A grant can help H-SC faculty and staff pursue a new project or explore a new idea. Any faculty/staff member interested in applying for a grant to support their project should read and complete the HSC Grants Project Endorsement Form to determine if the project is grant-ready. After all the questions on the form have been considered, the grants office can provide assistance in finding potential funding sources, answering the funder’s questions clearly, writing and preparing proposals that meet funder requirements, and gathering other required documents.
Every grant-funded project needs to have at least one subject matter expert (project director or Principal Investigator) who has expertise in the topic being addressed and will lead the project from proposal planning to closeout. The subject matter expert must provide periodic programmatic and financial reports to the granting agency as required.
Tips for Preparing a Strong Proposal
- Read the funder’s announcement of funding availability or call for proposals carefully, and follow all directions.
- Respect the reviewer’s mental energy. Write clearly and directly.
- Think about how the funder’s goals and your goals would make a good match.
- Articulate goals, objectives, activities, and desired impact at the end of the grant period.
- Develop a good evaluation plan that will help determine what parts of the project worked and what didn’t. Also think about how the project will be sustained after the grant period.
- Ask a “naïve reader” who is not associated with your project to read your proposal and see if they understand the project’s goals.
- Read the “Ten Simple Rules for Getting Grants”