A Bit on Grants

Dr. Jennifer L. Bowie for her brilliant PDC

Title

• Concise & descriptive– Make it reflect the purpose focus– Present the key ideas

• Don’t go for sexy here• Think of it as a “mini abstract”• Check to see if there are rules or

guidelines

Project Overview

• Think of it as an executive summary—focus on the bottom line for the reader

• Be specific and concise• Related to the organization: consider

their “bottom line”• Establish the framework of your

project• Write this last

Statement of the Problem/Background• Think of this as the lit review where you

present similar studies and discuss why yours is needed

• Make language appropriate to your audience, especially here – Consider jargon & style

• Show why worthy of research and $• Discuss unique qualifications• State needs• Discuss steps taken already• Discuss how “ongoing” this is

Project Goals and Objectives (research questions)

• Present your goals or questions• Provide milestones• Giver funder ways to know you can

and will meet your goals• Present measurable, clear objectives

Methods and Schedule

• Present the actions you will take to meet your goals

• Present clear explicit steps• Connect your methods to your

objectives• Assign roles/tasks• Pre-present milestones• Provide a timetable

Resources

• Present available resources, especially discuss what is “special” or uniquely qualifies your proposal

• Discuss needed resources:– Personnel– Facilities– Equipment/Supplies/Communication– Budget: don’t pad, give plenty of details,

provide justification where needed, checkout their rules

Evaluation Criteria and Process • Discuss how you will know if you have met

your goals/been successful– How will you measure success?– What tools will you use?

• Include both process evaluation (during) & summative evaluation (after)

• All evaluation should be based on goals & objectives

• What happens after?

Travel Grant Info: Conferences• Include conference paper title and abstract (often

as grant title and summary)• Provide the name, location and date of the

conference and a brief description of the group organizing the conference– May also need the reasons why you should go

• Include in your budget:– Registration– Lodging & food (per diem?)– Travel/transportation comment on the relevance of the

conference that you wish to attend.

• May need to provide copy of acceptance letter

General TravelNote this is from Illinois State University http://www.rsp.ilstu.edu/grant_writing/travel.shtml and it is one example of what you

may need to provide

• Sponsored Project Goal:  Describe and define the problem addressed through this project.  Suggested length:  one to two sentences.

• Sponsored Project Description:  Describe planned activities, length of project, and collaborating departments, schools, or other organizations to be involved in the project, and also estimated date of proposal submission.  Include a final paragraph to summarize the benefits and deliverables for the project. Suggested length for this portion of the summary is two to three paragraphs.

• Credentials:  Write a statement that convinces the reader you and your collaborators have the background necessary to complete the project.  If facilities are important, describe those available.  Suggested length:  one paragraph.

• Estimated Cost:  Provide an estimate of the costs of this project—include both costs to be requested through the funding agency and those to be provided through the institution as matching dollars (if required).  It is important to know if you estimate the project will cost $5,000 or $5,000,000 or something in between.  Funding agencies do have limits.  Suggested length:  one to two lines.

• Travel Information: Provide a brief explanation of your travel plans including purpose of trip, dates of travel, destination, agency and/or program officer names, etc.

Grants to consider• GSU:

http://www.gsu.edu/research/funding_opportunities.html– Dissertation grant:

http://www.gsu.edu/images/vp_research/dissertation08.pdf • NEH: http://www.neh.gov/grants/index.html• STC: http://www.stc.org/edu/grantsResearch01.asp• C&W travel grant:

http://class.georgiasouthern.edu/writling/GRN/2009/application.html

• CPTSC: http://www.cptsc.org/research-grants.html• WPA: http://www.wpacouncil.org/node/1386 • COS: http://www.cos.com/