Writing timeline starting at 8 weeks before the deadline, with writing and preliminary data collection suggestions, as well as check-in points on the way to the deadline. These items are also mentioned in the text below.

Grant Development

After you've identified a funding opportunity, the Pre-Award and Research Development team will provide you with:

  • Tailored application checklist with review criteria
  • Successful sample applications (if available)
  • Template documents
  • Drafts for administrative application sections
  • Budget development 
  • Suggestions of NIH institute and study section for your application (when relevant): NIH RePORTER Matchmaker
  • Suggestions for which NIH Program Officers to contact and what to ask them prior to starting your application
  • Editing of your written proposal: request here

In order to ensure your application is competitive, we will make sure you are aware of the reviewer's criteria and that you cater to them as much as possible. 

Suggestions and Guidelines:

  • Preliminary data: though you will likely be doing this until the last minute, write your grant with your existing data at minimum 3 weeks before the deadline.
    • If you get the data you were hoping for, great! You can quickly change a couple of figures several days before the deadline and fix up those sections.
    • Do not use data collection as a reason to delay your writing
  • If you want an internal grant review:
    • 4 weeks before deadline: inform internal reviewers that you will want them to review (tell them when you will be sending the proposal)
      • To determine appropriate reviewers: consult with your PI and with Pre-Award and Research Development
    • 2 weeks before deadline:
      • Send all grant components to Pre-Award and Research Development – we will generate a proposal preview
        • Bonus: we will conduct our compliance check at this time. You won’t need to send us your proposal again until your deadline (more time to edit!)
      • Send preview of entire proposal to your internal reviewers
        • Give them several weekdays or 1 week for review (specify when you need their comments back in your email)
  • If you want Pre-Award and Research Development to provide grant editing (by Tori):
    • 3 weeks before deadline: book editing time (must book at least 5 days in advance of when you want things edited)
    • 1 week before deadline: send your materials for editing
      • Bonus: if you send most of the grant components - we will conduct our compliance check at this time. You won’t need to send us your proposal again until your deadline (more time to edit!)

 

Writing Resources: