Research Resources: Grant Submissions, Part II

Although it is impossible to adequately discuss all aspects of grant writing through these tips, there are several areas that new investigators should pay attention to as they write an application. In this tip, a few key aspects of grantsmanship – adherence to instructions, budget justifications and timeline development – will be addressed. 

Grant Application Instructions
One important aspect of grant submission is adherence to the application instructions.  When the resident reviews the application and instructions to develop the grant preparation timeline, guide them to also pay close attention to issues such as page limits and font size. In many cases, funding agencies will return, without review, applications that do not adhere to application instructions. 

Budget Justifications
If a grant application has a budget justification section, the applicant should carefully justify requested funds in relation to the project. Rather than simply listing a research assistant, the budget justification should explain to the reviewer the assistant’s role on the project.  

Timeline Development
If the grant program requires a timeline for the project, provide a tabular or graphic timeline that describes key activities on a monthly basis.  Reviewers do not find statements such as “the study will be completed over a 12-month period” to be adequate timeline descriptions. See the "Establishing Timelines" research tip for an example of a tabular timeline.

Again, see Dr. Emily Beth Devine’s discussion of this topic in her article The Art of Obtaining Grants.

Also see:
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