Write Winning NIH Grant Proposals
This all-day presentation comprehensively addresses the practical, conceptual, and rhetorical aspects of writing competitive grant proposals. We cover:
- Critical steps for organizing and planning your proposal (all of the things you need to do before you start writing a full proposal in order to have a competitive edge).
- Understanding the role (and mindset) of your reviewers.
- A 4-paragraph rhetorical strategy for writing a compelling Specific Aims page.
- Specific strategies and tips for each major section of a grant proposal.
Emphasis is placed on doing the “extra” things that can make the difference between being funded versus not. Regardless of the target agency, participants are taught to write with a linear progression of logic, which leads reviewers through an application without them knowing that they are being led. We also emphasize the fact that applicants are writing for two different audiences – the assigned reviewers, who read the application in its entirety, and non-assigned reviewers who may have read little, or none, of the proposal before the meeting of the review panel.
This seminar is appropriate for junior through senior faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, and doctoral students who have had some exposure to writing grant applications, either through training / mentoring or personal experience. Experienced faculty may use the seminar as an overall refresher, for new ideas on gaining a competitive edge, and/or for strategies in how to mentor others in proposal writing. Junior faculty and doctoral students may use the seminar as a primer in proposal writing that helps demystify the components of a proposal and the process of writing one strategically.
Each seminar is tailored to meet the needs of the audience, i.e., to focus on the funding agency or agencies that are of greatest interest to the attendees. This seminar will focus on proposal writing for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Nonetheless, the majority of the content will be relevant and usable for individuals applying to other funding entities (e.g., private foundations, professional organizations, and state/other federal agencies). This is because the core structure/format of most grant proposals, and the review criteria for most grant proposals, are very similar across funding entities, often merely called something different. Proposal components and requirements unique to the NIH will be addressed.