Content originally published on data180.com. Learn more about Interfolio’s acquisition of Data180 here.
Obtaining grant funding for academic research has always been a competitive process, and as the financial challenges facing colleges and institution continue to increase, so does the need to win academic research funding.
In the article “How to apply for research funding: 10 tips for academics” published in the guardian, reviewers and researchers share their advice for making the grant application process less stressful. Following are some of their recommendations:
- Become familiar with grant writing early in the process. Do not wait until you wish to submit a grant proposal to learn what is involved in writing a grant proposal. Review grant proposals by others in your institution to get more familiar with the process before you have to create one on your own.
- Decide what you need the money for the most. Determine how the grant money should best be used, then research funding opportunities that meet your needs. Is funding needed for travel, holding workshops, compensation for your time, etc.? Discuss your ideas with your colleagues as well.
- Discuss your grant proposal with others who have won funding from the same organization. If you are applying for grant research funding from an organization where others you know have previously won funding, talk to them about your proposal to get their feedback. They may be able to provide you with additional advice about the organization, such as their emphasis and priorities.
- Stay focused when filling out the application. It is important to thoroughly review the questions on the application and focus your answers on what is important about your proposed research. Do not include unexplained jargon in your answers – display your skills and experience.
- If your application gets rejected, keep trying. Being rejected does not mean that your proposal will not get funded. If the reviewers make suggestions regarding your application, respond to them, as there may still be an opportunity to get funded. It is possible that you only need to make some changes for your application to get approved.
The full article is available here: http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/2015/may/10/how-to-apply-for-research-funding-10-tips-for-academics
Content originally published on data180.com. Learn more about Interfolio’s acquisition of Data180 here.