How to get my grant

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How to get my grant
Joost PH Drenth Department of Gastroenterology
and Hepatology Radboud University Nijmegen
Medical Center The Netherlands
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Types of grants

• objective
• training/career
• fellowship
• career award
• research
• conference
• equipment
• infrastructure

• form
• investigator-initiated
• individual
• groups
• set-aside grants
• contracts

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Types of grants

• objective
• training/career
• fellowship
• career award
• research
• conference
• equipment
• infrastructure

• form
• investigator-initiated
• individual
• groups
• set-aside grants
• contracts

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Availability of grants

• government
• non-government organizations
• philanthropic foundations
• health voluntaries
• corporations
• private individuals

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Why dont people get funded?
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Why people dont get funded

• because it is too hard?

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Why people dont get funded

• because it is too hard?
• already accomplished harder tasks

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Why people dont get funded

• inadequate concept

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Why people dont get funded

• inadequate concept

A good idea is necessary, but not sufficient.
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Why people dont get funded

• inadequate concept
• poor presentation

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Why people dont get funded

• inadequate concept
• poor presentation
• poor understanding of process

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Why people dont get funded

• inadequate concept
• poor presentation
• poor understanding of process
• lack of persistence

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Why people dont get funded

• inadequate concept
• poor presentation
• poor understanding of process
• lack of persistence

Good grants are not funded, excellent ones are
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16 steps to your Grant

• Submitting
• 9. get approvals
• 10. obtain assignment
• 11. submit application
• 12. provide addl material
• 13. ensure receipt
• Responding
• 14. await review
• 15. study report
• 16. respond to report

• Preparing
• 1. establish frame of mind
• 2. develop concept
• 3. identify funding source
• 4. inform your institution
• 5. refine concept
• Writing
• 6. think like a reviewer
• 7. outline, write, edit
• 8. get feedback revise

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Grantspersonship

• Submitting
• 9. get approvals
• 10. obtain assignment
• 11. submit application
• 12. provide addl material
• 13. ensure receipt
• Responding
• 14. await review
• 15. study report
• 16. respond to report

• Preparing
• 1. establish frame of mind
• 2. develop concept
• 3. identify funding source
• 4. inform your institution
• 5. refine concept
• Writing
• 6. think like a reviewer
• 7. outline, write, edit
• 8. get feedback revise

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Grantspersonship

• 1. establish frame of mind
• 2. develop concept
• 3. identify funding source
• 4. inform your institution
• 5. refine concept
• 6. think like a reviewer
• 7. outline, write, edit
• 8. get feedback revise

• 9. get approvals
• 10. obtain assignment
• 11. submit application
• 12. provide addl material
• 13. ensure receipt
• 14. await review
• 15. study report
• 16. respond to report

2-60d
gt3 m
0 d
2 m
2 m
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Phase I Preparing

• 1. establish frame of mind
• 2. develop concept
• 3. identify funding source
• 4. inform your institution
• 5. refine concept

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Establish frame of mind

• often little enthusiasm

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Establish frame of mind

• often little enthusiasm
• better a wonderful opportunity

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General points to keep in mind

• proposal in contrast to research manuscript
• read by many fewer
• likely to have much greater impact
• material can be recycled
• from previous ms
• into future ms

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Develop a Concept
That FITS
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Develop a concept that FITS

• Fills a gap in knowledge

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Develop a concept that FITS

• Fills a gap in knowledge
• Important to
• the field
• funding agency
• you

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Develop a concept that FITS

• Fills a gap in knowledge
• Important
• Tests a hypothesis

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Develop a concept that FITS

• Fills a gap in knowledge
• Important
• Tests a hypothesis
• Short-term investment in long-term goals

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Identify Funding Source
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Identify funding source

• select agency

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Source of information

• internet
• reference books
• colleagues
• acknowledgements on papers
• office of research at your institution
• libraries

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Identify funding source

• select agency
• improve odds match objectives

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Identify funding source

• select agency
• improve odds match objectives
• research interests

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Identify funding source

• select agency
• improve odds match objectives
• research interests
• personal characteristics
• career phase
• gender
• developing nation

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Identify funding source

• select agency
• improve odds match objectives
• communicate with the funding agency

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Inform Your Institution
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Inform your institution

• departmental chairperson
• office of research
• people to give feedback

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Develop Concept
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Develop Concept
Refine
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Refine your concept

• review current literature

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Refine your concept

• review current literature
• talk with colleagues

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Refine your concept

• review current literature
• talk with colleagues
• think hard

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Refine your concept

• review current literature
• talk with colleagues
• think hard
• think harder

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Phase II Writing the proposal

• 6. think like a reviewer
• 7. outline, write, edit
• 8. get feedback revise

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Think like a reviewer
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What do they want to know?
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Think like a reviewer
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What do they want to know?
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Time spent reading proposal

• primary reviewer (writes report) 7-8 hr
• reader (no report) 1 hr
• discussion at study section 20 min

Survey by Janet Rasey Proposals reviewed were NIH
R01
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Write for the reviewer

• use standard organization
• provide clear, and very visible answers to review
  criteria
• anticipate reviewer's questions and provide
  answers
• state relation to funders mission

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Write for the reviewer, part 2

• use standard organization
• provide clear, and very visible answers to review
  criteria
• anticipate reviewer's questions and provide
  answers
• state relation to funders mission

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Phase II Writing the proposal

• 6. think like a reviewer
• 7. outline, write, edit
• 8. get feedback revise

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Think like a reviewer
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Stock the sections

• Research plan
• Specific Aims
• Background and Significance
• Preliminary Data
• Research Design and Methods
• Budget and Justification
• References

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Outline, Write, and Edit
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Outline, Write, and Edit

• being with a full outline

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Outline, Write, and Edit

• being with a full outline
• write initial draft without editing

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Outline, Write, and Edit

• being with a full outline
• write initial draft without editing
• edit thoroughly

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Outline, Write, and Edit

• being with a full outline
• write initial draft without editing
• edit thoroughly

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Editing

• avoid vague qualifiers
• use active voice

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General organization

• have a table of contents
• make it easy to find key points
• bold face headings and terms
• cross references
• some redundancy

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Appearance
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Appearance

• select good type face

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Appearance

• select good type face
• good
• Times Roman
• Century Schoolbook

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Appearance

• select good type face
• good never!
• Times Roman courier
• Century Schoolbook Helvetica

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Appearance

• select good type face
• good never!
• Times Roman courier
• Century Schoolbook Helvetica
• size gt 11 pt

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Appearance

• select good type face
• good never!
• Times Roman courier
• Century Schoolbook Helvetica
• size gt 11 pt
• occasionally use special fonts

italics
bold face
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Appearance

• select good type face
• write in paragraphs

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Appearance

• select good type face
• write in paragraphs
• 1 major idea per paragraph
• topic sentences
• use headers frequently

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Appearance

• select good type face
• write in paragraphs
• let your text
• indent paragraphs
• skip line between paragraphs

breathe
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Appearance

• select good type face
• write in paragraphs
• let your text b r e a t h
• conform to instructions!
• - type size - margins
• - pages - sections

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Check photocopy quality

• Dont send Word documents Use PDF files

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Get Feedback
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Asking for help

• Yes
• peers
• former reviewer
• colleague
• lay person

• NO!
• current reviewer

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Get feedback

• establish mentors early

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Get feedback

• establish mentors early
• provide clear instructions
• what
• when

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Get feedback

• establish mentors early
• provide clear instructions
• take no for an answer

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Get feedback

• establish mentors early
• provide clear instructions
• take no for an answer
• remind gently

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Get feedback

• establish mentors early
• provide clear instructions
• take no for an answer
• remind gently
• show appreciation

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Get Feedback and Revise
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Phase III Submitting

• 9. get approvals
• 10. obtain assignment
• 11. submit application
• 12. provide additional material
• 13. ensure receipt

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Get approvals
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Get approvals

• use of subjects
• human (IRB)
• animals (IACUC)
• safety
• agreements
• collaborators
• consultants
• university administrators

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Get approvals

• use of subjects
• human (IRB)
• animals (IACUC)
• safety
• agreements
• collaborators
• consultants
• university administrators

Allow enough time!
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Submit Application
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Submit application

• know the deadline
• postmark versus arrival
• absolute or flexible

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Submit application

• know the deadline
• anticipate problems
• bad weather
• equipment failures
• holidays
• sickness

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Submit application

• know the deadline
• anticipate problems
• give yourself extra time
• (everything takes longer than you think)

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Submit application

• know the deadline
• anticipate problems
• give yourself extra time
• what if you are late?

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Submit application

• know the deadline
• anticipate problems
• give yourself extra time
• what if you are late?
• call and ask
• there often is a grace period

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Submit application

• know the deadline
• anticipate problems
• give yourself extra time
• what if you are late?
• call and ask
• there often is a grace period
• sometimes there isnt

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Phase IV Responding

• 14. await review
• 15. study report
• 16. respond to report

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Await Review
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What will be happening

• 1. assignment

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What will be happening

• 1. assignment
• 2. evaluation
• staff
• peers
• sitting panel
• external reviewers
• site visit (rare)

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What will be happening

• 1. assignment
• 2. evaluation
• 3. prep of review which may
• not be available
• need to request
• take 2-3 mo
• be incomplete
• contain contradictions

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Study Review and Respond
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Possible outcomes

• scored
• high
• gray area
• low

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Possible outcomes

• scored
• high
• gray area
• low
• rejected

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Possible outcomes

• scored
• high
• gray area funding?
• low
• rejected

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Reasons for rejection Research proposals

• inadequate rationale
• poor reasoning
• unrealistic workload
• lack of exptl detail
• uncritical approach

• unoriginal ideas
• diffuse, superficial
• lack of knowledge
• uncertain future directions

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Reasons for rejection Fellowships

• weak candidate
• productivity
• letters
• training
• poor mentor
• research
• funding
• experience

• inadequate proposal
• quality of research
• relevance to training
• weak institution
• colleagues
• support

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If score is in gray zone

• talk to program officer
• consider providing additional material
• rebuttal
• evidence of feasibility

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If funding is not provided

• quit

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If funding is not provided

• quit
• application MUST have merit if
• you followed previous steps

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If funding is not provided

• quit
• same application with rebuttal

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If funding is not provided

• quit
• same application with rebuttal
• revised application
• some changes
• some rebuttal

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If funding is not provided

• quit
• same application with rebuttal
• revised application
• some changes
• some rebuttal
• request new reviewers

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Persistence pays

• gt 50 NIH applicants funded

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Advice to junior investigators
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Advice to junior investigators

• get funded as soon as possible
• funding track record helps get more
• jobs, promotions easier with grant
• proposals often not funded first time

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Advice to junior investigators

• get funded ASAP
• starting small is fine
• amount
• time

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Advice to junior investigators

• get funded ASAP
• starting small is fine
• make sure previous work published

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Advice to junior investigators

• get funded ASAP
• starting small is fine
• make sure previous work published
• every proposal should be excellent

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Advice to junior investigators

• get funded ASAP
• starting small is fine
• make sure previous work published
• every proposal should be excellent
• letters from others can help

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Advice to junior investigators

• get funded ASAP
• starting small is fine
• make sure previous work published
• every proposal should be excellent
• letters from others can help
• dont stop till you have more than enough

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Components of an Application
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Components

• title
• abstract
• research plan
• objectives
• significance
• preliminary data
• research design, methods

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Components

• title
• abstract
• research plan
• objectives
• significance
• preliminary data
• research design, methods

• budget
• budget justification
• biosketches
• approvals
• letters
• appendix

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Components

• title
• abstract
• research plan
• objectives
• significance
• preliminary data
• research design, methods

• budget
• budget justification
• biosketches
• approvals
• letters
• appendix

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Title

• mini-abstract
• accurate statement of long-term goals
• conform to guidelines
• include key words

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Abstract
Contents

• background
• specific aims
• unique features
• methodology
• expected results

• method of evaluation
• generalizability
• relation to field
• broad impact

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Abstract

• accurate
• simple
• interesting
• not provocative
• key words

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Research plan

• Specific aims
• Background Significance
• Preliminary Data
• Research Design Methods

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Research plan

• state objectives

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Research plan

• state objectives
• provide background
• general literature
• your work
• reviewers work

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Research plan

• state objectives
• provide background
• be hypotheses-driven

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Research plan

• state objectives
• provide background
• be hypotheses-driven
• highlight strengths
• ideas
• methods

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Research plan

• state objectives
• provide background
• be hypotheses-driven
• highlight strengths

• emphasize practicality
• methods
• preliminary data
• time skills

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Research plan

• state objectives
• provide background
• be hypotheses-driven
• highlight strengths

• emphasize practicality
• methods
• preliminary data
• time skills
• discuss outcomes, have contingencies

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Methods

• tell why your method is best

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Methods

• explain why your method is best
• provide details
• methodology
• controls
• instruments to be used
• information to be collected value limitations
• precision of data
• procedures for data analysis
• interpretation

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Methods

• explain why your method is best
• provide details
• identify pitfalls, how will overcome

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Methods

• explain why your method is best
• provide details
• identify pitfalls, how will overcome
• specify alternative method if yours fails

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Methods

• explain why your method is best
• provide details
• identify pitfalls, how will overcome
• specify alternative method
• list sources of unique materials
• reagents
• materials
• populations

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Methods

• explain why your method is best
• provide details
• identify pitfalls, how will overcome
• specify alternative methods
• list sources of unique materials
• consider input from statistician
• methods for data analyses
• amt data to collect

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Timeline
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Project evaluation(included in proposal)

• specify who will conduct
• internal
• external
• relate measures to objectives
• include evaluation instrument if available

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Personnel
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Personnel

• name individual when possible
• indicate selection procedures

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Collaborators consultants

• add skills, expertise
• add credibility

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Biographical sketches

• include for critical personnel
• Principal Investigator (PI)
• Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
• Co-Investigators (Co-I)
• Collaborators
• Consultants
• Research assistants

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Biographical sketches

• include for critical personnel
• highlight relevant accomplishments

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Biographical sketches

• include for critical personnel
• highlight relevant accomplishments
• ensure accuracy
• training, experience
• publications
• grant support

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Budget

• reasonable
• for the project
• for the agency
• inflationary increases
• new costs in subsequent years

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Budget

• service/maintenance costs
• insurance
• shipping
• training to use new equipment

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justify all equip carefully
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Budget

• reasonable
• justify all requests
• amounts
• time

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Justification

• personnel
• effort on project
• responsibilities

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Justification

• personnel
• Ben Aster, Ph.D., 20 effort. Dr. Aster is
  responsible for program evaluation.

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Justification

• personnel
• Ben Aster, Ph.D., 20 effort. Dr. Aster is
  responsible for program evaluation. He develops
  evaluation instruments, administers surveys,
  compiles and analyzes the data, initiates
  follow-up inquiries, and writes evaluation
  reports.

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Justification

• animals
• quantity
• cost at age
• days housed
• cost of housing

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Budget

• reasonable
• justify all requests
• amounts
• time
• explain appearance of overlap

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Budget

• reasonable
• justify requests
• explain appearance of overlap
• new NIH format modular budgets
• cost-share when possible
• funds
• services
• equipment

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Construction of budget

• salaries 50,000
• supplies 25,000
• equipment 15,000

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Construction of budget

• fringe benefits

• salaries 50,000
• fringe benefits (20) 10,000
• supplies 25,000
• equipment 15,000

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Construction of budget

• fringe benefits
• direct costs

• salaries 50,000
• fringe benefits (20) 10,000
• supplies 25,000
• equipment 15,000
• DC 100,000

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Construction of budget

• fringe benefits
• direct costs
• indirect costs

• salaries 50,000
• fringe benefits (20) 10,000
• supplies 25,000
• equipment 15,000
• DC 100,000
• IDC 42,500
• Total Award 142,500

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Resources and environment

• to document resources available
• equipment
• space
• facilities
• support staff

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Equipment grants

• relation to existing resources
• value added to research
• in your research unit
• outside research unit
• benefits for students
• implications of not having equipment

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Subject welfare

• know, adhere to guidelines
• get appropriate approvals

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Human subjects

• characteristics of subjects, population
• recruiting methods
• criteria for selection
• consent procedures
• potential risks
• how risks will be minimized
• benefits to subjects and community
• inclusion of women and minorities

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Vertebrate animals

• detail proposed use
• justify species and number
• veterinary care
• minimizing stress, discomfort
• justification for method of euthanasia

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Letters

• letters of agreement
• obtain from collaborators, consultants
• to document
• type, level of involvement
• access to special
• reagents, equipment
• methods
• populations
• improve by providing sample

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Letters

• letters of agreement
• letters of recommendation
• may be required
• could be optional
• could be inconspicuous

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Supplementary materials Some examples

• color or enlarged figures
• reprints of your work
• updated information
• results
• other accomplishments

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Supplementary material

• find out if, when, where
• never use to circumvent page limits!!

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Summary

• there is money available

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Summary

• there is money available
• getting it takes
• a good idea
• a proper match
• good grantspersonship
• persistence

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Summary

• there is money available
• getting it takes
• a good idea
• a proper match
• good grantspersonship
• persistence
• it is hard work

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Summary

• there is money available
• getting it takes
• a good idea
• a proper match
• good grantspersonship
• persistence
• it is hard work
• it is so worth it!

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