Developing a Funded Research Program

Developing a Funded Research Program

Yale School of Medicine – February 20, 2013Yale School of Medicine – February 20, 2013

Why do I want to land a grant?

Why do I want to land a grant?

Proposal writing is key to:Funding your own researchCreating and controlling your work

environmentIndependenceGetting a jobGetting a better jobHigher SalaryBeing promoted

Proposal writing is key to:Funding your own researchCreating and controlling your work

environmentIndependenceGetting a jobGetting a better jobHigher SalaryBeing promoted

What proposal writing is like?

What proposal writing is like?

No sleepPoor dietChaoticStressfulAnnoy people with your needsPeople annoy youClashes in the officeTemporary family disaster

No sleepPoor dietChaoticStressfulAnnoy people with your needsPeople annoy youClashes in the officeTemporary family disaster

Strategies to Secure Funding

Strategies to Secure Funding

Develop a goal oriented lifestyleWrite PublicationsPartneringNetworkingSubmit proposalsDevelop a national reputationRecognize an opportunity

Develop a goal oriented lifestyleWrite PublicationsPartneringNetworkingSubmit proposalsDevelop a national reputationRecognize an opportunity

Proposal WritingProposal Writing

Is one SMALL aspect of landing a grant. Most workshops focus on the mechanics of proposal writing. Most are lead by non grant active administrators.

Whether or not your proposal is funded depends on a well written proposal PLUS other aspects we will talk about today.

A poorly written proposal will disqualify you no matter how good the idea.

Is one SMALL aspect of landing a grant. Most workshops focus on the mechanics of proposal writing. Most are lead by non grant active administrators.

Whether or not your proposal is funded depends on a well written proposal PLUS other aspects we will talk about today.

A poorly written proposal will disqualify you no matter how good the idea.

Goal Oriented LifestyleGoal Oriented Lifestyle

Develop THE PLAN.What specifically is your area of

expertise and interest?Where do you want to be in five

years?Where do you want to be in ten

years?The biggest predictor of achieving

your goals is being able to articulate them.

Develop THE PLAN.What specifically is your area of

expertise and interest?Where do you want to be in five

years?Where do you want to be in ten

years?The biggest predictor of achieving

your goals is being able to articulate them.

Determine Overarching Career Goals

Determine Overarching Career Goals

Develop a timeline with goals and objectives.

Developing new goals = GOOD.Giving up = BAD.

Develop a timeline with goals and objectives.

Developing new goals = GOOD.Giving up = BAD.

Proposal Writing Philosophy

Proposal Writing Philosophy

EMBRACE REJECTION!Successful PIs learn to navigate

barriers.Everybody encounters barriers,

successful PIs learn to get beyond them.

EMBRACE REJECTION!Successful PIs learn to navigate

barriers.Everybody encounters barriers,

successful PIs learn to get beyond them.

PUBLICATIONSPUBLICATIONS

Can NOT get a federal grant without them.

Set a minimum of two per year.Hierarchy

1. Peer reviewed journals – shoot for tier 1 in your area

2. Chapters3. Books4. Briefs and Reports

Can NOT get a federal grant without them.

Set a minimum of two per year.Hierarchy

1. Peer reviewed journals – shoot for tier 1 in your area

2. Chapters3. Books4. Briefs and Reports

PartneringPartnering

Who is interested in what you are interested in?

State and Federal GovernmentCommunityOther departments/schools at YaleOther Universities (ride on

somebody else’s coat tails when you are junior)

Who is interested in what you are interested in?

State and Federal GovernmentCommunityOther departments/schools at YaleOther Universities (ride on

somebody else’s coat tails when you are junior)

NetworkingNetworking

Present at national conferences every year and eat dinner

Get involved in organizational administration

Review papers Scientific panels Sit on advisory councils Attend coalition interest groups Contact federal, state and local government Contact national/international figures in

areas of interest

Present at national conferences every year and eat dinner

Get involved in organizational administration

Review papers Scientific panels Sit on advisory councils Attend coalition interest groups Contact federal, state and local government Contact national/international figures in

areas of interest

ProposalsProposals

The biggest predictor of getting funding is applying

Write lots of proposals (3 per year)Take the reviewer comments ImproveTry again

The biggest predictor of getting funding is applying

Write lots of proposals (3 per year)Take the reviewer comments ImproveTry again

Developing a National Reputation

Developing a National Reputation

Publications, Publications, Publications

Conference presentationsReview papers and proposalsNational advisory committeesNational Academy of SciencesMake contact with others with

national reputations

Publications, Publications, Publications

Conference presentationsReview papers and proposalsNational advisory committeesNational Academy of SciencesMake contact with others with

national reputations

Recognize an OpportunityRecognize an Opportunity

Say “YES” when people ask you to collaborate

Don’t get bogged down with dead weight

Don’t invest your time in somebody else’s career

Its usually as much work to get a big grant as a little one

Say “YES” when people ask you to collaborate

Don’t get bogged down with dead weight

Don’t invest your time in somebody else’s career

Its usually as much work to get a big grant as a little one

Strategies to Land Funding

Strategies to Land Funding

APPLY!Talk to program officersLook at who and how somebody

whose work is similar to yours secured funding

Collaborate with others who have funding

APPLY!Talk to program officersLook at who and how somebody

whose work is similar to yours secured funding

Collaborate with others who have funding

Money Attracts MoneyMoney Attracts Money

Begin with low hanging fruitSpecial federal grants for new PIsTraining grantsSeed FundingFunding for administrators

returning to researchState and community funding

Begin with low hanging fruitSpecial federal grants for new PIsTraining grantsSeed FundingFunding for administrators

returning to researchState and community funding

Hang out with the popular crowd

Hang out with the popular crowd

Offer to be a CO-I and write proposals with big named national reputations with funding

Collaborate on publications with leaders in your field

Offer to be a CO-I and write proposals with big named national reputations with funding

Collaborate on publications with leaders in your field

Improving your oddsImproving your odds

Follow directions explicitlyGet letters of commitment NOT

supportAdd on areas of expertise even if

you can do those things

Follow directions explicitlyGet letters of commitment NOT

supportAdd on areas of expertise even if

you can do those things

What funding agencies & panels are looking for

What funding agencies & panels are looking for

Demonstrate a void you can fill Show you can hit the ground running Support and collaboration Multidisciplinary applications Somebody else invested in you Sexy idea Innovation Topic is interesting AND important You will make your funding agency look

good

Demonstrate a void you can fill Show you can hit the ground running Support and collaboration Multidisciplinary applications Somebody else invested in you Sexy idea Innovation Topic is interesting AND important You will make your funding agency look

good

Identify Funding SourcesIdentify Funding Sources

StateFederal

More than one avenueThe TOP funded researchers at US

universities are not applying for RO1sFoundation

StateFederal

More than one avenueThe TOP funded researchers at US

universities are not applying for RO1sFoundation

Federal Funding – The Golden Standard

Federal Funding – The Golden Standard

Must have an upward research trajectory

Imperative to show you are research active

Must show expertise through publications

Must demonstrate experience on managing smaller awards before chasing big dollars

R21 precedes an R01

Must have an upward research trajectory

Imperative to show you are research active

Must show expertise through publications

Must demonstrate experience on managing smaller awards before chasing big dollars

R21 precedes an R01

Mechanics of Proposal Writing

Mechanics of Proposal Writing

appendix

evaluate

title

staffstats

budget

goalsmethodproblem

Outside the Scope of this presentation

Outside the Scope of this presentation

EXERCISE: P & BEXERCISE: P & B

HINT # 1Make Life Easier

HINT # 1Make Life Easier

Borrow, copy, remodel, recycleNo need to reinvent the wheelAll your work should be leading to

the same place so a proposal is not new work

You will learn to develop proposal language

Borrow, copy, remodel, recycleNo need to reinvent the wheelAll your work should be leading to

the same place so a proposal is not new work

You will learn to develop proposal language

HINT # 2Don’t Be Lazy!

HINT # 2Don’t Be Lazy!

NEVER EVER PLAGIARIZE! Software will tell

The application MUST match the PA, RFA – don’t shove a square peg in a round hole

Same group of reviewers with good memories

NEVER EVER PLAGIARIZE! Software will tell

The application MUST match the PA, RFA – don’t shove a square peg in a round hole

Same group of reviewers with good memories

HINT # 3Develop Yourself First

HINT # 3Develop Yourself First

Writing an excellent research proposal is just one aspect of successfully funding a project

Developing a successful research PROGRAM is essential

Writing an excellent research proposal is just one aspect of successfully funding a project

Developing a successful research PROGRAM is essential

HINT # 4Others Have Grants

HINT # 4Others Have Grants

Don’t bank on everything I sayThere is more than one way to

skin a catThis presentation is a reflection of

my experience with the grant process

Observe and mentor with other successfully grant funded researchers

Don’t bank on everything I sayThere is more than one way to

skin a catThis presentation is a reflection of

my experience with the grant process

Observe and mentor with other successfully grant funded researchers

HINT # 5You Cannot Fool a Panel!

HINT # 5You Cannot Fool a Panel!

Reviewers are experts in your areaThat is why they are reviewersThey easily feel offended if you

overlook their workCite their workBe on top of the literature

Reviewers are experts in your areaThat is why they are reviewersThey easily feel offended if you

overlook their workCite their workBe on top of the literature

HINT # 6Snap Judgments

HINT # 6Snap Judgments

It takes 30 seconds to judge you!First impressions taint and frame the

entire review.1. Publications better be commensurate

with experience, funding, and years out of training

2. References – 90-95% of the literature should be in the last five years except for seminal citations. Be on top of the literature.

PET PEEVE is grant apps with references that stop when investigator graduated school

It takes 30 seconds to judge you!First impressions taint and frame the

entire review.1. Publications better be commensurate

with experience, funding, and years out of training

2. References – 90-95% of the literature should be in the last five years except for seminal citations. Be on top of the literature.

PET PEEVE is grant apps with references that stop when investigator graduated school

HINT # 7Sell Yourself

HINT # 7Sell Yourself

Promote! Promote! Promote!You must show you are amazing,

going to solve an important issue, are brilliant, have the means to do it, know what you are doing.

You must do this even if it makes you uncomfortable

Cultural Issues

Promote! Promote! Promote!You must show you are amazing,

going to solve an important issue, are brilliant, have the means to do it, know what you are doing.

You must do this even if it makes you uncomfortable

Cultural Issues

HINT # 8Be Responsive

HINT # 8Be Responsive

Respond to Program OfficerRespond to RFA/RFPRespond to foundation or center

goals. They are usually on websites

Respond to Program OfficerRespond to RFA/RFPRespond to foundation or center

goals. They are usually on websites

HINT # 9Funding Faux Pas

HINT # 9Funding Faux Pas

There is no relationship between how much you ask for and being funded as long as you are below the cap

Asking for too little makes you seem naïve and a novice which makes your reviewer think negatively of you

A grant award results in a contract. You MUST deliver what you promise even if the funding is insufficient

There is no relationship between how much you ask for and being funded as long as you are below the cap

Asking for too little makes you seem naïve and a novice which makes your reviewer think negatively of you

A grant award results in a contract. You MUST deliver what you promise even if the funding is insufficient

HINT # 10Strategies for Career

Stage

HINT # 10Strategies for Career

StageNew FacultyResearch Active but not Grant

Active

New FacultyResearch Active but not Grant

Active

Time to Write a GrantTime to Write a Grant

300 Hours R01400-600 for a Multi Investigator

Program GrantGet as much stuff done ahead. Bio-

SketchDescriptions of facilities, resources,

etc.Borrow the “non-science” aspects from

other proposals Look at successful proposals

300 Hours R01400-600 for a Multi Investigator

Program GrantGet as much stuff done ahead. Bio-

SketchDescriptions of facilities, resources,

etc.Borrow the “non-science” aspects from

other proposals Look at successful proposals

ASK FOR HELP, BOUNCE OFF IDEAS, SEARCH FOR FUNDING, HOW TO GET STARTED, GRANTS THERAPY

ASK FOR HELP, BOUNCE OFF IDEAS, SEARCH FOR FUNDING, HOW TO GET STARTED, GRANTS THERAPY

Questions???Questions???