Writing a Successful Research Grant Application

1. Writing a SuccessfulResearch Grant Application Getting Started Aims and Expected Outcomes Background Significance and Innovation Research Plan, Methodology, Timing Budget and its Justification Benefits of Your Research

2. Getting started Remember that grant funding is a competitive situation � so aim to make your application as competitive as possible � through a process of rigorous self-assessment and peer review.

3. Generally . . . Know your audience Understand the market Know your abilities Know how to evaluate your results Audience reasons for failure: Artificial adaptation of purpose and significance in order to meet funding body�s objectives. Guidelines not adhered to. Abilities reason for failure: unsuitable track record Audience reasons for failure: Artificial adaptation of purpose and significance in order to meet funding body�s objectives. Guidelines not adhered to. Abilities reason for failure: unsuitable track record

4. Answer these questions . . . What do you intend to do? What work has already been done? Why is your research important? How do you intend to do your work?

5. . . . which equate to Aims and Expected Outcomes Background Significance and Innovation Research Plan, Methodology, Timing

6. Aims and Expected Outcomes Make sure your aims are logical well-defined reasonable attainable

7. Aims and Expected Outcomes Write the aims section first, and revise it last Don�t confuse outcomes with outputs

8. Background Background information should justify the necessity of your project. Do preliminary studies indicate that your project is necessary and feasible? Reason for failure: lack of understanding of published work in the field Reason for failure: lack of understanding of published work in the field

9. Significance and Innovation Show how the results of your research will fill identified gaps in existing knowledge Describe the unique and innovative features of your proposed research Ask the questions: What will it matter if I don�t do this work? What difference will my research make?Ask the questions: What will it matter if I don�t do this work? What difference will my research make?

10. Research Plan, Methodologyand Timing Experimental design Innovations Limitations / anticipated difficulties Alternative approaches Time sequence Experimental design should be original valid carefully and clearly designed well organised and logical The methods should be appropriate carefully documented correspond to specific aims Innovations Will you use innovative procedures to overcome anticipated difficulties? Difficulties/Alternatives Demonstrate that you are aware of them, and how they can be overcome suggest alternatives that are logical and appropriate. Experimental design should be original valid carefully and clearly designed well organised and logical The methods should be appropriate carefully documented correspond to specific aims Innovations Will you use innovative procedures to overcome anticipated difficulties? Difficulties/Alternatives Demonstrate that you are aware of them, and how they can be overcome suggest alternatives that are logical and appropriate.

11. Budget Make accurate calculations Don�t inflate figures

12. Budget Direct Costs can be specifically documented, eg: salaries; operating expenses (printing, consumables); travel (kilometerage, fares, lodging, sustenance); equipment; etc.

13. Budget Indirect Costs real costs that cannot be easily identified as specific to a particular project, eg: utilities; maintenance of space and equipment; security; computer services; legal services; accounting services; payroll services.

14. Budget Justification Justify every item. Do not merely restate proposed expenditure. Explain why the project could not proceed/would not be successful without these items

15. Benefits of your Research Will the results of your research have benefits for Australia and/or the funding agency?

16. Roles and responsibilities Clearly explain what each participant in the project will be doing.

17. Useful Web Links Research Grants & How to Get Them - Prof P Bergquist, DVC(R), Macquarie University http://www.ro.mq.edu.au/howtoget.htm Basic Elements of Grant Writing - US Corporation for Public Broadcasting http://www.cpb.org/grants/grantwriting.html Hints for Writing Successful NIH grants http://chroma.med.miami.edu/research/Ellens_how_to.html Five Things to Know about Writing Better Grant Proposals - QED Education Network http://home.earthlink.net/~dimedio/5tips.html Grant Writing Tips - University of Southern Colorado http://www.uscolo.edu/faccntr/tips.html Grant Proposal Writing Guide - University of Michigan Research Center http://www.research.umich.edu/research/proposals/proposal_dev/pwg/pwgpage.html Hints for Writing Grants - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga http://www.utc.edu/Grants-and-Research/grants-gen.html Tips for Grant Applications - University of Texas at Austin http://www.utexas.edu/ogs/international/tipsgrad.html

18. Research Development Section Jennifer Halfpenny, ext 7242, j.halfpenny@unsw.edu.au Pamela O�Hara, ext 7250, p.ohara@unsw.edu.au Deborah Mckay, ext 7240, d.mckay@unsw.edu.au Sharon Doyle, est 7244, sc.doyle@unsw.edu.au

19. Writing a SuccessfulResearch Grant Application Research Development Section Research Office University of New South Wales