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Dos & Don’ts of Grant Proposal Writing
by Coralease Cox Ruff, R.N., DNSc, associate professor of
nursing, Howard University
- Don’t give up after the first rejection.
- Do realize that if you are applying for a big federal grant, the
process will take a long time.
- Don’t forget that everything in the process takes twice as long
as you guess it will. If you think applying will take six months, allow
nine months to a year.
- Consider your timetable—allow plenty of time to coordinate
everything. Don’t forget that the application will need to be
edited so that it is cohesive.
- Don’t forget the different personalities and skill levels among
your team members. Individuals bring different strengths and weaknesses
to the grant proposal that can impact your outcome.
- Do consider when you are coming up for tenure if you are in an
academic institution. Start early. The tenure date comes sooner than you
think, so start working on tenure from day one.
- Do seek a balance between teaching, research, family, publishing and
other responsibilities.
- Do be alert to opportunities.
- Do build a network. Having support can help you succeed throughout
the grant application process.
- Don’t forget that in an academic institution, the teaching has
to come first. After that, try to focus on research.
- Do realize that teaching, writing and research are all integrated.
Without research it is hard to write—but writing is necessary to
get funding for the research.
- Don’t forget that you will be drained when you finally send off
the grant application. It will be impossible to start another one
immediately.
- Do plan for a rush at the deadline. The last week before the
application is due, you may get no sleep.
- Do proofread your application closely. Typos and poor grammar can
make or break your chances of receiving funding.
- Don’t underestimate the importantance of using an appropriate
typeface and the right type size. Look carefully to see if a certain
format is specified.
- Don’t exceed the specified length. If you go one page over
their specification, some funding sources, such as the federal
government, will not even read the application.
Checklist for Preparing a Grant Application
Back to Taken for Granted
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