Squeezing Blood from a Turnip: Getting Grant Funding in Hard Times OR: Grantwriting 101 Instructors:

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Squeezing Blood from a Turnip Getting Grant
Funding in Hard TimesOR Grantwriting
101Instructors Laura Schmidt and Jim
WileyPhilip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy
StudiesWinter Quarter, Wednesdays 130-300pm  

• SESSION 1 OVERVIEW OF THE
• GRANTWRITING PROCESS

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Overview of the Process
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What is a Good Idea?

• Does it address an important problem?
• Will scientific knowledge be advanced?
• Does it build upon or expand current knowledge?
• Is it feasible
• to implement?
• to investigate?

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Finding the Right Funder

• Choose one you already know through mentors and
  colleagues.
• Choose one that funds the kind of work you do.
• Use the web and list serves to find relevant PA
  and RFAs.
• Choose one that has special mechanisms and breaks
  for new investigators.

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• grants.nih.gov

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nihroadmap.nih.gov
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Other Sources of Information about Funding
Priorities

• Institute- and Program-Specific Strategic Plans
  (online)
• Listings of Recently Funded Proposals (CRISP)
• Institute Home Pages and Newsletters
• Institute-Sponsored Conferences and Expert Panels
  (online)
• Presentations by Program Officials
• Through the Grapevine

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Finding the Right Funder

• Choose one you already know through mentors and
  colleagues.
• Choose one that funds the kind of work you do.
  This means studying their funding priorities
• Use the web and list serves to find relevant PA
  and RFAs.
• Choose one that has special mechanisms and breaks
  for new investigators.

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Each Institute/Center (IC) Creates its Own
Funding Plan
A pay-line for each mechanism (including
set-asides for new investigators) An
application success Rate Administrative
reductions on new and old awards An average
length of award How to fund non-competing
applications
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Linking Your Application toFunding Priorities
RFARequest for Applications one
receipt date and funds set aside to funds
PAProgram Announcement PASProgram
Announcement with funds set aside PARProgram
Announcement reviewed by the Institutes not
CSR
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How Much Does the Funder Strive to Help Newer
Investigators Through the Glass Ceiling?

• Look for special new investigator review
  criteria.
• Look for funding mechanisms targeted at new
  investigators.

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How to Use Your Edge Newness

• Refer to yourself as a new investigator.
• Emphasize innovation Remember, your reviewers
  are likely to be senior people.
• BUT STRIKE A BALANCE Reassure reviewers that you
  have adequate senior support.
• Present grant as the first step in a larger
  research program to come.
• Select the appropriate grant mechanism for a new
  person.
• Above all, AVOID overly ambitious or risky
  projects the first time out.

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NIH Review Criteria

• This is what your reviewers need to write about
  your application
• Significance
• Approach
• Innovation
• Investigator
• Environment

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Know Your Review Criteria

• Significance Does the application address
  important problems? If aims achieved how will
  knowledge be advanced? What will be the effect of
  these studies on the concepts or methods that
  drive this field?

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Know Your Review Criteria

• Approach Are the conceptual framework, design,
  methods, and analyses adequately developed,
  well-integrated, and appropriate to the aims of
  the project? Does the applicant acknowledge
  potential problem areas and consider alternative
  tactics?

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Know Your Review Criteria

• Innovation Does the project employ novel
  concepts, approaches or methods? Are the aims
  original and innovative? Does the project
  challenge existing paradigms or develop new
  methodologies or techniques?

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Know Your Review Criteria

• Investigator Is the investigator appropriately
  trained and well-suited to carry out this work?
  Is the work proposed appropriate to the
  experience level of the principal investigator
  and other researchers?

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Know Your Review Criteria

• Environment Does the scientific environment in
  which the work will be done contribute to the
  probability of success? Do the proposed
  experiments take advantage of the unique features
  of the scientific environment or employ useful
  collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of
  institutional support?

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Pick the Right Sized Mechanism

• R01 -- Regular Research Grants
• R03 -- Small Grants
• R21 -- Exploratory/Developmental
• K01 -- Mentored K Awards

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R03 Small Grants

• Feasibility or pilot studies
• Develop new techniques or methods
• Facilitate less experienced investigator in
  application process
• Established investigator making a transition to
  new area of research
• Each IC may have unique rules
• Up to 2 years _at_ 50,000 each

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R21 Exploratory/Developmental

• Test innovative or creative science
• Transition to a new content area
• Initial development of ideas for future research
• Preliminary studies not needed
• Each IC may have unique rules
• Up to 2 years non-renewable
• Total 275,000 direct costs over 2 years

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Training and Career Awards

• Kirschstein NRSAs
• (prebaccalaureate, predoctoral postdoctoral)
• Individual Fellowships
• Predoctoral (F30, F31) Postdoctoral (F32)
• Career Awards (Ks)

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Career Development Awards (K)

• Support for scientists and clinicians from
  health-related disciplines
• Independent or mentored
• Didactic training and hands-on experiences
• Information on NIH web site
• K kiosk
• Career Award Wizard
• See grants.nih.gov/training/extramural.htm

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K01 Mentored Research Scientist

• Health professional or research degree
• Early career or interrupted career
• Faculty at institutions with substantial minority
  enrollment
• Identify a senior-level research mentor
• 75 effort to research activities
• 3-5 years non-renewable

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Keep in Mind

• We will all be playing by new rules
• And as yet, the rules arent totally clear.

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ENHANCING PEER REVIEWImplementation of
Recommended ActionsOctober 1 2008 EPMC Update
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Summary of Recommendations
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Implementation Timeline by Review Cycle
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Phase I Scoring Clustering
(FY 2010i.e., NOW)
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Phase II Enhanced Review CriteriaShorter
Restructured Applications
(FY 2011)
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Decisions Pending
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Issues In Need of Discussion Soon