1. Introduction to Grant Submission at MSU
Nika Stoop, Ph.D.
Grant Training Coordinator, Center for Faculty Excellence
Micaela Young
Pre-Award Specialist, Office of Sponsored Programs
Introduction to Grant Submission at MSU
Introduction: Nika
- introduce Micaela and Elizabeth
- CFE Membership – how credits work, benefits
- Faculty Insight connection
Ask the attendees to introduce themselves and their departments as well as describing how much grant writing experience they have.
What was your impression of the process? What went well? What did you struggle with?

2. Overview of Today’s Session
Objective: Introduce faculty who have not yet written a grant to the overall process and MSU procedures
Overview of the Process
Parts of a Proposal
MSU Procedures and Services
The goal of today is to introduce faculty to the overall grant writing process and point out some specific procedures for MSU.

3. Designing your Project
Start with a great idea
Designing your Project
Writing your Proposal
Putting it all together
Explain the organization of the session
A great grant (fundable grant) starts with a good scientific idea
Submitting to the right opportunity, how you describe that idea and the pieces you put together to support the proposal makes it a fundable idea
Today we are going to go over the process at a high level, talk about the MSU process and services to help you be successful at getting that grant with your good scientific idea

4. Framing
Ask key questions
Search current Awards
Identify key words
Identifying
Where do people in your field get their funding?
How much do they ask for? How many years? etc.
Refining
What does the Program Manager/Director think of your idea?
Ask questions a reviewer would.

5. Finding the Right Funder
Do your goals and the funding agencies’ goals align?
Dates – Submission, Start
Formats
Review criteria
PI restrictions
Limited submissions
Collaborators
Cost Matching
Budgets
Who funds your type of research?
Read the call for proposals carefully…

6. Review Criteria Relevance (20 points) Quality (20 points)
Successful Proposal
Adequate plan, team and budget
Alignment with funder goals
Novelty and soundness of the idea
NSF
What is the potential for the proposed activity to
Advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit); and
Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)?
To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?
Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on a sound rationale? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success?
How well qualified is the individual, team, or organization to conduct the proposed activities?
Are there adequate resources?
NIH
Overall Impact
Scientific Merit
Significance
Investigator(s)
Innovation
Approach
Environment
USDA
We will use the evaluation criteria below to review applications submitted in response to this RFA:
Relevance (20 points)
Quality (20 points)
Feasibility (40 points)
Participation (20 points)
DOE
Scientific and/or technical merit of the project;  for example, the influence that the results might have on the direction, progress, and thinking in relevant scientific fields of research; the likelihood of achieving valuable results; and the scientific innovation and originality indicated in the proposed research.
Appropriateness of the proposed method or approach; for example, the logic and feasibility of the research approaches and the soundness of the conduct of the research.
Competency of the personnel and adequacy of proposed resources; and for example, the background, past performance, and potential of the investigator(s); and the research environment and facilities for performing the research.
Reasonableness and appropriateness of the proposed budget.

7. Questions?

8. Designing your Project
Logic Models

9. Designing your Project
The objective is what we are aiming to achieve.
The output is what we actually deliver.
The outcome is what the business/ community/field gains from our output.
Problem
Project
Impact

10. Designing your Project
Writing Your Goals
Designing your Project
SMART Goals
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Aggressive but Attainable
R – Results-oriented
T – Time-bound
Or Specific Aims/Objectives
Why, What, Who and How
Research Questions setup your aims/objectives
They are the “Why”

12. Designing your Project
Project Summary
Designing your Project
Overview
What is the problem you are trying to solve?
Why is it important to solve this problem?
Proposal goals/objectives/questions/aims
How will your proposal address the problem/gap?
What are you going to do?
How long will it take?
How are you qualified to do the work?
Impact
What will happen if you succeed in solving the problem?
Why is your approach unique?
For NSF – how will you share your results with the greater community and involve students, often including underrepresented minorities.

13. Questions?

14. Parts of the Proposal Project Letter of Intent/Preproposal/Whitepaper
Writing your Proposal
Parts of the Proposal
Project
Letter of Intent/Preproposal/Whitepaper
Abstract/Project Summary
Project Description/Plan
Prior Results/Preliminary Data
References/bibliography
Communication with Program Officer

15. Organizing the Project Plan
Big picture 
Aims
Methods 
Expected
Results 
Impact
Future Directions

16. A Graphical Abstract is a single, concise, pictorial and visual summary of the main goals and outcomes of the proposal.

17. Parts of the Proposal Forms CVs/Biographical Sketches
Current and Pending Support
Collaborators (Conflict of Interest)
Letters of Collaboration
Budget, Narrative and Justification
Biosketches
“…personal statement part of the NIH biosketch is a great opportunity to additionally “market” your project.” – Morgan Giddings
Biosketches of collaborators/consultants support the idea that they are qualified to conduct the proposal work
They should be written with the proposal in mind.
Their highly uniform format allow reviewers to easily compare qualifications.

18. Parts of the Proposal Supporting Docs
Data Management/Resource Sharing Plans
Facilities and Equipment
Protections for Human Subjects
Select Agent Research
Authentication of Key Biological and/or Chemical Resources
Letters of Support/Commitment
Facilities
Environment
Institutional Commitment
Facilities – Laboratories and offices
Include equipment necessary to complete the work
Core Facilities
Consider getting a letter of collaboration if it isn’t something in your department

19. Questions?

20. Putting it All Together
Project Description
Project summary
Budget and justification
Biosketches/ CVs/ Collaborators
Data management, Mentoring plans
Graphics, figures, tables
References
Approvals (IRB, IACUC)

21. Putting it all together

22. MSU Network for Grant Support

23. Getting to the Finish Line
Putting it all together
4 weeks before the deadline (or earlier!)
Contact Pre-Award Office for help with putting your grant together
Contact your Fiscal Manager for help with budgeting and coordinating timing for submission
1 week before the deadline
Submit the ePCF with the final budget, budget justification and a draft summary of the grant
3 days before the deadline
Submit the final grant package for review and submission
Proposal Submission Deadlines
In order to ensure that proposals are submitted in a timely, complete and accurate manner, starting August 1, 2016, all proposals and required documents will be submitted to the sponsor/agency no later than 72 hours (3 business days) prior to the posted deadline.  OSP personnel will typically have the ability to recall submitted materials should you decide that changes need to be made after the initial submission; however, it is the PI’s responsibility to plan ahead and determine the appropriate amount of time required in order to adhere to this policy.  It is recommended that you submit your proposal materials to the OSP with sufficient lead time to allow for processing and review of your proposal.

24. Electronic Proposal Clearance Form
Putting it all together
Provides institutional approval/clearance to move forward with a proposal
Identifies additional factors/components of your proposal
Institutional Review Boards (animals/human subjects), cost sharing, interdepartmental collaborations
Feeds into the Activity Insight Database

25. Questions?

26. Important Links
OSP Website:
CFE Website
CFE Helpful Links
OSP Info Sheet
OSP Forms
Grants.gov
NIH Reporter / Federal Reporter
NSF Award Search
USDA Current Research Information System (CRIS)
DOE Portfolio Analysis and Management System (PAMS)
DOD Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
Science and Engineering Indicators:
NIH Matchmaker