Introduction to Grants & - PowerPoint Presentation

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Introduction to Grants & GRANT proposal writing

a presentation by the Indiana University GradGrants CenterEsen Gokpinar-SheltonProposal Development ConsultantSeptember 8, 2018

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Agenda

What are grants?How do we map and locate grants? What are some of the key tips before drafting a proposal?How do we write winning grants?

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What are Grants?

Grants (or fellowships) are forms of monetary funding given by an organization, such as a governmental or academic institution, for a particular purposeGrants can help you:Earn a graduate degreeConduct major research projects Fund conference travelObtain language proficiencyComplete a pre-dissertation researchComplete your dissertation in a timely manner Grants add lines to your CV and help you to develop a professional persona, serving as stepping stones to reaching your long-term goals

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HOW DO WE MAP GRANTS?

Define your long-term goalsM.A.  Job OR M.A.  Ph.D.Ph.D. Job out of academia OR Ph.D. Job in academiaIdentify skills that move you toward these goalsAdvancing language proficiencyConducting independent fieldwork

Gaining professional experience in a foreign setting

Gaining teaching experience

Find grants to help you build these skills

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Use Signposts for mappingCoursework

Pre-dissertation researchProspectus/proposal Qualifying exams Dissertation research Fieldwork? Archives? Lab work? Dissertation write-upGraduation (post doc opportunities)

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COURSEWORKFellowships (largely internal)

ScholarshipsTeaching and graduate assistantships (SAA)Travel grantsConferences Workshops Short-term research (usually in summer)RESEARCH, WRITINGFellowships (largely external) TravelConferences Workshops LONG-TERM ResearchEquipment and other research expenses

Dissertation completion support

Match Funding types to signposts

Q

U

A

L

I

F

Y

I

N

G

E

X

A

M

S

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Chart out a plan

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INTERNAL AWARDSMonies distributed within

the university systemGPSG; OVPIA; CAHI; COAS; Departments, schools, collegesAdvantages: often less competitive, experience-building, make you attractive to future fundersDisadvantages: usually small in dollar amount EXTERNAL AWARDSMonies that come into the university from outsideFulbright; Social Science Research Council; National Institutes of Health; National Science Foundation; etc. Advantages: major dollar amounts, more prestigious than internal awardsDisadvantages: often highly competitive, time-consuming

Internal vs. external grants

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HOW CAN we LOCATE INTERNAL GRANTS?

SMALL TRAVEL/RESEARCH AWARDS:GPSG Travel/Research Award (up to $500 & $1,000)OVPIA International Engagement Grant (up to $1,000)OVPIA Summer Pre-dissertation Travel Grants (up to $2,000)IUPUI Travel Awards (up to $1,000)LEADERSHIP, SERVICE, DIVERSITY AWARDS:Wells Graduate Fellowship ($42,000)President’s Diversity Dissertation Fellowship ($25,000)

For more internal grant opportunities, see:

http://graduate.indiana.edu/admissions/financial-support/fellowships-awards/index.shtml

https://graduate.iupui.edu/admissions/financial-support/fellowships-awards/index.html

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HOW CAN we LOCATE external GRANTS?

Talk to more advanced students and your advisor/facultyWhat kinds of awards do students in your program/field tend to apply for?What/who has been funded in recent years? What are the current trends in the funding landscape?Do research onlineSearch databasesCommunity of Science (COS) Pivot University of Illinois Fellowship Finder George Mason University Fellowship Opportunities page

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Use Funding Search Engine to find funding and sign up to receive alerts to receive relevant grants

Free for IU studentsFind a funding match by location, fields of interest, types of support, geographic focus Instantly view matching faculty from inside or outside IU.https://pivot.cos.com

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Use Funding Search Engine to find funding and sign up to receive alerts to receive relevant grants

https://www.grad.illinois.edu/fellowship/

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Use Funding Search Engine to find funding and sign up to receive alerts to receive relevant grants

Find links to opportunities related to dissertation research and completion.

Find lists of the most common fellowship programs & opportunities divided by focus or field.

http://

gradfellows.gmu.edu

/fellowship-opportunities/

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KEY TIPS BEFORE DRAFTING A PROPOSAL

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Who is funding the grant/fellowship?

Mission statements, key words, expected results, types of candidatesNSF: To promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; and to secure the national defense; and for other purposes. NSF envisions a nation that capitalizes on new concepts in science and engineering and provides global leadership in advancing research and education. NIH: To seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. Ford Fellowship: increasing ethnic and racial diversity in faculties, in educational benefits, and in the education of all students

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What is the type of funding?

The funder may offer multiple funding programs so read descriptions carefully!Fellowship, dissertation funding, research, etc. Based on funding program, you must consider: The deadline (is it feasible?)Funding amount (is it enough?)Eligibility requirements (Are you eligible? What is the level of experience expected/required?)

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What are the regulations for selection?

Fellowship funds are available for: Educational expensesLiving expensesDependent child careTravel to professional meetings, conferences, or seminars, as long as it does not exceed 10 percent of the fellowshipInternational Fellowship funds are NOT available for

Purchase of equipment

Indirect costs

Research assistants

Previous expenditures, deficits, or repayment of loans

Publication costs

Institutional (overhead) costs

Tuition for dependent’s education

Travel to or from a fellow’s home country

Travel to or from the fellow’s research location, if abroad

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What types of projects has the grant funded in the past?

Quantitative or qualitative?Theory building or policymaking?Which disciplines?

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Who are the reviewers?

Know your audience!Disciplinary audience (experts in your field)? Topical audience?Community experts? Educated but layman audience?

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Grant proposals As PERSUASIVE WRITING

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Typical Structure of a Grant Proposal

The structure of grant proposal sections varies across each funding agency. Cover sheetTable of contentsProject summary (abstract)Project descriptionBudget and budget justificationFacilities, equipment, and resourcesReferencesAppendix

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Grant Applications to VERY Different Funding Agencies are Very Similar

NIH

NSF

USDE

NEH

Component

Descriptive

Title

Abstract/Summary

Budget

Application Credentials

Background/Significance

Previous Experience or Preliminary

Data

Narrative Description

Completion Schedule

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

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The Major Points/Rhetorical moves Every Proposal Should Address

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What we will learn as the result of the proposed project

Research Questions: WHAT do you wish to accomplish?As with goals, is the question S.M.A.R.T.? Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time BoundAvoid a long listThree usually sufficeBullet, number, or use formatting to highlight the different questions

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Why is it worth knowing?

Literature Review:Not all grants require full literature reviews, but almost all require that you show knowledge of your fieldWho else has asked questions similar to yours?What did they find?What didn’t they look into? Where does your work build off of and add to previous scholarship? What is the broader significance of your work to people outside your specific area/discipline? This is the place to cite secondary sources

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Why is it worth knowing?

Significance & Broader Impacts: Re-address the significance of the project Why is it important to you? Career development “I will do X upon finishing my grant”Why is it important to scholarship in and out of your field?tests an important theory moves toward policy changefills a hole in the literature advances human knowledge helps us rethink an everyday concept

Why is it important to funders?

helps fulfill their explicit mission of

advancing theory

promoting mutual understanding, etc.

How is your project innovative?

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How we will know that the conclusions are valid

Methodology & Timeline:Amount of detail depends on the specific grantLinks methods explicitly to research questionsWhy is a particular method the best way to answer a particular question (which helps you to elicit answers that speak to the central issue in the project)? Addresses feasibilityThink carefully about time frame, personal skillset, environment, any likely obstacles (e.g., internet access)Often includes a timeline for projecte.g., “From January to March, I will conduct fifteen semi-structured interviews with . . .”“The first phase of my project . . .”

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Why you should be the one to conduct the research

Researcher’s Qualification: Coursework What kinds of courses have you taken (theory, methods, etc.)? How has that coursework prepared you for this specific research project?Previous research on topicWhen and where have you been for previous research related to this project? What did you learn? How will you build on these previous experiences? In-country contacts and affiliations Name-drop if you can Language training (if applicable) “I have a [high-advanced] proficiency in Mandarin”What can you do

(research-wise) with your language?

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Writing as a cultural process

Use direct, clear language (readable/skimmable)Bold, italic, and bullet points help readers navigateSignposts (“This project will address xxx from the perspective of yyy and qqq, in order to demonstrate

aaaaa

.”

)

Concise writing isn’t necessarily brief, but economical. We often get carried away with redundancies and verbose language. Find a good balance. Don

’

t make your writing choppy.

Avoid jargon

“Critical theory seeks to problematize the hegemonic reification of oppressed stratified social constructs.”

Repeat main objective/question and its importance

Have a singular, feasible plan drawing on personal strengths/training

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Other general tips

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Seek FeedbackCirculate your proposal for feedback

ADVISORS, colleagues, friends, GGC, past winners of this fellowshipChoose readers in accordance with particular grant (e.g., NSF vs. Fulbright)Account for lots of time to review longer proposals (especially during summer)Try explaining to others (orally) what the project will accomplish and why it’s importantRemember: critical feedback is good feedbackWrite and re-write based on the various critiques you receive

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Utilize the gradgrants Center!

In-person appointmentsEmail gradgrnt@indiana.edu Provide GGC with draft materials 48 hours in advance of consultationBrainstorming, drafting, editing grant proposalsEither in-person or electronically via email or SkypeSearches for external (non-IU) funding opportunities”Mapping” funding for your graduate career