Spring 2008 Semester-Long Grant Writing Workshop

Applications Due January 16, 2008

Workshop Description

The Office of Proposal Development is sponsoring a semester-long grant writing workshop for all tenure-track and tenured faculty (and equivalent) working in all disciplines. During this intensive workshop, participants will be guided through the entire project development and proposal writing process. Specifically, participants will engage in a one-on-one review of their project summary, in biweekly peer review meetings with three to four other workshop participants, and in additional meetings with all workshop participants. In addition, participants will have the option of joining a workshop cohort focused on developing a career or younginvestigator proposal. These activities will give investigators the opportunity to obtain substantive feedback on their proposals and to acquire in-depth information on a range of proposal-related issues, such as analyzing the target funding agency’s mission, presenting project ideas to program managers, improving writing and formatting, developing evaluation and assessment components, and preparing budgets. By the conclusion of the workshop, investigators will have prepared a complete grant application, which they may then submit to the external funding agency of their choice. Those considering applying for the workshop should have a well-defined research topic, at least some preliminary data, and ample time to devote to workshop activities and to completion of their proposal. The workshop schedule is optimal for those with proposal deadlines of May 1 or later.

Pre-Workshop Activities

• Applications due

• Orientation meeting
• Identify workshop requirements
• Outline workshop activities
• Provide information on identifying funding opportunities
• Discuss how to analyze the target funding agency
• Explain how to write a compelling project summary
• Discuss requirements for specialized funding mechanisms, e.g., career and young investigator proposals

• Kick-off Meeting
• Conduct workshop-wide review of participants' draft project summaries
• Provide a sample of a proposal outline

• Consultations
• Hold 30-minute consultations with each workshop participant to plan how to revise the project summary

Workshop Activities

• Peer Review Meeting 1
• Revised project summary
• Proposal outline
• Literature review

• Peer Review Meeting 2
• Preliminary studies
• Biographical sketch
• Resources

• Peer Review Meeting 3
• Project description / research design and methods section:
• Full description of 1st and 2nd objectives / aims
• Project schedule

• Peer Review Meeting 4
• Project description / research design and methods section:
• Full description of remaining objectives / aims
• Future directions / broader impacts

• Peer Review Meeting 5
• Full, revised proposal
• Budget and budget justification

Eligibility Requirements

 
Eligibility requirements include the following:

• Must have principal investigator status. Typically, this requires that you have the terminal degree for your field in hand, have tenure-track or tenured status (or equivalent), and have permanent rather than visiting status.
• Must be well positioned to prepare, complete, and submit a grant application to an external funding agency. Typically, this requires that you have a well defined research topic, at least some preliminary data, and the time and commitment to participate fully and consistently in all workshop activities.
• Must have a proposal deadline that is compatible with the workshop schedule. This workshop is optimal for those with a deadline of May 1, 2008, or later.

Cost

The workshop costs $300 per person. Oftentimes, the selected participant’s department and college are willing to share this cost equally, with each providing $150 of support, though the participant may also cover the cost through use of start-up or other appropriate funds. If you are selected to participate, you will be required to provide appropriate account information before the workshop begins.

Application Process

Please e-mail the following information to Dr. Phyllis McBride at p-mcbride@tamu.edu by January 16, 2008:

• Applicant Information:

• Name
• Title
• Department
• College
• E-mail address
• Phone number
• Mail stop
• Highest degree completed
• Target funding agency
• Anticipated proposal deadline

• Project Summary
• Provide a 500-word summary of your proposed research project. Typically, strong project summaries include an introduction to your project, a description of the key facts known about your topic, a description of the knowledge gap or critical need that your project will address, your central hypothesis or statement of need, your rationale, your objectives, and the significance and expected outcomes of the project.
• Summary of Preliminary Studies:
• Provide a 100-word summary of the preliminary studies – completed or ongoing - that are relevant to your proposed research project.