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One in a series on Grant writing for prospective researchers, sponsored by the Senior Health Institute, Jefferson Health System
Getting Started Writing A Research Grant
(Adapted from Gitlin and Lyons, Successful Grant Writing: Strategies for Health and Human Service Professionals, Springer Publishing Company, 1996.
Writing a research grant application may appear to be an overwhelming task. However, it involves a series of logical steps that can be mastered. There are a number of things to know prior to actually writing a research grant application.
- Foremost is the need to identify an appropriate funding agency. Finding a match between your research idea and a potential agency can take time.
- Critical to this process is contacting a program officer of an agency that you initially identify as a potential funding source.
A program officer is an employee of a federal agency or foundation who manages a specific program of grant funding. In some agencies, a program officer is responsible for developing agency priorities or particular requests for proposals. They are therefore able to provide specific advice about the type of projects that the agency seeks to fund. As such program officers can help you determine if your research idea reflects the goals and funding priorities of the agency. Furthermore, program officers are an invaluable source of information about current and projected funding priorities of the agency, the scope of research that is supported by the agency, the review process and the level of competition you may expect.
Some researchers feel awkward about contacting a program officer. However, program officers welcome calls, e-mails and/or visits. They seek competitive research proposals so that it is in their interests to talk to prospective investigators and help them shape their ideas to match those of the agency. The name and telephone numbers of program officers are usually found in requests for proposals or program announcements.
When initially contacting a program officer, be prepared to offer specific information.
- First identify yourself and your institution.
- Briefly describe your research idea and ask if such a proposal would be of interest to the agency.
- Third, ask whether you can send (fax, e-mail) an abstract or a one-to-two page concept paper that describes your project and budget needs in more detail for critical review.
Many program officers will review a concept paper and offer specific comments. If there appears to be a potential match, request an application kit and inquire about the funding cycle, how many applications they expect to receive, and how many grants they plan to award. Finally, ask the program officer if you may contact him/her again after you have read the application kit and develop your ideas further. At subsequent contact with a program officer, explore in more detail the peer review process and if a list of reviewers is available for distribution.
You may also visit most program officers in person. Unless an agency is in the middle of a peer review, you will usually be able to obtain an appointment. When you visit a program officer, plan for a 20 to 45 minute meeting.
- Before the meeting, try to learn about the agency from their web page or printed materials in order to maximize your visit.
- In your visit, be prepared to explain in a concise and cogent manner your research idea including the purpose of your study, basic hypotheses if relevant, the research design and budgetary needs of the project.
- Ask for written materials that describe the research programs and the grants that have been awarded in the past funding cycles if these are not available on the web page. Some agencies may provide a copy or allow you to read on site a grant that they recently funded and consider a model application. If you do submit a grant application, be sure to inform the program officer.
You will find that program officers are helpful and forthcoming with information. They tend to be candid and offer constructive critical feedback. The suggestions and advice offered by a program officer should be listened to carefully. Their recommendations may result in the submission of a stronger proposal. Thus, before submitting a grant application, be sure to contact the program officer.
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