Planning and Writing Successful Proposals

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Planning and WritingSuccessful Proposals

• Susan Gramling, MSLS
• GrantSource Library
• Office of Information Communications
• gs_at_unc.edu or 962-3463

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Topics for today

• Researching potential funders
• Planning your proposal
• Proposal elements
• Budgeting
• Review process
• Preparing for the next time

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Source Dr. Glenn H. Crumb, Presentation Grants
Puzzled About Finding Them?, Western Kentucky
University
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Workshop Resources

• This PowerPoint -- Planning and Writing
  Successful Proposals (Click on Center for
  Teaching and Learning)
• http//research.unc.edu/grantsource/workshops_arch
  ive.phpother
• Links to Proposal Writing Resources
• http//research.unc.edu/grantsource/proposal_writ
  ing.php
• Workshops on Identifying Funding Resources
• http//research.unc.edu/grantsource/workshops_arc
  hive.phpgraduate

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Services and Resources Available

• Information about funding sources
• Instruction in conducting funding searches
• Proposal writing guides
• Grants awarded databases

http//research.unc.edu/grantsource/
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Research Potential Funders

• Look for potential funders with a good fit
• Contact agency program staff to assess fit with
  their priorities or new initiatives
• Find out their review criteria and process
• What have they funded in the past?
• http//research.unc.edu/grantsource/awards_made.ph
  p
• Read previous successful proposals
• Sample IMLS Applications http//www.imls.gov/appl
  icants/sample.shtm

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Finding Funding 101

• Suggested basic steps
• Search funding opportunity databases
• Set up funding alerts
• Search funding guides
• Use print resources

• http//research.unc.edu/grantsource/finding_fundin
  g.php

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Fundamentals of Proposal Preparation

• Talk with the program officer
• Proposal writing is not the same as scholarly or
  scientific writing
• Write, revise, revise, revise
• Get feedback from colleagues or mentors

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Plan Before You Write

• Identify and define your project
• Assess project fit with overall personal goals or
  organizational purpose
• Think the plan through to the end
• Assess your expertise, resources strengths to
  approach the project
• Involve collaborators in planning
• Know the competition

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Proposal Elements

• Summary or abstract
• Problem statement/needs assessment
• Goals and objectives/specific aims
• Literature review
• Preliminary studies
• Methodology/procedure/research plan
• Qualifications/resources
• Evaluation
• Budget and budget justification

Online Guide http//www.learnerassociates.net/pro
posal/
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Group Exercise and Discussion

• Individual group discussions (25 minutes)
• Large group presentation and discussion (35
  minutes)

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Summary or Abstract

• Summarize all important information from proposal
  
• Crucial first impression
• Write it last
• Write in laymans terms
• Anticipate concerns and address briefly
• Convey enthusiasm

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Problem or Need Statement

• Identify problem or need
• Indicate importance or significance
• Cite examples, statistics, etc.
• Relate to sponsors mission or goal
• Dont take for granted that the reader will know
  whats on your mind

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Project Goals and Objectives

• Desired outcomes
• Address need or problem statement
• Brief, focused, to-the-point
• No more than two to five objectives
• Each should flow logically to the next
• No one objective should make or break the others
  or the overall project

Example www.learnerassociates.net/proposal/exam5.
htm
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Literature Review/Related Research

• Acknowledge work of others
• Be thorough, relevant current
• Use complete citation consistent format
• Demonstrate how up to date you are

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Preliminary Studies

• Discuss preliminary studies by Principal
  Investigator (PI) that are pertinent to
  application
• Establish experience competence of PI
• Cite complete references to manuscripts submitted
  or accepted for publication

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Methodology

• Describe activities to be undertaken why
• Flows naturally from problems objectives
• Describe staffing sequence of activities
• Provide evidence of planning (see time task
  chart examples)
• Reasonable scope

HANDOUTS Sample time and task charts
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Qualifications

• Demonstrate to the reader that you are capable of
  doing what you propose
• Describe project directors qualifications
  expertise
• Other available resources, including key
  personnel technical resources
• Describe organization, its purpose, goals
  programs project administration
• Offer statistics endorsements

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Evaluation

• How will you know if the project is successful?
• Define evaluation criteria
• Identify a plan
• Types of evaluation- Process or formative-
  Product or summative
• Show how evaluation will be used

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Writing Style

• Be clear, concise and direct
• Write in a positive manner
• Use the active voice, rather than passive
• Avoid jargon - someone outside your field should
  be able to understand
• Use headings, bullets, formatting and white space
  to increase readability
• Proofread for grammar, spelling and typographical
  errors

Handout Some Tips for Writing Grant Proposals
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Budgeting

• Itemize account for costs
• Budget should flow from your project plan
• Justify budget items
• Dont overestimate resource needs
• Dont underestimate resource needs either

Handouts Sample Budget Format
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SAMPLE LINE ITEM PROJECT BUDGET PERSONNEL Senior
Personnel 5,000 Graduate Students 10,000 Und
ergraduate Students 900 Fringe Benefits _at_
19 for faculty 1,199 7.7 for
undergrads Subtotal Personnel 17,099 SAMPLE
PHASE PROJECT BUDGET PHASE ONE COURSE
DEVELOPMENT Personnel plus fringes 11,130 Cours
e Development Stipends 10,000 PHASE TWO
CONFERENCE Personnel plus fringes
5,969 Participant Stipends 8,000
Sample Budget Justification 1. The PI will
devote one month of effort to the coordination of
the course development module. She will be
assisted by one graduate student who will oversee
day to day administration and who will coordinate
the training workshop. Three undergraduate
students will prepare the conference materials,
and receive 7.50 an hour for a total of 120
hours of work. The University's negotiated
fringe benefit rates for non-federal agencies is
19 for faculty and 7.7 for undergraduate
students during the summer. There are no fringe
benefits for the graduate students. 2. We
anticipate inviting 40 teachers to attend the
conference. Using federal per diem rates, their
travel, room and board for three days will be
200.00 each.
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This means you

• Read carefully and follow scrupulously the
  guidelines provided by the sponsor
• This includes points to be addressed
• Also includes spacing, margins, font size,
  number of copies, page limitations
• If no guidelines, double-space, use generous
  margins and 12-point type

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Key Points to Remember

• Place your project in context of the other work
  in the field
• Discuss your expected results
• Anticipate problems in the project and propose
  alternative strategies

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The Review Process

• Process varies by sponsor
• Remember - reviewers may not have expertise in
  your field, may not share your interest and
  enthusiasm for the project, may be overworked and
  underpaid
• Key point Make your proposal easy for the
  reviewer to read
• Address sponsors review criteria (for example,
  NEH curriculum development)

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Reviewers look for

• A doable project (resources, approach)
• A project worth doing
• Systematic, logical development of ideas
• An easily-read, accessible proposal

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Common Reasons for Rejection

• Mechanical
• guidelines not followed exactly
• Methodological
• unoriginal or unsuitable methodology
• Personnel
• unqualified to do work
• Cost-Benefit
• not agency priority for this year
• unrealistic budget
• costs out of proportion to potential benefits

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Preparing for the next time

• If not funded, dont give up!
• Ask sponsor for reviewers written comments, if
  available
• Ask if it would be worth submitting another
  proposal in the future
• When revising, be responsive to reviewer comments

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Proposal Administration

• Find the appropriate office at your university
• Research administration, sponsored programs or
  projects, development, corporate and foundation
  relations
• University clearance and processing
• Contract and grant negotiation
• Administrative and financial management for
  regulatory compliance
• Human subjects research approval and
  certification

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Implications

• What have we learned?

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Summary

• Project planning is key
• Project should fit overall goals or plan
• Choose potential funders with a good fit
• Write with reviewers in mind
• Budget should fit your project plan
• Dont despair if proposal is unfunded