Grants Writing Research Office, St. Thomas University 1-2:00, August 26, 2010 Dr. Gayle MacDonald Acknowledgments: SSHRC, Dawn McArthur, Successful Research Proposals: Start to Finish Child and Family Research Institute, CAURA, 2009.

Introductions all ‘round Who are you? What is your discipline? What is your interest in this workshop?

Do your Homework Know your Granting Council Tips for Writing Grants

Do your Homework Know your grants ...what is it and what does it do? Is your grant by a public funder? A private funder? (why is this important?) A national, regional, provincial or local grant? (what difference does this make?) What are the terms/conditions? (why do I have to know these?) READ the application very carefully.

Planning to Apply Do I have a research plan? How do I know when? What kind of help do I need? Who can I get help from? Why so many questions?

Know your Grants! What is a granting council? What is a foundation? How do I get to know one? Where do I get information? What are the review criteria? Who are the reviewers? What does the competition imply?

Get your (research) act together! Should I do this myself or should I have a team? Do I need community support? Academic support? When do I need those letters?

Tips for Writing Grants Start early Get advice from colleagues

Tips Finish any projects that you have on your plate now, especially if they are relevant to your proposal... submit, revise, publish Start by thinking about your research, not by reading more ... Map/Draw your ideas. Use one symbol or only one line to do this.

Mapping Exercise What Why Who How Outcome Impact

The Meaning of the Exercise What = objectives/questions Why = background/lit review Who = researchers, subjects How = research plan: design + methods Outcome= predicted results Impact = significance of findings

Meaning of Exercise, cont’d What + why = introduction, background, framework Who + how= plan, design, methods Outcome + impact= results, knowledge translation, significance

Map to Text, the next step Do’s Remember your audience (generalists) and purpose (to get $$$) Use your map as a guide Banish your inner critic Start with an easy section Concentrate on forward movement Do summary and intro last Take breaks!

Map to Text...the Dont’s Don’t worry about: page limits (at this stage) language grammar mechanics Don’t try to: compose and edit at once write everything you know read more articles

Language and Style Explain Guide Persuade Emphasize Invoke vision Evoke response Convey energy and passion Use first person, active voice, be honest and direct Make purposeful summary statements Be proud of your contributions/ideas

Reviewing, reworking, & finalizing Review: get a read-through from a good critic Refine: improve rationale, design, methods Copy-edit and proof-read Critique your assumptions, rationale, framework Critique methods, approaches, interpretations Is plan feasible, realistic, appropriate? Are there any ‘fatal’ flaws?

Finishing! Is it simple, easy to read? Does it use uncomplicated language? Does it follow the concept of ONE: One goal per proposal, one concept per paragraph, one point per sentence Is there sufficient “white space”? Are key points obvious? Is the proposal easy to read? Is the title clear? Is the summary self-explanatory?

You’re done! Good luck. Doing your Homework + Writing a Grant! Knowing your Grants = Writing a Grant!