Grant writing tips

• Writing successful grants worksheet (PDF)

• Avoiding common pitfalls (PDF)

• "Get on a review panel" resources (PDF)

• How to write a winning grant proposal presentation (PDF)

• Writing the overview and objectives section (PDF)

• What do grant reviewers really want, anyway? (PDF)

• Storytelling to inspire funders: Describing your research in a whole new way (PDF)

• Terminology and acronyms (PDF)

• The grant proposal process (PDF)

• Data and publication accessibility and data management plans (PDF)

• Rules for writing a winning grant proposal (PDF)

• Budget and budget justification (PDF)

• The NSF merit review process (PDF)

• Determining your objectives and writing your summary and narrative (PDF)

• Guide for proposal writing: This guide from the National Science Foundation provides insight into the proposal review process at NSF as well as information about preparing a proposal using NSF-specific directions. The section called Advice to Proposal Writers contains information of a more general nature, including tips to make proposals more competitive. Note that this guide was written by the Directorate of Education, so the Intellectual Merit information is education-oriented rather than technology/science-focused.

• EPA tips on writing a grant proposal: The Environmental Protection Agency offers some excellent general information on writing a grant proposal and submitting to EPA.

• Grant writing tips sheets: The National Institutes of Health provides numerous resources to assist grant proposal writers. This web page provides links to many of those resources. General resources include an explanation of the NIH Funding Mechanisms and descriptions of the review process. In addition, many of the individual Institutes provide tips for applying the their Institute for funding.

• The Art of Writing Proposals: Some candid suggestions for applicants to Social Science Research Council competitions: The Social Science Research Council has produced a succinct guide to writing a successful proposal. While the examples are from the Social Sciences, the information is generalizable.

• Guide for Writing a Funding Proposal: Several institutions of higher education offer useful guides to proposal writing. This particular site, authored by S. Joseph Levine at Michigan State University, has an interesting presentation of proposal sections, each of which is followed by writing tips and proposal examples to illustrate various points. A particular virtue is that the author is open to suggestions for additions and/or corrections and he updates the Guide several times a year.

• Grant Writing for Success (PDF): A Grantsmanship 101 class written within the context of NIH, NIMH, and NIDA. It also includes a good presentation of the member institute websites and a short presentation on the Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects system.

National Science Foundation Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide.

National Science Foundation Preparing Your Proposal

Russell, S.W. and Morrison, D.C. 2016. The Grant Application Writer's Workbook, National Science Foundation — FastLane Version. Grant Writers' Seminars and Workshops.

Grant Writing Tip Sheets

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

NIH Application Guide

Grant Writing for Success (PDF)

NIH Frequently Asked Questions

Russell, S.W. and Morrison, D.C. 2016. The Grant Application Writer's Workbook, National Institutes of Health Version. Grant Writers' Seminars and Workshops.

NIH Central Resource for Grants and Funding Information How to Apply - Application Guide.