Funding Strategy Workshop

1
Funding Strategy Workshop

• December 11, 2001
• Randolph Hall
• Associate Dean for Research

2
Why Funding?

• Enables research
• Attracts Ph.D. students
• Can build collaborations, increase exposure
• Measure of quality
• Helps school -- overhead and student support
• Helps in promotion

3
Funding Cautions

• Develop coherent research program
• Funding should help Ph.D. program
• Should not distract from publications
• Continuity of support
• Effort should not be overwhelming
• Better to pass an opportunity, than to embark on
  one with little chance of success

4
Proposal Writing

• A good research proposal demonstrates innovation
  and significance within its field of study

5
Myths of Proposal Writing

• Technical and scientific merits alone determine
  winners
• Proposals should be written for the top experts
  in your field
• Peers pick proposals, not program managers
• Dont ask your colleaguess to review your
  proposal -- they wont appreciate it anyway

6
More Myths

• Its a good idea to submit the same proposal to
  several agencies
• Budget allocations dont matter, just the bottom
  line
• Follow your own writing style -- reviewers dont
  care about the guidelines
• Dont worry about schedules and deliverables --
  this is research

7
Reality

• Reviewers do not read proposals carefully, and
  they look for the big idea
• Reviewers also look for reasons to deny proposals
  -- there should be no holes
• Reviewers are not always experts
• Managers make the final decision, and influence
  the process

8
What Peers Want

• Innovation and significance
• Responsiveness to program
• Care in writing proposal
• Capability to accomplish objectives

9
What Managers Want

• Proposals that fulfill programmatic priorities
• Complementary work (no duplication)
• Investigators who are good to work with
• No black marks (always deliver on promises)

10
Step 1 Know the Program Manager

• Call or meet in advance -- treat like a customer
• Identify his/her priorities
• Understand selection processs
• Find out whats coming
• Find characteristics of winning proposals
• Volunteer for review panel

11
Step 2 Collect Data on Program

• Available funding, number submitted, hit rate
• range and duration
• Universities, departments, faculty that have won
• Related topics

12
Step 3. Develop Concept

• Understand literature and needs
• Build from your strengths
• Discuss with program manager
• Identify/develop partners
• Reaction from colleagues and peers

13
Step 4. Write Proposal

• Follow section format exactly
• Clear statement of benefits and significance in
  abstract, introduction, conclusions
• Complete review of relevant literature
• Include clear schedule, and describe the
  deliverables
• Justify budget expenditures
• Present your qualification

14
5. Feedback

• Ask an expert that you know to review
• Ask someone else (non-expert) to review

15
Summary

• Begin with innovation and significance
• Treat programs like customers -- you need to be
  responsive
• Get as much feedback as possible -- avoid risks

16
Where to Go for Money

• National Institutes of Health
• National Science Foundation
• Department of Defense
• DARPA, ONR, AFOSR, Army, Various
• NASA
• Department of Energy
• Department of Transportation
• Foundations, Corporations, State

17
Special Programs

• NSF Career
• Young Investigators