1. Grantwriting 101: P roposal Construction Ball State University Sponsored Projects Administration Research Week 2015 – November 16-20 Jacqueline S. Davis, MA, CRA Associate Director, Pre-Award Operations Augusta Wray, MS, MA Proposal Manager

2. 1 st Layer of Deconstruction: Good Match?  Purpose of Sponsor & funding fits well with your project needs and focus  Acquire the Request for Proposal (RFP), Guidelines, Solicitation Eligibility requirements  You, Project AND Organization Deadline for submission Project period of funding Restrictions on fund use Geographic restrictions & requirements Terms & Conditions

3. 1 st Layer of Deconstruction: Good Match? cont. GOOD BAD IDEA GOOD BAD PROPOSAL Good Idea Good Proposal

4. 2 nd Layer of Deconstruction: Guidelines for Submission  Type of Submission Preliminary proposals Letter of Intent Application Forms Online vs Email vs Paper Deadline: Receive by vs Postmark vs Time Zone Format (font, margins, spacing, page limitations, number of copies, CD, PDF, Word Doc, file transfer)  Check for any FAQs  Follow the guidelines exactly  Disqualification can, and DOES happen

5. 2 nd Layer of Deconstruction: Guidelines for Submission cont. Good Idea Bad Proposal Bad Idea Bad Proposal Bad Idea Good Proposal Good Idea Good Proposal

6. 3 rd Layer of Deconstruction: Proposal Components  The guidelines (RFP) may be very specific, or they can be vague at best. How do you organize your narrative if there are no instructions?  The key to proposal development is to tell a story.

7. 3 rd Layer of Deconstruction: Proposal Components cont.  Abstract/Summary  Introduction  Literature Review/ Background  Significance/ Relation to Sponsor’s Mission  Goals & Objections  Methodology  Contingency Plan  Evaluation  Dissemination & Timeline  Qualifications of Personnel  Budget & Justification  Appendix/ Letters

8. Deconstruct: Guidelines ASPiRE Junior Faculty Research  Application Cover Sheet  Proposal Narrative  Executive Summary  Background  Goals/Objectives  Budget  Budget Narrative  Proposal Attachments  External Funding Plans  Methods/Timeline  Dissemination/Outcomes

9. Deconstruct: Application Cover Sheet  Project Period  Establishes Eligibility  Introduces Topic  Categorizes Review Committee  Conveys Funding Request  Identifies External Reviewers  First Impression

13. Deconstruct: Proposal Narrative  Executive Summary: What the project is about-should be brief, thorough and non-technical  Background: Evidence drawn from statistics, research and literature  Goals/Objectives/Significance: State precisely what you intend to do Impact on field, research agenda, organization Clear and measurable outcomes

14. Deconstruct: Proposal Narrative cont.  External Funding Plans: Identify potential future funders Link the project to the future funder’s priorities  Research Methods/Timeline: Describe the activities in detail – like a recipe! Outlines the staffing needs Roadmap of what you will do Develop a time and task chart  What will be done When

15. Deconstruct: Proposal Narrative cont.  Dissemination Plan WHAT will you do with results? WHO will be responsible &/or who will attend or author? WHERE specifically will you distribute and in what format (article, presentation)? WHEN will this occur in relation to the project and the dissemination activity?

16. Deconstruct: Budget  People wages, salary, stipends, benefits, percentage of time Personnel  Faculty/Staff  Students – Graduate or Undergraduate  Consultants  Collaborators  Things equipment, supplies, participant costs, publication/page charges  Travel  Facilities & Administration (indirect costs)

17.  Essentially a credibility statement of the project narrative; an alternate way of expressing the project  Relate project budget to objectives  Allowable costs  Categorically  If in budget, should be in narrative, if in narrative, should be in budget.  NO SURPRISES Deconstruct: Budget Narrative

18. Deconstruct: Proposal Attachments  References Cited  Departmental Chair support letter  Vita – Highlights successes and track record Summarize – What is relevant Not everything  Glossary of Terms  Other?

19. Editing and Proofing  Wait 1-2 days after completion  Involve an outside reader  Revise, Rewrite, Rearrange, Reduce, Read aloud and Relax

20. Questions? Jackie Davis Associate Director, Pre-Award Operations jsdavis@bsu.edu 765-285-1607 Augusta Wray Proposal Manager amwray@bsu.edu 765-285-5033