Principles of Effective Grantsmanship, Part 3:  Defining (and Refining) the Request

The previous blog in the “Principles of Effective Grantsmanship,” series focused on the importance of finding the right funding opportunity. Among crucial steps to grant funding, finding the right match is one of the first. After ensuring project objectives align with the sponsor and program objectives, it’s time to start writing. Beginning with a one-page concept paper or summary can help hone long-term goals into specific, attainable objectives.

Define the Request

The project idea must be grounded in a defined scope of work that advances a sponsor’s goals in a clear and tangible way. Questions to consider include the following:

Basic Questions:

• What do you want to do and what is the proposed work based upon?
• Do you have mentoring relationships in place?
• Do you have the facilities and equipment available?
• What are the benchmarks and when will you achieve them?
• What are the measurable outcomes and indicators for success?
• How much will it cost and are there other sources of support?
• Do you plan on sustaining the work after the grant period?
• Taking all this into account, is your research project feasible with the time and financial resources available from the sponsor?

Strategic Questions:

• Does this make sense for you and your department?
• How does this advance the mission of the sponsor?
• So what? (Why should the sponsor fund your project?)
• What is the novelty or competitiveness of the research?
• How would you contrast your work with similar or alternative approaches to the same question?
• What are your comparative weaknesses?
• What may not work as anticipated and what will you do in response?
• What are the lasting benefits to research and humanity?

Refine the Request

Getting early feedback is very important and often overlooked. Organize these answers into a project summary and share it with an experienced colleague in your department  as well as colleagues in other disciplines and outside CSU.