Grantcraft & Grantmanship WRG Europe Ltd Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190 PROPOSAL WRITING...

Grantcraft & Grantmanship

WRG Europe Ltd Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190

PROPOSAL WRITING SKILLS

Writing a Grant Proposal

The Anatomy of a Research Grant



Exercise (10 minutes) Your project

(either real or made up)

EVERY KEY POINT TO GET FUNDED

Prepare a complete summary in 10, single sentence, bullet points.

Incorporate, but don’t detail, all the key points you can think of. 1. ……….

2. ……….

3. ……….

4. ……....etc Keep your document



Stage 1

Understand the Funding Authority



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General Introduction

It is important to remember that although you are structuring the project from a primary research/technical interest the funding programme will be as interested (maybe more interested) in the rationale supporting the project, its need and resultant benefits.

Your Objectives –

ResearchCareer & Livelihood

Funding Objectives -

ResearchStrategic Aims & Objectives



Primary Message

Answer the REMIT question !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An Application is more than a research proposal –

It is a document providing arguments for the justification of the Grant and the benefits arising.

A sound science base is obviously essential but the emphasis throughout the document must be justification for the need for the project and associated excellence,

Against the Strategic Aims of the Funding Authority

Answer All the Questions

Each funding authority has a STRATEGIC remit




This approach need not affect your research methodology in any way Although you obviously understand your area implicitly; for someone outside or peripheral to your specialty you must explain:-

** why the project is important and needed,

** why your proposed approach is special and exciting, ** what the outcome of the project will be

** why this research will be of such enormous benefit, financially/socially/environmentally/health etc.

particularly in the medium and longer term.


And for Fellowship Projects (and many others!!)

This is a competition -- identify and promote your USP’s



Stage 2

Understand Grantmanship



Conclusions

Grant Writing Primary Conclusion

…………NEVER set out to Write an Application

Grant Applications must be BUILT

Block by Block………Brick on Brick

Argument by Argument……..Justification on Justification

..………..Defence on Defence

Explain everything -- Attack the call remit -- Don’t let the Assessors have to think !!!!

SELL YOURSELF and your PROJECT

But Remember – Different Calls have Different Buyers



Two Key messages you are aiming to get across are essentially:-

How to OptimiseYour proposal

This application fulfils the strategic remit …..i.e

And most importantlyI/We are the best people to achieve

this

There is a need for improved levels of collaborative research/industrial collaboration and/or knowledge transferExisting skills/facilities and infrastructure (or lack of) cannot do this.This provides significant career development for the fellow.Etc.etc

The science/subject is strong.There is a need for this research The research is innovativeAnd it will be of substantial benefit (industrial competitiveness, health, Social/Political Impact, environment etc.etc.)



Explain all Arguments – Assessors are Human Too !!!When presenting you arguments in each section don’t assume

that the assessors are highly familiar or directly experienced in your area (they are more likely not going to be) --- and remember

Assessors will not want to think about what you are saying or implying, nor will they have the time, so if it is not stated it is not counted – no matter how obvious to you.


If anything is implied it will not be counted – therefore you have to qualify every statement – effectively with “what,

how and why (and/or benefit)”



You are not writing a research description or proposal !!An Application is effectively a sales document aimed at

convincing the assessors to fund your application rather than any other.

Generally proposers do not sell themselves that well and fail to maximise their arguments.

Don’t undersell yourselves – words like probably, maybe, we seek, possibly, intend, etc. etc. should all be replaced by definitive statements, - normally “will”.

You must give the impression that you know exactly in detail what you are doing and why


Inspire Confidence




Make it easy to read Layout on the page is very important (large blocks of text are

intimidating and difficult for the assessor to extract points of information from).

Use separate paragraphs for each point you are making and wherever possible bullet the key aspects in simplistic terms before justification.

Point 1. Obvious -- but often Forgotten

Point 1. An Obvious but often forgotten point is to make it easy to read as layout on the page is very important because large blocks of text are intimidating and difficult for the assessor to extract points of information from so that it is necessary to use separate paragraphs for each point you are making and wherever possible bullet the key aspects in simplistic terms before justification.



Exercise (10 minutes) Your colleagues project

Critically review

EVERY KEY POINT TO GET FUNDED

Copy, then Review and comment on

what else is neededIncorporate, but don’t detail, all the key points you can think of.

1. ……….

2. ……….

3. ……….

4. ……....etc

Keep the Document

Discuss



Stage 3

Getting the Message across



The AbstractSynopsis

A synopsis should cover the following in short simple paragraphs and bullet points to give a concise, clear and complete picture of your intentions and summarise:-

Rationale for Research Action (Background to research area – overarching problem)

(i.e. why the proposal) (why this Project necessary) - (leading to key ambitions)

Objectives(In support of ambitions) (i.e. Why give us the grant)(are these objectives directly verifiable/measurable through the deliverables?)

Approach -- Methodology(Describe research to achieve objectives) ( i.e. we are

competent) (Justification of approach methodology - Management)

(Deliverables & their impact/benefit)



Need (within overarching problem – research area)(i.e. why does it have to be THIS Grant – USP’s !!)

(Justifying objectives) Relevance (Against funding remit)

(to thematic areas of call and workprogramme) (i.e. Do we actually and exactly fit the call?)

Justification -- Impact/Benefit(resultant benefits through achieving Objectives)

(i.e. Our project is important because....)(benefits are scientific, social, health, economic, political, environmental etc. etc.)

Exploitation/dissemination (how the project benefits will be achieved within the

intended consortium and post project) (i.e. We can make this happen)

The AbstractSynopsis



YOURProposal

The criteria behind every proposal is different.

As an example of the arguments to employ for a fellowship – It is useful to conclude your proposal with an outline summary according to the following, and using simplistic bullet points to justify your project

The benefits of your project:- At the personnel level.

(ie improved/better career opportunities in a new/expanding/developing area of science: redressing the Brain drain deficit, better level of training to further individual careers in less favoured nations,

the Hosts level. ( ie. Better research, improved/new collaboration – and why this will benefit, shared resources/facilities; targeting of new research frontiers)

At the Research Level (ie. Complex problems which can only be resolved by such an approach…and why it is important to resolve such problems)



YOURProposal

The benefits of your project:- At the UK/European level

( ie. Increased dissemination of the science activity which will benefit by………… ; catching up USA/China etc, (or even staying ahead) ; removing reliance on USA/China etc. ; improved industrial competitiveness/health/environment etc.) It is important to bring the concept of a focused network of Partners/Disciplines, where appropriate, as an integral aspect of the structuring of the ERA enabling future more competitive research.

At the International Level

(ie. Increased competitiveness; leader in this technology,)

These are the major justification for the proposal need and require a very strong explanation of the benefits thus derived – If these are weak then you have no justification for funding. Each proposal has its own unique aspect - bullet as many as possible.



Stage 4

Understand the Approach



Project Structure

Phase 1 – Justifying the Project.

Arguments and Justifications required.ConceptRationaleCurrent position, problems, - ie. State of the artObjectivesDeliverablesProgress beyond state of the art.

MOST PROJECTS FAIL NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY SAY -- BUT --

BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY FAIL TO SAY



Arguments and Justifications required.Concept

Why??, What?? How ??

Rationale Therefore….. !!! This is Why !!

Current position, problems, - ie. State of the artBecause…… !!!

ObjectivesTherefore….. !!! This is what !!

DeliverablesWhich will…... !!! This is How !!

Progress beyond state of the art. Achievements !!! Primary Justification



Phase 2 – Methodology and Workprogramme.

Key Messages

Project Structure

This what we are going to do. This is how we are going to do it This is why we are doing it this way It is the best/optimised way

There is a clear defined plan Objectives and target deliverables are set and identified Risk is analysed, understood and accounted for in the planning

Management activities and support structure are appropriate(Sometimes a separate section)

Dissemination and exploitation routes are identified and planned



Arguments and Justifications

Deliverables

ReportScientific paperConference proceedingsMonographBook

Technical Data, Performance Data, Validation Data etc. etcAnalysis of xxxx with respect to yyyyyBest practice guidelines and protocolsSupporting data setsRoadmaps for future activities

Deliverables MUST be tangible and concrete (and related to Remit)

It is These Deliverables that the Funding Authority is PurchasingTheir Return on Investment



The Research Environment


Your excellence, the excellence of your lab/group, school/department, Research Centre/University will need explaining (exploiting) with respect to the benefit to your project.

It is important to give a clear and concise description of your envisaged team, including named individuals if possible.

The role of each team member must be specified, including any additional training requirements (Highly likely if interdisciplinary in your approach)

Although not always essential, networking and liaison with other research center's will be a major plus to your proposal.(Indeed the ability to enable you do this can be one of the major justifications for your grant)

If you don’t state it – it doesn’t exist.



Phase 3 – Impact and benefit.

Project Structure

Often neglected – BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT

Grant Applications are a Competition

To Win – you must be the best

and DELIVER THE BEST

Identify ALL Benefits and Impact – Imperative with respect to Call Remit- - Other aspects for additional marks

Technical Progress, Financial benefit, Environmental benefit, Citizenship and Quality of Life, Health and Health Care, Best Practice, Policy Development, Governance, etc.etc

Quantify and Explain as much as possible -- Quote Papers and Stats-- Extrapolate where necessary



Impact & Benefit.

xx% of population suffer from back pain -- yy hundred Million in Europe

xx working days lost per person per annum.Each day lost cost industry xx Euro in lost production -- yy cost to Europe per annumImmediate project benefit y euro per annum to European Industry.

Health care costs per back pain person per annum -- xx Euro50% saving -- x Euro health care costs per annum.

No Work – no pay for back pain sufferers. Family problems, social problems, etc. All removed.

This project will remove 50% of all back pain problems.

Project Structure

Astrophysics Understanding Stellar evolution will ….??

Increase/Improve our understanding of the fundamental building blocks of the Universe, and silicon chemistry in particular -- important in potential development of new quantum structures; and next generation devices that will revolutionize the computer industry.



Project Structure

The Cycle of Arguments and Justifications

This is the Problem

Rationale for the Project

Objectives

Methodology

Deliverable/Outputs

Benefits/impact

State of the Art

Progress beyond S of A

Research ApproachMethod Detail

Project Achievements

Will Resolve

NEED

Return on Investment

Fit to REMIT



Exercise (10 minutes) Revisit Your project bullet points

(either real or made up)

Amend to improve the complete summary

in 10, single sentence, bullet points.Incorporate, but don’t detail, all the key points you can think of.

1. ……….

2. ……….

3. ……….

4. ……....etc Keep your document

Highlight and Discuss differences



The Perpetual Motion Engine has long been considered an impossibility Concept

Rationale

State of the Art

Objectives

Progress Beyond State of the Art

Widgets have been shown under certain circumstances to extend into a polyenvironmental set of Universes and Woggles have independently been proven to accelerate interdimensional transitions.

This project will coalesce these respective properties to enable control of the dimensional placements through a new SuperWodget

The developed SuperWodget will be validated within a real time working environment


because of the fundamental laws of conservation of energy but recent findings indicate these may be circumvented

Although the recently identified Chinese Abacus Calculator provides a mechanism and indicates that these properties may combine no such attempt has yet been madeThis innovative project will coalesce these respective properties to enable control of the dimensional placements through a new SuperWodget

This innovative project will coalesce these respective properties using Abacus methodolgy to enable control of the dimensional placements through a new SuperWodget

This innovative project will coalesce these respective properties using Abacus methodology to enable control of the dimensional placements through a new SuperWodget in order to access alternate Universe energies.

to identify roadmaps for further research and development such that our increased understanding of widget/woggle

interactions will effectively enable Perpetual Motion machines in this Universe

IMPACT

Deliverable



The Perpetual Motion Engine has long been considered an impossibility because of the fundamental laws of conservation of energy but recent findings indicate these may be circumvented.

Widgets have been shown under certain circumstances to extend into a polyenvironmental set of Universes and Woggles have independently been proven to accelerate interdimensional transitions. Although the recently identified Chinese Abacus Calculator provides a mechanism and indicates that these properties may combine no such attempt has yet been made.

This innovative project will coalesce these respective properties using Abacus methodology to enable control of the dimensional placements through a new SuperWodget in order to access alternate Universe energies.

The developed SuperWodget will be validated within a real time working environment to identify roadmaps for further research and development such that our increased understanding of widget/woggle interactions will effectively enable Perpetual Motion machines in this Universe.

Concept

Rationale

State of the Art

Objectives

Progress Beyond State of the Art

IMPACT


Deliverables



For Further information please contact

Dr. Martin Pickard

Tel: 07779 475 190

E-mail [email protected]

Dr. Martin Pickard

GrantCraftGrantCraftProposal Preparation,

Training & Management Support Services.

Whitton CottageNicholashayneWellingtonSomerset,TA21 9QYUnited Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 1884 841 682e-mail: [email protected]: +44 (0) 7779 475 190

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