1. Office of Sponsored Programs
Pre-Award
Basic Grant Writing Tamara Hatch, MBA, CRA, CPRA Interim Director – Sponsored Programs Pre-Award

2. PERFORMS 4 BASIC FUNCTIONS:
SPONSORED PROGRAMS
PERFORMS 4 BASIC FUNCTIONS:
Distributes information concerning potential funding opportunities
Reviews agency guidelines and assists with the overall proposal submission process (including budget development)
Negotiates sponsor agreements, relationships and award terms and conditions
Interprets and enforces the regulatory, contractual, and administrative requirements
Sponsored programs -
formed to provide a spectrum of support services to the university community
To support external funding opportunities to promote creative scholarship, research, instruction and public service activities

3. What we will Cover Today
Planning the Project
How to find sponsors
Drafting and polishing the proposal

4. Gain the Right Perspective
Writing a successful proposal is not easy!
There are lots of tips, tricks, and ideas for approaching grant writing.
There is no “right” way to construct a proposal but there are things you can do to improve your chances.

5. Planning a Project Developing the Idea
Formulate an idea
problem, objectives, activities
Define the problem
What knowledge will the project yield?
Identify the need
Why is your project important?
What is unique about your idea?

6. Planning a Project Measures & Applications
Broader Impacts and Intellectual Merit
How does the project have a larger impact on society?
Sustainability: how will you keep it going once the grant or contract ends?
Evaluation and Assessment
What must you measure?
How will you measure results?

7. Planning a Project: Outline
Preserves the logic in the presentation
Identifies the main ideas or goals
Allows for ‘scaling’ the project (or proposal)
Maintains continuity of the request
Helps avoid getting off track
Helps reduce omissions
Assessment - Broader Impacts - Sustainability

8. Planning a Project: Aligning Your Project with a Funding Opportunity
How do your proposed activities fit with the sponsor’s objectives?
How does the proposal meet the stated goals of the solicitation?
How are you and your team uniquely qualified to solve the problem without duplication of other efforts?

9. Continue Development State the obvious! Do your homework:
If there is a known problem, reiterate it (the reviewers will already know)
Do your homework:
Know about other ideas or projects (lit review)
Know what your sponsor has supported
Review previously successful proposals

10. Planning a Project: Resources
Timeline
Team
University Resources

11. Get Ready to Go Inform your Department Heads and/or Dean
Disclose any resource needs that do not presently exist
People (new hires)
Space (long term rentals or leases)
Equipment (to be purchased or accessed by special arrangement).
Get concept approval/support before formal approval process begins

12. Search for Sponsors: Technical Publications/Websites
Ask other successful researchers -(how/where did they start?)
Use the Web :
Funding agencies’ web sites
Grants.gov (all Federal Agencies)
Office of Sponsored Program (OSP) site:
Grants Resource Center (
(funded proposal library, search feature, articles)
Monthly OSP Newsletter
Technical Publications/Websites

13. Narrowing Funding Opportunities:
Given your project plan and potential sponsors, further consider:
Your skill level and available resources
The type of organization you work for
JMU = 501(c)3 Non-profit; State Agency; Institution of Higher Education (fiscal agent and eligibility)
Awards go to an agency NOT to the Researcher
Timeline for application and use of funds
Expected award amount & duration

14. After Identifying a Funding Opportunity:
Contact the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP)
Read the Sponsor’s guidelines!
Learn about your sponsor and previously funded proposals
All federally supported projects are publicly accessible
For Foundations – search 990 forms
Contact collaborator(s) to determine their interest and possible contributions

15. Writing the Proposal Speak to the SPONSOR
Make sure your proposal fits their goals
Use their language
Capture reviewers’ attention
Be excited about your project. It will show.
Don’t ignore the opportunity for “extra points” if your idea meets a funding priority
University/Industry collaborations?
Use of students on the project?
Underserved populations

16. Writing the Proposal General Components
Title Page
Table of Contents
Abstract or Executive Summary (in layman’s terms)
Literature Review (complete background)
Narrative/Project Description/Statement of Work
Budget and budget narrative
Timeline
Evaluation Plan Resumes/CVs
Some May Require
Logic Model – if complex, consider using a visual representation of your project to explain
Data Management Plan

17. Writing the Proposal: Format
Make the proposal easy for the reviewer to read
DO’s
Follow the required format exactly (fonts, margins)
Use section headings and bullets
Use sponsor’s buzz-words and language from their solicitation
Always define acronyms on their first usage
DON’Ts
Avoid jargon and overuse of acronyms
Don’t exceed maximum page limits
Avoid excessive underlining or highlighting. It is distracting.

18. Writing the Proposal Narrative/Project Description
Narrative/Project Description/Statement of Work - contents
Introduction
Statement of Problem
Goals and objectives
Significance
Background
Methodology – describe your approach
Outcomes/Deliverables/Timeline
Evaluation Plan -(how will overall impact of a funded project be measured?)
Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)
Dissemination Plan

19. OSP HELP Budget Preparation – Session #2 (Oct 17)
Financial presentation of your project – It is not an after-thought.
Effective Budgets Demonstrate
Reasonableness/Cost
Feasibility
Realistic Expectations
Think in narrative terms
“one month of my time”
“travel to Dallas for 2 people for 3 days”
OSP is here to assist with the budget

20. Other Budget Considerations
Cost Share (or “Match”)
Participant Support Costs
Indirect Costs

21. Indirect Costs
Also called Facilities and Administration (F&A) or “overhead”
This is not “profit” for the institution.
IDC is a method of recapturing actual costs that can't be directly attributed to your project (i.e. housekeeping, physical plant, libraries and use of grant accounting & financial services)
Some of this recovery is returned to the department (30%) and the dean (10%) for discretionary use

22. Finishing the Proposal
Complete necessary forms (this is where OSP can really assist)
Sponsor’s Forms
University Forms (Internal Approval Form & Cost Sharing Request Forms if applicable)
Obtain formal Departmental & Dean approvals
Submit final proposal and approvals to OSP for review and submission
5 business days before the sponsor’s deadline

23. Want More Information?
Contact us directly:
Office of Sponsored Programs
JMAC 6, Suite 26 (OSP)
Website
OSP
My Contact Info:
Tamara Hatch, Interim Director OSP Pre-Award