Tips for Success in Applying for Grants

1. Tips for Success in Applying for Grants Vanessa L. Malcarne, Ph.D. Department of Psychology San Diego State University

2. The 5 P’s • Private foundations • Pilot studies • Psychometrics • Putting together a support team • Preparing your resubmission

3. Private Foundations • My story: the Delta Foundation • How can we promote the development of prosocial feelings and behaviors in children? • Delta Foundation was interested in how early childhood experiences affected development of attitudes/feelings toward animals • Proposal: Impact of Childhood Experiences on Concern for Humans and Other Animals

4. Arthritis Foundation: Training Awards • Doctoral Dissertation Award for Arthritis Health Professionals • The purpose of the Doctoral Dissertation Award is to advance the research training of arthritis health professionals in their investigative or clinical teaching careers related to the rheumatic diseases. This award provides one or two years of salary and/or research support. The research project must be related to arthritis management and/or comprehensive patient care in rheumatology practice, research or education. Not for laboratory research. The award is for $30,000 per year. • Postdoctoral Fellowship • Provides salary plus fringe benefits for MDs, DOs, PhDs, or equivalent for a two-year period. A third year may be issued on a competitive basis. Third year renewal criteria will be based on scientific progress, evidence that the Fellow is advancing toward independence, and level of institutional support. Ninety percent time must be devoted to arthritis-related research. The award amount is $50,000 per year for salary and fringe benefits. This award may be combined with other funding sources as long as all awards are concentrated on one research project. • New Investigator Grants • Designed for individuals with a PhD or equivalent degree and demonstrated research experience. The PI must be a person who has demonstrated interest in rheumatology practice, education, or research. These awards are intended to encourage investigators who have received a doctoral degree within the past five years. MDs are not eligible. The research project must be related to arthritis management and/or comprehensive patient care in rheumatology practice, research or education. Suitable studies include, but are not limited to, functional, behavioral, nutritional, occupational, or epidemiological aspects of patient care and management. This is a two-year award, a third year may be issued on a competitive basis. The award amount is $50,000 per year. Indirect cost 8%.

5. Where do you find these? • Internet, of course • Mentors • Look to see who has funded researchers in your field • InfoEdis an application designed to manage the multiple components of sponsored research in a consolidated, web–based portal. The application is comprised of various modules designed to support the full life cycle of grant activity. Each module has distinctive functionalities that support different aspects of sponsored research: • SPIN (Sponsored Programs Information Network) is a searchable database containing detailed information about grant programs from more than 1,200 different federal and non–federal sponsoring agencies. • SMARTS (The SPIN Matching And Research Transmittal Service) is an automated daily alerts system that notifies investigators of relevant new programs that match their keyword profiles. • GENIUS (Global Expertise Network for Industry, Universities and Scholars) is a database which houses global researchers' academic profiles, bio–sketch templates and CV's. This tool can be used by investigators to find external collaborators for their research opportunities.

6. Just a sample from the SDSU Research Foundation August 1 • Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality • American Honda Foundation • Energy Foundation • Goodrich Foundation • Greenwall Foundation • Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation • LEGO • National Aeronautics and Space Administration • National Research Council • National Science Foundation • Society of Plastics Engineers Foundation August 2 • Administration for Children and Families • Air Force Research Lab • Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation • American Hearing Research Foundation • Council for International Exchange of Scholars • Department of Education • Department of Health and Human Services • Department of Homeland Security • Japan-United States Friendship Commission • National Institute of Corrections • National Science Foundation

7. Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer Young Investigator Awards These grants are designed as start-up funds for new scientists at the end of their fellowship training or early in their research career. Demonstration of outstanding mentorship and demonstration of a career plan that shows commitment to pediatric cancer investigation are critical components of a successful application. Applicants should be at the early stages of their research careers as defined below: • MD or MD/PhD applicants must either be in an accredited fellowship program or within six years from the completion of a three-year fellowship program at the time the funding will start. • PhD applicants must be within six years from the granting of the PhD at the time the funding will start. i.e. PhDs received in 2004 are eligible to apply for a 2010 grant. • The applicant must not currently hold an independent NIH grant (R01, R21, R33, and P01). Applicant may currently have a K08 grant. • A research mentor must be identified and the application must document his/her involvement in experimental design and execution. Budget. • Maximum $40,000 in direct costs will be awarded to applicants annually. A detailed budget and justification is required using the form provide on the ALSF website. A maximum of two years of funding may be requested.

8. And from divisions, listserves, etc.

9. Pilot Studies • Essential, even for trainees • Demonstrate likelihood of finding relationships • Develop interventions, instruments • Show viability of methodology • Show that you can do the work • Can involve analysis of archival data • Can be qualitative – focus groups, for example

10. Psychometrics • Choose good measures • Evaluate the measures you choose • Especially if you are developing a new measure • Also if you are using existing measures that have not been well validated in your population of interest • Also if you are using adaptations or translations of instruments • Include this as a specific aim in the grant proposal

11. Putting together a support team • Shows that you have the expertise available to complete the proposed project • Identify an expert for each aspect of the project • Co-sponsors are a great idea • Letters of support identifying what role each member of the support team will serve on the project or in your training • Don’t be shy!

12. Preparing a resubmission • Timeline from submission to resubmission • NRSA submitted April 8, 2010 • Received score in July • Received reviews in August • Next submission deadline is December 8, 2010 • Start pilot work as soon as proposal is submitted • Continue to update literature, address concerns, fine tune while waiting for feedback • Keep building your CV

13. Preparing a resubmission • Responding to reviewers’ feedback • Respond to every reviewer and every comment • Be very specific • You don’t have to make every change, but . . . • Common “weaknesses”: • Too ambitious • Underpowered • Not clearly described – intervention, analysis, etc.

14. Good luck!