Tips and Advice

General tips & advice
 
Questions your proposal must answer 

General tips for NEH/Humanities 

General tips for science & social science

Tips for specific Funding agencies

Fulbright Scholar Program  

NIH    

NSF

Links to other sources of advice and information  


Contact Franci Farnsworth, Coordinator of Sponsored Research (x5889), for a paper copy of the booklet Grant Preparation:Tips and Advice. The Sponsored Research Office offers workshops on grant-writing and specific funding sources at various times during the academic year.

General Tips & Advice

Read the Guidelines carefully.
Note the goals of the program and any special instructions about format, mailing, etc.

Follow all directions.
Grant proposals have been denied because applicants did not do what was asked. So, include the right forms, provide requested information, answer all the questions, and adhere to guideline requirements for length and format.

Address all review criteria.
Successful grant proposals answer all these questions and fit the mission of the grant program (defined by the review criteria). If the criteria aren't spelled out, you can usually discern what is important from other language in the guidelines or program description.

Send out only perfect copy.
First impressions are important -- allow no typos, no errors, no sloppy formatting, etc. Paper application forms should be typed.

---

 
Questions your proposal must answer

What do you want to do?
You should be able to summarize your proposal in a few sentences. Avoid jargon. Provide a short project summary even if it's not required. Make it easy for reviewers to find the answers to questions they might have.

Why do you want to do it?
Why is it important that this project be done? Convey your enthusiasm. There must be a better reason than "it hasn't been done before."

How are you going to do it?
When and where? Provide a specific timeline. Demonstrate that you have the necessary equipment and other resources.

How much will it cost?
In addition to a basic budget (or required budget forms) provide a "Budget Justification" -- detailed information on each budget item. Show how you arrived at your figures.

Why are you the one to do it?
What special credentials do you have?

What good will come from it?
Your answer will depend in part on the goals of the funding source. Typically you will need to describe the contribution to the discipline and to society in general. You may also need to address the benefit your project will have for your career or for Middlebury College and/or its students.

How will you show that it's been done and evaluate its success?
This answer also depends on the goals and requirements of the funding source. At a minimum, indicate how you plan to disseminate the results of the project.

general Tips for NEH/Humanities 

Most funding sources will want to know these details about your humanities research project:

• What are the basic ideas, problems, works, or questions the study will examine?
• What is the planned approach or line of thought?
• If the area is new to you, what are the reasons for working in it or what interests have led to it?
• What is the current state of the proposed study?
• Is it in the beginning stages or well underway?
• What are the plans for each stage?
• How does the part to be done during the grant period fit into the whole?
• Provide a proposed schedule or plan of work.
• What contribution is the proposed study likely to make, and what is its significance for the humanities?
• If the subject might seem narrow or obscure you should show the project's larger significance.
• What is the relationship between the proposed work and the work of others in the same general subject area?
• What is distinctive about the proposed study?
• For what audience are the results of the study intended?
• What format (book, articles, paper, other) is the proposed study likely to assume?

Some funding sources will be concerned about other things as well:

Read the guidelines carefully. You may be asked to relate your project to your career goals or to your teaching. The NEH Fellowship program asks about the relationship of the proposed study to your development as an interpreter of humanities. Other organizations may want to know how they will benefit from the study or how society in general will benefit. READ THE GUIDELINES AND FOLLOW THEM EXACTLY.

Some practical matters you should address:

Check the guidelines. If languages other than English are needed to conduct the research, the funding source may want you to document or demonstrate your competence. You may need to state that you have the facilities and materials needed to conduct the study (phone, fax, computer, copier, film, tapes, etc.). Be prepared to document that you have access to any archives, collections, or institutions with resources necessary for your project. ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS.

Budget -- If a budget is required, consult our budget tips and advice.

(Adapted from the NEH Fellowship guidelines) 

general tips for science and the social sciences

Become familiar with the current literature. Make contacts; get to know the major players and those with interests closest to yours. Attend topical conferences in your area. Establish collaboration(s) with "experts"

2. Funding preliminaries

Identify potential funding sources. Talk with the Program Officer ... and listen! Does your project match the guidelines? Are there budget limits? What is typical award? Optimum timing to submit? Be clear on guidelines for proposal

3. Writing

Start early! Expect to spend 2-3 months writing and honing. Develop a draft budget early (this may influence everything else). Discuss budget with Grants Office staff. Seek commitment of institutional support (matching funds,released time). Establish the context:What is the big picture?Provide an overview of what you seek to accomplish. Why is it important?Specifics:Project details. Show your familiarity with prior work. Establish your track record/expertise -- why you? Argue feasibility of project; note resources available. Budget:Be realistic (no $hoestrings or Cadillac$). Institutional support. Consider infrastructure impact. Influences on students (direct and indirect): Role students will play (don't simply ask for stipends). Attachments (where allowed/encouraged): Letter from a collaborator. Recent preprint or photo if allowed.

4. Pre-submission

Check guidelines and criteria for reviewers. Match subheadings to these – don't let a busy reviewer miss the point. Have others review and critique – both specialists and non-specialists

5. After submission

Wait. Patience is a virtue.Expect success; be prepared for failure. Listen to comments from program officer. Ask for comments from reviewers ... and pay attention (whether funded or not). If denied:remember that majority of others were too-- keep working on project anyway. REWRITE and RESUBMIT – your chances will improve. If granted:Celebrate (briefly) but get cracking! Report results promptly (don't forego the good to achieve the perfect). Think about the next grant; the next project. Serve on review panels yourself.

You, and your students, should ENJOY it: "If it's not fun, why do it?"
(from presentation by Frank Winkler at CUR's National Conference, 6/96)

Fulbright Scholar Program

• Allow ample time for the online application process.
• Study the application guidelines carefully, especially the:
• Project Description outline (Lecturing or Research)
• Review Criteria
• Reminder List
• Follow all instructions!
• Read the Tips for Applying.
• Make the Project Statement the focus of your efforts (should be free of jargon).
• Ensure that your CV and Publications List reinforce your project statement.
• Choose references who can attest to your abilities related to this project.
• Collect information on the host country and institution - begin making arrangements NOW.
• Remember that your professional qualifications are reviewed in the context of your career stage.
• Tell a story about your career (show a pattern that includes a Fulbright).
• Call the appropriate CIES program officer with any questions (see award description for name, phone, email).
• Include a research or curriculum-development component and express a willingness to lecture.
• Answer these questions:
• Why this particular award/country?
• What will you do?
• Why you?
• How will you do it?
• Why are you able to do it?
• What preparations have you made?
• What can you contribute (to the host country, host institution, your discipline)?

Peer review is by a panel of scholars (often Fulbright alums) with extensive experience in the “region” of your award (it may be a single country, a few countries, or a larger region, depending on the number of awards offered and the number of applications received). Each regional panel includes scholars chosen to provide balance in terms of discipline, based on the awards offered and the actual proposals submitted. Specialist reviews are sought from non-panel members when necessary. Panels recommend more proposals than there are awards; final decisions are made by the Fulbright commissions in the respective countries (or US embassies in countries with no commissions).
 

(Adapted from the Fulbright guidelines)

NIH

Tutorials and other grant advice from NIH

Quick Guide for the Preparation of Grant Application-National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Information for Preparing Grant Applications-National Cancer Institute (NCI)

(From Tips on preparing your application, courtesy of NIH)

NSF

CONTACT WITH PROGRAM OFFICERS IS CRUCIAL