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 Taken for GrantedMastering the basics of grant writing can increase nurse researchers’ chances of being successfully funded By Pamela Palmer, Ed.D. Before you start writing a grant proposal, you need to know how that grant will fit into your goals. It’s not just writing a grant to write a grant—it is a way of projecting and realizing goals,” says Doris Holeman, R.N., Ph.D., associate dean of Tuskegee University’s School of Nursing and Allied Health in Tuskegee, Alabama. When Holeman and her team set out to write a grant for a program to help underserved people in rural Georgia receive adequate health services, they defined the goal clearly. Then they researched all types of funding agencies, including the federal government, looking for the best possible agency to help them realize their goals. “We discovered that the local hospital was a possible funding source, so we wrote a proposal to the hospital for seed money to start the project,” Holeman says. “We had to show them how it would fit into their goals. We also had to work with the physicians. It was a collaborative effort. You have to identify possible sources of collaboration—look for other organizations and people in your community to help you get the job done. Most grants now require collaborative efforts.” Holeman’s proposal was successful—both as a research project and as a tool for helping the people it was designed to serve. The project provided a mobile clinic that went to remote rural areas to screen individuals and identify health problems. “In the process of proposal writing,” says Holeman, “we learned how we could get those in need of our health services into the system—and we identified the physicians who would help us.” The Tuskegee team was able to submit its grant proposal within six to nine months of identifying possible funding sources. But, Holeman warns, the process can often take longer. “On the federal level, the funding is very competitive compared with local funding, so the review process takes longer and you have to supply more information.” She advises minority nurse researchers to look closely at the new minority-focused grants available from the federal government. “They provide opportunities, especially if you are at a minority institution with experienced grant writers and researchers. When you write the grant proposal, remember the importance of letting the [funding] agency see that you share their goals.” Know, too, that you can pour your heart into writing a grant proposal and see it rejected. “You have to get past the first rejection,” Holeman says. “At that point, some nurses might not think the effort is worth it. The feeling of rejection can be devastating. Realize, though, that rejection is part of the process, and take the funding agency’s comments seriously; they will help you correct problems in your approach to grant writing so that your proposal is more likely to be accepted the next time around.” Know the Score“The most important thing when writing a grant proposal is knowing the possible funding sources. Know their deadlines and what they’re currently involved in,” says May Wykle, R.N., Ph.D., FAAN, Florence Cellar professor of nursing and associate dean for community affairs at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. As an experienced researcher and grant writer, Wykle knows the score on funding sources. “Get information from your sources by writing to them or by visiting their Web sites,” she advises. “Also contact the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) in Bethesda, Md. This is a step nurse researchers often miss—the NINR has people who will listen to what you are doing and give you ideas.” Wykle recommends being alert to workshops such as those offered by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA). “They often set up workshops to help nurses learn about proposal writing. The Gerontological Society of America in Washington, D.C., is an example of one group that has a focus on minority research.” She also suggests keeping up to date on current nursing research—through books, continuing education courses and education sessions at conferences. Most first-time researchers “don’t have a good chance of getting their initial proposal funded,” she notes. “It’s rare to get it on the first try. Today funding agencies want to see pilot studies and instrument testing. They want to see how well equipped you are to carry out the research. To get more experience, you can go to other investigators conducting research and say, ‘I want to be part of your grant.’ Usually there is something you can do on the project. This is an area, though, where most nurses are reluctant to push themselves forward. But if you ask, it is amazing how many researchers are willing to help.” Wykle says she was fortunate to get her first RO1 (a grant proposal submitted by an individual researcher) accepted. “What I did right was to have an excellent mentor,” she explains. “But I also did some things wrong. If I were submitting that proposal today, I would do a lot more pilot-work first.” Successful grant proposal writing is as much about what you don’t do wrong as what you do right. According to Dianne McDonald, grants manager at the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in Dallas, the most common mistakes include:
“The key is knowing that there is assistance available and making sure you follow through with the funding agency’s requirements,” adds McDonald. Anna Levy, deputy director of the National Cancer Institute’s Office of Research on Women’s Health in Bethesda, says most nurse researchers get their information on grant opportunities from their institution’s grant offices and sources such as the NIH “Guide to Grants and Contracts” on the agency’s Web site at www.grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/index.html. “It’s updated when there are new initiatives available—which can be daily,” she says. “I recommend researchers scan it weekly and sign up for the TOC Notification LISTSERV at www.grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/listserv.htm.” Another helpful NIH site is “How to Write a National Institutes of Health Grant Application” at www.magicc.net/nci_advice.htm. Three traditional powerhouses for identifying funding agencies should not be overlooked. The Foundation Directory, available at many libraries, lists over 8,500 foundations with at least $200,000 in annual giving. The Grants Register, now in its 18th edition, covers 1,251 funding sources. The Annual Register of Grants Support: A Directory of Funding Sources lists over 3,200 programs from the government, corporations and private foundations. Realities of the Process“There are no perfect proposals,” says Sandra J. Fulton Picot, R.N., Ph.D., FAAN, who calls Wykle her mentor. Picot, the Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz endowed chair in gerontology at the University of Maryland School of Nursing in Baltimore, says she has learned this through experience. “They all have flaws,” she adds. “That is the nature of research. When you improve in one area, you decrease in another. You have to understand, through the literature review, what other researchers have tried and how you can improve on it. And you need a strong team. As a new investigator not previously funded, I knew it would be difficult to persuade the NIH to give me $1.6 million—I needed the team to succeed. “One of the things the NIH complimented me on was the strength of my team. It helps to have prior relationships with the people on your team. Some of them were involved with me in the pilot study. Others had submitted articles with me. This showed we could work together.” To Picot, the hardest part is being the principal investigator. “At some point, it is down to you,” she says. “The co-investigators will send in the pieces they wrote and you have to pull it all together and make it fit into one unit. “Another difficulty is balancing priorities” she continues. “Other responsibilities don’t go away just because you need to write a grant. I’m a single parent with two sons. When my younger son was 14, he called me, crying. He had just learned that he would not be the quarterback on his football team. I felt the tug of wanting to go home and comfort him—but at the same time I was staring a grant deadline in the face. I had to decide. I called my mother and asked her to talk with him. Sometimes you have to ask for help—don’t be afraid to acknowledge that you are not superhuman. “Eventually you learn that money begets money,” Picot adds. “If the funding agencies see that you did presentations and published the results, they are more likely to fund your proposals.” Picot also learned the value of talking the project out. “I spent a lot of time talking and getting people to react,” she says. “Then when I had been a faculty member for four years, I got my first grant. Some colleagues who started working when I did had submitted seven proposals during that time. One friend told me, ‘You’ve been talking our ears off about it for years, so when you finally put it down on paper, it’s no surprise it was funded.’ I also spent a lot of time getting the response of people outside my institution. I sent copies of my grant proposal to people for their critiques before I submitted anything. One reviewer charged me $60 an hour—and spent nine hours reading the proposal. But she sent me 12 pages of suggestions that really helped. Another reviewer didn’t charge me, but only sent me a brief email response.” Mentors can help too. “I have many mentors that have helped me in being successful,” Picot acknowledges. “When my co-investigators on a grant were not responding on schedule, I called a mentor for advice. She said to go to the literature, see what they had written and write their section as I thought they would write it. Then I sent it to them to make corrections.” The Bottom Line“You cannot be shy,” Picot advises. “Even if that is your personality—you have to get past it. At conferences, know who will be there. Make a point to introduce yourself, give them your card and tell them you want to have breakfast or lunch with them. Then when they hear your name again, they’ll know you. These will become the people you can turn to when you need help. “I’m fortunate to be very goal-directed,” she adds. “When I want something, I do what it takes to get it.” Dos & Don’ts of Grant Proposal Writing Checklist for Preparing a Grant Application Dr. Pamela Palmer is a free-lance writer who specializes in career, business and information technology topics. |
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