UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Pitching your Project:
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Some general advice…
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Tip number 1: Read the instructions
o Review the program’s focus, and be sure your project is a good fit
o Review the adjudication criteria carefully
o Be sure each criterion is addressed in your proposal
o Don’t be too subtle about it (use subtitles, boldface, etc. if need be) so
adjudicators are sure not to miss it
o Follow all section requirements, page length restrictions, formatting
instructions, etc. precisely
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Tip number 2: Get someone else to read your
proposal
o Others in the field may be able to point you to any missing
references in your literature review, or indicate (and suggest ways of
correcting) any flaws in your methodology
o Others outside of your field may be able to point out where you’ve
slipped into jargon, discipline-specific terminology, etc.
o A second reader can also be valuable as a proof-reader, spotting
fuzzy explanations, typos, etc.
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Tip number 3: Write for your readers
o Know what kind of committee you are writing for (i.e. disciplinespecific or multi-disciplinary) and present the material accordingly
o Keep your tone polite and collegial (avoid arrogance, unnecessary
polemics, disparaging remarks about previous research,
researchers, etc.)
o Know what they are looking for (i.e., criteria) and make it easy for
them to find it
o Give them no reason to disqualify you
o Make their reading experience pleasant (use topic sentences,
sentence variety, etc.; don’t irritate with typos, minute font-size,
crammed text, etc.)
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
What your adjudicators will want to know…
Who
What
When
Where
Why
and… How
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
More specifically…
o Why is this research important and worth pursuing (and funding)?
o How does this project/approach build on or distinguish itself from
work that has already been done?
o What preliminary work have you already completed?
o Why are you in particular well positioned to pursue this project?
o How, in detail, will you accomplish the project goals?
o How will the research findings be disseminated, to whom, and with
what impact?
o How will this research program help train the next generation of
researchers?
o What future work might develop from this particular project?
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Some more advice…
•
Start early—be sure you give ample time to this
•
If available, look at examples of successful grant applications
•
Review lists of previously-funded projects to gauge the fit of yours
•
Connect with any co-applicants and collaborators early on
•
Do several drafts of your research proposal
•
Get peer and generalist feedback on draft
•
Proofread carefully, and double-check all budget calculations
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Elements of a typical grant application
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Summary /abstract
Objectives /goals
Context /literature review
Significance /impact
Methodology /research design
Communication of results /dissemination
References / Student training plans / Description of team
Budget and budget justification
CV
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
The summary/abstract
o The most important piece of writing in the application
o The most widely read section of your application
o Too often, the most neglected or hastily-written section…
The abstract/summary should present all the exciting bits of your
project. Tell a good story! Emphasize the urgency of the
problem, the originality of your response, and the significance
and potential impact of your findings. It must be informative,
providing a free-standing, “in a nutshell” view of your project, but
it’s also an opportunity to create a “hook” for the adjudicators,
evoking some curiosity and a desire to read on…
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Objectives/goals
What are you going to do/achieve?
o usually short and succinct
o a point-form list is often a good idea
o this is where you clearly state your objectives (both broad
objectives and goals, but also more specific ones)
o avoid anything that sounds like a “fishing expedition” (i.e.
“I’ve got a good hunch about this, and I’m going to read a lot
of articles and see what’s there…”)
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
WORKSHOP ACTIVITY:
Take 5-7 minutes to discuss with your partner this question:
What are your project objectives /goals?
Following this, take 3-5 minutes to sit down and pen two
sentences (maximum) that summarize these goals.
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Context /literature review
What’s been done already?
o this is where you present your literature review and
o establish your credibility as a researcher – demonstrating that
you know what you’re talking about, and that you’ve done
your homework
o get someone who knows the field to read it -- you don’t want
to embarrass yourself (and sink your application) by missing
a key work or proposing a study that’s already been done
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
WORKSHOP ACTIVITY:
Take 5-7 minutes to discuss with your partner this question:
What’s been done, and what’s yet to be done (by you)?
Following this, take 3-5 minutes to sit down and pen two
sentences (maximum) that summarize your answer to these
questions.
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Significance /impact
“Why is this project worth doing—and funding”
o What new knowledge will this study add to the existing
literature?
o Why is this new knowledge valuable?
o What broader benefits might this project have for future work,
for society (policy implications, learning outcomes, etc.)?
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
WORKSHOP ACTIVITY:
Take 5-7 minutes to discuss with your partner this question:
Why is your project important and worth pursuing (and
funding)?
Following this, take 3-5 minutes to sit down and pen two
sentences (maximum) that summarize your answer to this
question.
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Methodology /study design
How are you going to do it? What steps will you take? How will
you evaluate results?
o this is where you establish the scope, sequencing, and,
ultimately, the feasibility of your project
o this is where you establish that your study will be conducted
rigorously and according to accepted methods
o if you don’t have much to say about methods (e.g., in the
humanities), then focus on timelines and stages of the
research – show you have a plan in place
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
WORKSHOP ACTIVITY:
Take 5-7 minutes to discuss with your partner this question:
How are you going to conduct this study? What is your
research design?
Following this, take 3-5 minutes to sit down and pen two
sentences (maximum) that summarize your answer to these
questions.
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Communication /dissemination
Where will you communicate your findings--and to whom?
o this, of course, is where you discuss your scholarly
dissemination plans—conference papers, journal articles,
books, etc. (be as specific and detailed as possible about
your intended venues and reasons for targeting them)
o plans for mobilizing/translating knowledge generated through
this project among other stakeholder groups is also important
to include here (e.g., policy papers, media pieces,
seminars/talks for professional groups, etc.)
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
WORKSHOP ACTIVITY:
Take 5-7 minutes to discuss with your partner this question:
Where will you disseminate your findings, and to whom?
Following this, take 3-5 minutes to sit down and pen two
sentences (maximum) that summarize your answer to these
questions.
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Student training
o Training the next generation of researchers is a high priority
of most funders—be sure to include a clear plan for students
in your proposal
Description of team
o If applicable, clearly indicate the role/contributions of each
team member
CV
o a strong CV, of course, helps make for a strong application
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Budget
o Be sure that all items you request are eligible and are well
justified
o Consult grant guidelines and UW information sheets to
determine student salaries, benefit/vacation amounts, per
diem amounts, etc.
o Be sure to double check your calculations!
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Application Resources in CTE
o The Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) website features
examples of projects previously funded by the PIF and LIF
programs
o Lots of other resources on the site for research on teaching
and learning
o Nicola Simmons, CTE Research Project Analyst, is a valuable
resource person!
prepared by Angela Roorda
UW CTE Workshop, February 8, 2010
Strategies for Effective Grant Writing
Application Resources in UW Arts: weblinks
“Grants and Funding
Resources” webpage
• Grants Calendar
• Academic Prizes Calendar
• SSHRC FAQ and Grant Writing
Resources
• Forms, Guidelines and Rate
Sheets
• Grant Opportunities and
Agencies
http://arts.uwaterloo.ca/arts/gradres/researcher_r
esources.html
prepared by Angela Roorda