GRANT WRITING
WORKSHOP
Presented by:
Dr Judy Berman
GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP
“The difference between success and failure often results, not
just from the quality of the science, but from the quality of
the grant application”.
“The art of "grantsmanship" will
not turn mediocre science into
a fundable grant proposal. But
poor "grantsmanship" will, and
often does, turn very good
science into an unfundable
grant proposal.”
(Jacob Kraicer, Professor of Physiology, University of Toronto)
Preparation

Write up and submit your recent work – your
‘track record’, as judged by publications, is an
important criterion in the assessment.

Carry out pilot study, include results in the
application

Read colleagues’ successful grant applications

Identify potential collaborators

‘Fit’ your proposal with the mission and
objectives of the funding agency
Personnel and Track Record

Specify what the CI’s and PI’s will contribute to the project. Describe the roles
of PhD students.

Integrate the roles of the personnel throughout the application – specifically in
the budget and method sections

Include not only output but ‘impact’ too. Not only a statement of achievement
but also an evaluation of its quality.
An
inappropriate team member will weaken the application.
Title and Project Summary/Abstract

The title and summary set the first
impression.
Title: keep it simple!!

“To examine the proposition that acute
excessive alcohol consumption is causally
related to a demonstration of
consequential impairment of an
individual’s cognitive abilities over
extended periods”.

“To determine whether binge drinking lead
to long-term reduction in cognitive
function”.
Project Summary/Abstract

A good summary/abstract captures and illustrates the
entire research picture without leaving the reader puzzled
or confused.

Start with a strong sentence which explains the problem for
which this research is a response.

Review committee members often study the application
(and prepare written reports, if required) weeks or months
before the meetings. They then quickly review all the
abstracts just before the meetings in order to recall the
essentials.

Assume that you are writing for a reviewer in a somewhat
related field, rather than for an expert in your area
Budget Details and Budget
Justification

Make the budget realistic

A well constructed budget should include all the direct costs
of your project. A well justified budget should increase your
chances of having these direct costs funded.

Any request for teaching relief needs to be based on the
logic of the research requirements

Group items together under the headings provided
Aims
and Background

This section should answer 3 questions: what is known,
what is not known, and why is it essential to find out
Critically evaluate the relevant literature
(state where your own previous
contributions fit in)


Discuss fairly all sides of a controversy or disagreement

Don’t leave out your competitors’ work

Identify specifically the gaps and contradictions that you
will clarify.
Significance and Innovation, &
National Benefit




How will your project advance your research
field?
It is not enough to state or imply that a study will
be carried out "because it has never been done".
Focus on why it has to be done.
Describe the significance of your research and
summarise again at the end
Describe how your project fits into Australia’s
National Research Priorities
National Benefit – Humanities and
Social Sciences





Fosters the capacity for informed public debate
Addresses major contemporary and cultural
challenges
Enriches public life through development of
exhibitions, film, performance.
Plays a role in building Australia as a cohesive
sustainable society that values diversity
Impacts on policy
National Benefit – Science




Contributes to solving a long standing problem
Impacts on environment and sustainability
Impacts on health, aging, well-being
Impacts on technology and Australia’s ability
to keep up with the rest of the world.
Approach and Methodology

The method should be linked to the budget,
personnel and timeline

Consider including a timeline which gives the
reader a snapshot of your project

Include pilot data

Show that you are capable of adapting future
experiments depending on the results generated
General Comments

Reviewers often do their reading in bits-and-pieces –
organise your application so that it can be read in this way

Avoid abbreviations, acronyms and jargon

Read the application aloud to yourself. This way long
worded text and unclear explanations will quickly become
evident

State explicitly how the proposal relates to the mission,
objectives and priorities of the agency

Make sure that your application is free from mechanical
errors. Sloppy application = sloppy scientist!!
General comments

Give your draft application to people from a wide range of
disciplines

State your key message at the beginning of each section

If you use headings and sub-headings make sure that they
mean something – use them to set the context and draw
the reader in

Presentation - avoid wads of text as it puts the reader off.

Highlight fix-ups for later so that they are not left in the
Highlight
final version!!!

Diagrams – use sharp contrasts
Research Services
www.research.uwa.edu.au
Judy Berman x8033
Research Development Officer (RDO)
[email protected]
Room 2.09, Second floor, Central Admin
Building