
• NIH (more formal and complex process)
• http//cms.csr.nih.gov/PeerReviewMeetings/BestPrac
  tices
• USDA CSREES Peer Review System
• http//www.csrees.usda.gov/business/prs.html
• Dept of Education Office of Postsecondary
  Education, Field Reader System
• http//opeweb.ed.gov/frs/frsHome.cfm
• NEH PRISM
• https//securegrants.neh.gov/PrismNew/(bt0a1q45ihm
  hh43j1pqujy55)/login.aspx

18
Summary

• Start early it takes time to find funding and to
  craft a competitive proposal
• Use all resources at your disposal talk with
  colleagues, mentors, program officers
• Know whats being funded in your field do your
  homework
• Follow guidelines and directions stick to the
  program and write clearly and concisely
• Persevere If at first you dont succeed, try
  again.

19
Online Resources

• University of Northern Colorado
• http//www.unco.edu/sparc/resources/webaids.htm
• Department of Education Funding Your Best
  Ideas A 12-Step Program
• http//www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/fipse/ste
  ps.html
• NSF essay Guidelines for Writing Grant
  Proposals
• http//www.nsf.gov/sbe/bcs/ling/guidelines.jsp

20
Next Week

• MALRC Seminar 3, Preparing a Competitive Grant
  Proposal
• June 11, 300 pm
• 521 Blocker