If you are performing grant-funded research within the US, you’ve likely experienced a number of highs and lows related to federal research funding trends. Many federal grant programs fall under Congressional budget appropriations and thus are subject to delays, uncertainty, and yes, even cuts depending on when a new budget law is passed and what funds are set aside for … Read More
Why—and How—to Talk with Program Officers at Funding Agencies
Advice abounds on what to do when applying for research grants, and one common suggestion causes a sticking point for less-experienced PIs: contacting the funding agency’s program staff to discuss the upcoming application. We use this advice across our workshops, Q&A sessions, and one-on-one consultations, and investigators often provide some insight into what prevents them from taking this advice. The … Read More
What is ‘grantsmanship’? How strategic thinking improves your chances of success in the grant application process
In sectors where grant funding provides key support to the research enterprise, grant writing is a valued skill. In fact, training and support for grant writing represents the top service demand for our team at CareerVolt. In the context of these services, we often emphasize the equal value of “grantsmanship” (which we sometimes refer to as grant crafting or grant … Read More
Preparing a Compelling Scientific Grant Application
Grants, especially from federal funders, provide an important source of support for advancing scientific and public health research. For example, within the US, federal grants are the second-largest source of research and development dollars, after private businesses (before the 1980s, federal funds were the largest share). Yet, you are probably also intensely aware that there is a lot of competition … Read More