1. Writing a better Proposal
2017 DMR Young Investigator Workshop
NSF
June 8-9, 2017 1

2. The Basics That’s all there is too it! Have a good idea
Advances our knowledge
Benefits society
Do Your Homework
What's funded and where?
Read the instructions
Write a good proposal
That’s all there is too it!

3. Have a Good Idea Interesting topic Novel approach
Build on your strengths
Expand your scope
But not too much
Novel approach
Differentiate this work from other sponsored work (and your Ph.D. thesis work)

4. Do Your Homework Know your field: What is the current state-of-the-art
Who are the top ten researchers
What are they doing right now
What do they consider to be the key research issues
Who would likely review your proposal
What agencies fund this work
What does NSF fund

5.
Search Awards

6. CMP is Program 1710

7. CMP Awards

8. Award Data

9. Award Abstract

10. Award Search Capabilities

11. Know what is reasonable
Check out the NSF website
Talk to a program Officer
Median Award Size - $127,000/yr
Average Award Size - $128,000/yr
Your proposal will be evaluated in competition with all other proposals.

12. Read the Instructions
Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
Grant Proposal Guide (GPG)
Program Solicitation
Budget guidelines
Division and Program webpages

13. Grant Proposal Guide (GPG)
Provides guidance for preparation and submission of proposals to NSF;
Allowable fonts, margins, page limits, bio format, etc.
Process for deviations from the GPG (there will be none)
Process and criteria by which proposals will be reviewed
Reasons why a proposal may be returned without review
Reconsideration process
Process for withdrawals, returns & declinations
Award process and procedures for requesting continued support
Budget line item definitions
Process for submission of collaborative proposals (subawards and multiple proposals)

14. Mentoring for Postdoctoral Researchers
All proposals submitted after April 6, 2009, that include funding to support postdoctoral researchers must include as a supplementary document a 1-page description of the mentoring activities that will be provided for such individuals.
Mentoring activities may include:
Career counseling;
Training in preparation of grant proposals;
Publications and presentations;
Guidance on ways to improve teaching and mentoring skills;
Guidance on how to effectively collaborate with researchers from diverse backgrounds and disciplinary areas; and
Training in responsible professional practices.

15. Mentoring for Postdoctoral Researchers (Cont’d)
Proposed mentoring activities will be evaluated as part of the merit review process under the Foundation's broader impacts merit review criterion.
Proposals that do not include a mentoring plan will be returned without review.

16. Data Management Plan
Proposals must include a supplementary document of no more than two pages labeled “Data Management Plan,” which may include:
the types of data, samples, physical collections, software, curriculum materials, and other materials to be produced in the course of the project;
the standards to be used for data and metadata format and content (where existing standards are absent or deemed inadequate, this should be documented along with any proposed solutions or remedies);
policies for access and sharing including provisions for appropriate protection of privacy, confidentiality, security, intellectual property, or other rights or requirements;
policies and provisions for re-use, re-distribution, and the production of derivatives; and
plans for archiving data, samples, and other research products, and for preservation of access to them.

17. Write a Good Proposal Who are your writing for? Why are you writing
The reviewers
Know the audience
Mail or panel review?
Broad or specialized panel?
Your PO can help with this.
Why are you writing
You have chosen an interesting topic
You have identified an important problem
You have an innovative approach
You are qualified

18. Understand the results
How do your read a paper
Read the abstract
Read the first paragraph
Read the Last Paragraph
Look at the pictures
Look at the references
If dull, boring, hard to understand, unclear, …
Jump to next paper
If these catch your interest
Exciting, to the point, well written, …
Read in detail
Understand the results
Reviewers approach proposals in the same way.

19. Proposal Structure The main proposal Title Page Project Summary
Project Narative
References
Bio’s
Budget, justification and C&P
Letters of Support
Supplementary Information
Collaborators (prefer CSV file)
Suggested (and excluded) reviewers

20. Proposal Structure The main proposal
The title is the first thing reviewers see. It should be accurate and informative
Title Page
Project Summary
Project Narative
References
Bio’s
Budget, justification and C&P
Letters of Support
Supplementary Information
Collaborators (prefer CSV file)
Suggested (and excluded) reviewers

21. Proposal Structure The main proposal
The project summary should quickly describe the grant. It is first thing people read and it has a big influence on their overall view.
Title Page
Project Summary
Project Narative
References
Bio’s
Budget, justification and C&P
Letters of Support
Supplementary Information
Collaborators (prefer CSV file)
Suggested (and excluded) reviewers

22. Proposal Structure The main proposal Title Page Project Summary
Project Narative
References
Bio’s
Budget, justification and C&P
Letters of Support
Expands on the project summary. Should tell a convincing story.
Supplementary Information
Collaborators (prefer CSV file)
Suggested (and excluded) reviewers

23. Proposal Structure The main proposal Title Page Project Summary
Project Narative
References
Bio’s
Budget, justification and C&P
Letters of Support
One of the few sections with no page limits
Supplementary Information
Collaborators (prefer CSV file)
Suggested (and excluded) reviewers

24. Proposal Structure The main proposal Title Page Project Summary
Project Narative
References
Bio’s
Budget, justification and C&P
Letters of Support
Supplementary Information
Collaborators (prefer CSV file)
Suggested (and excluded) reviewers

25. The Project Summary Introduction Intellectual Merit Broader Impacts
What is the scientific problem
What is the open question
What is your approach
Intellectual Merit
Why is this important
How does it advance the frontiers of knowledge
“This study will lead to a deeper understanding of the origins of hidden order in high Tc superconductors.”
Broader Impacts
How will this impact other fields
How will this benefit society
Workforce development
Educational opportunities
Outreach

26. Style is Important Writing a clear easy to read proposal is essential
Visual appeal is important
White space, … will help more than words
Proofread, proofread, proofread
And then proofread again
Don’t expect every reviewer to know every acronym.
Things aren’t self-evident to everybody
The reviewers can’t read your mind

27. Broader Impacts NSB criteria – IM and BI carry equal weight
to promote the progress of science
to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…
Intellectual Merit
Broader Impact
NSB criteria – IM and BI carry equal weight
BI includes
Production of a trained education workforce …
One of our biggest BI’s is educating students.
Not self evident so you should point this out

28. Submit Early Closing Advice DMR has a submission window
Currently this is Sept 1-Oct 31
Most proposals come in on the last day T Durakiwiecz, Physics Today, Feb 2016
Reasons not to wait
>
Days before close
Success rate
Average
Success
Rate
New automatic compliance checking
Won’t accept proposals with compliance errors
Last minute proposals have more errors
Last minute proposals are less successful

29. THE END
Questions?

30. Yes Virginia – we still believe in grants!