So You Want to Write a Proposal – Finding, Understanding, and Beating a Solicitation into Submission! Prof. Ken Vickers Research Professor, Physics Director, Microelectronics-Photonics (microEP) Grad Program February 5, 2010

Purpose of this Section Help you understand how to: Find appropriate solicitations, Dissect them to determine appropriateness, Lay out your proposal story to match the solicitation, and QC your draft proposal against the solicitation

Finding appropriate solicitations Start with known successful researchers in your field – get their search patterns Modify search patterns to meet your interests (old dogs unfortunately do have old tricks sometimes) Select key search criteria Total grant amount/years Number of researchers Solicitation specific goals Etc, etc, etc…

Let’s play for about five minutes at to see what solicitations are interesting… For Instance, How About the NSF

Dissecting the Solicitation for Appropriateness Consider past awards – do they share scope of your proposal? Consider if institutional resources are required to be competitive. Consider your own time commitments – single researcher or team approach? Consider solicitation due dates’ interactions with your other obligations. Etc, etc, etc…

Let’s play again for about five minutes at to dissect a solicitation or two… For Instance, How About the NSF

Organizing to Meet the Solicitation’s Criteria Start early, write every day! Solicitation component that predicts funding success  was the proposal submitted? If you hate the solicitation format  follow it anyway! Don’t omit any requested information! Reorganize solicitation into outline, then add your information. Etc, etc, etc…

An Original NSF Solicitation Section Impact on Research and Training Infrastructure (suggested length: 2 pages). Describe how the instrument will serve to attract researchers and make a substantial improvement in the institution's capabilities to conduct leading- edge research. Describe how the instrument will improve the quality of student education, research and research training. Any proposal requesting direct student support in operations and maintenance or development efforts must justify that involvement in terms of both project needs and the training of the next generation of instrumentalists (reviewers will be asked to evaluate the appropriateness of this type of involvement). Proposals should also address how the instrumentation will broaden the participation in science and engineering research by women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities.

Outlined NSF Solicitation Section Impact on Research and Training Infrastructure (suggested length: 2 pages). Describe how the instrument will serve to attract researchers make a substantial improvement in the institution's capabilities to conduct leading-edge research. Describe how the instrument will improve the quality of student education, research and research training. Any proposal requesting direct student support in operations and maintenance or development efforts must justify that involvement in terms of both project needs and the training of the next generation of instrumentalists (reviewers will be asked to evaluate the appropriateness of this type of involvement). Proposals should also address how the instrumentation will broaden the participation in science and engineering research by women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities.

QC Your Draft Proposal Against the Solicitation Arrange early for editor/auditors! Leave solicitation outline in place for first draft QC. Perform the first audit yourself  be vicious! Deliver draft to editor/auditors one week before submission deadline! Accept their observations  act on them! Etc, etc, etc…

Questions? Ken Vickers Physics