Grant writing
Alison Drake, MPH, PhC
Department of Epidemiology
University of Washington
Outline
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Developing proposal and finding collaborators
Finding grants
Nuts and bolts of grant writing
Budgetary considerations
Additional resources
Developing your proposal
• Brainstorm ideas with classmates, colleagues,
mentors
• Review literature to identify research gap
• Find collaborators
– Ask students
– Seek advice from researchers in the field of interest
(potential collaborators)
– Review funded research
• CRISP: http://crisp.cit.nih.gov/
Preparation Timeline
Months before deadline:
8
7
6
5
Brainstorm;
research and
discuss your
idea;
call/email NIH
program staff
Outline
application;
analyze
preliminary
studies
Slide courtesy of Carey Farquhar
4
Write the
proposal
3
2
Complete
application;
solicit
feedback and
edit
1
Receipt date
Institutional
deadlines; give
draft to
reviewers
Before you start writing
• Discuss your proposal and study design with
others
– Agree on general design/aims with collaborators
• Individually or in group
• Review a successful proposal
– Structure
– Detail
– Writing style
– Will vary according to grant
Types of Grants
• Federal: Solicited (RFA) and non-solicited
throughout year
– NIH
– CDC
• Private
– Gates Foundation
– FHCRC
• Institutions
– University of Washington
Finding the right grants
• Check eligibility criteria closely
• Contact program officer
• How much money can you apply for? Is it
enough?
– Can you adapt project to meet budget?
• Geographic location
• Review projects successfully funded by that
organization
Funding for student/fellow or project
• Include funding your salary/tuition/travel on project
grant
• Additional grants can help fund YOU!
– Training grants
• STD/AIDS Training Grant
• TL1 Clinical Research Training Grant
• Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Dual Mentor (Interdisciplinary) Fellowships
• Many others! http://depts.washington.edu/epidem/fellowsh.html
– Travel grants
• Global Partnerships Travel Grant (UW)
• Thomas Francis Jr. Global Health Fellowship (UW)
– Departmental supplementary grants
Searching for Grants
• NIH http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm
• Fogarty International Center http://www.fic.nih.gov/
• University of Washington
http://www.washington.edu/research/guide/fund.html
– Research funding service (RFS)
– Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP)
• Emails from your department
• Ask your advisor, colleagues, peers, or
researchers in your field
Other International Agencies
• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
(http://www.gatesfoundation.org/)
• The Canadian International Development Agency (http://www.acdicida.gc.ca/)
• The Department for International Development
(http://www.dfid.gov.uk/)
• The Global Fund (http://www.theglobalfund.org/)
• The International Development Research Centre
(http://www.idrc.ca/)
• The Pan American Health Organization (http://www.paho.org/)
• The Rockefeller Foundation (http://www.rockfound.org/)
• The Wellcome Trust (http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/)
• The World Bank (http://www.worldbank.org/)
• United States Agency for International Development
(http://www.usaid.gov/)
• World Health Organization's Special Programme for Research and
Training in Tropical Diseases (http://www.who.int/tdr/)
Slide courtesy of Carey Farquhar
Letter of intent (LOI)
• Purpose is to allow the granting institution to
prepare for the review process
– How many applicants
– What kinds of projects
– Keep it short and simple
– Include all requested information
• other investigators, subject, proposed title
– The LOI is not binding
How to write a grant
Grant components
•
•
•
•
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Abstract
Background and Significance
Specific Aims/Hypotheses
Preliminary Studies
Research Methods
Literature Cited
Human Subjects
Budget
Length of Grant
R01
R03
RRF
1
1
2-3
1
1/2
1 1/2
1/2
1
1 1/2
Preliminary
studies
6
4
0
Methods
TOTAL
References
Up to 14 - 15
25
Unlimited
(80+)
5 to 6
12 - 13
Unlimited
(20+)
3
6
Unlimited
(20+)
Abstract
Specific Aims
Background
Specific Aims & Hypotheses
• Solidify your Aims
– Generally 3 to 4 per proposal
– How you will test your hypotheses
• Discuss and revise with your mentor/ other
members of your research group
– May take several revisions
• Clear and concise (1/2 to 1 page)
Constructing detailed Specific Aims
• Consider: Who, What, When, Where, How
• Example:
– To determine the timing and proportion of infants
acquiring HIV-1 during 12 months of follow-up among
HIV-1-infected pregnant women randomized to
valacyclovir suppressive therapy versus placebo using
infant HIV-1 DNA filter paper and plasma HIV-1 RNA
assays to test specimens collected at 2 days; 6, 10, 14
weeks; and 6, 9, and 12 months of age.
Background and Significance
• Convey
– What is the health problem?
• Refer to all important studies in the field
• Demonstrate breath and depth of knowledge
– What gaps in research are you aiming to fill?
– Why is this research important?
– How is your idea innovative?
– Why are you uniquely qualified to conduct this
research?
– How will the results of your research be used?
Background Tips
• Include information only relevant to your
proposed project (must be cited in Literature
Cited section)
• Incorporate pertinent references to key
collaborators’ work
• Keep it focused
• Be persuasive and succinct, but provide
enough detail
– This is your chance to sell your idea to the review
committee!
Preliminary Studies
• Your opportunity to demonstrate your prior
work has prepared you to carry out this
research successfully
– Experience
– Publications/Presentations
•
•
•
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Include research with key collaborators
Include unpublished work and abstracts
Use figures and tables
Relate results from prior project to current
proposal
Methods
• Explain in detail how you will carry out
research
– Demonstrate well thought-out research plan
– Anticipate questions reviewers may have about
research
– Convey feasibility
• Describe all study procedures
• Provide diagrams/flowcharts for visual
assistance
Methods
• Convince reviewers the proposal is reasonable
with allotted time
• Highlight competence and expertise of
yourself/collaborators to carry out research
– How will they contribute?
• Acknowledge potential setbacks and how you
will overcome them
Diagrams for study procedures
Women receiving antenatal care at
Mathare North City Council Clinic
Screening
≤ 32 weeks gestation
Enrollment and Randomization
34 weeks gestation
Antenatal Follow-up
Bimonthly; Specimens at 38 weeks
Delivery
Postpartum Follow-up
≤ 2 days; 2, 6, 10 and 14 weeks;
6, 9, 12 months
Specimens obtained
Maternal blood
Maternal blood,
cervical/ genital swabs
Maternal blood,
cervical/ genital swabs
Maternal blood and breast
milk (2, 6, and 14 weeks; 6, 9,
and 12 months)
Infant blood (≤ 2 days; 2, 6,
10 and 14 weeks; 6 , 9 and 12
months)
Methods
• Generally most importance section to
reviewers
• Longest and most detailed section
• Don’t forget
– Laboratory methods
– Study timeline
Lab methods
Table 2. Clinical testing and laboratory assays performed at baseline
and during follow-up
Maternal tests or assays
Rapid HIV testing with
ELISA confirmation
HSV-2 serology
RPR and TPHA for syphilis
Serum creatinine
CD4+ T cell count
Plasma HIV RNA PCR
Enrollment and
Screening antenatal follow-up
≤ 32
34
38
Weeks
X
X
X
X
X
X
Cervical swab HIV RNA
PCR
Breast milk HIV RNA PCR
Total volume
Postpartum Follow-up
2
6 14 6 9 12
weeks
months
20
ml
X
X
X
X
20
ml
20
ml
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
20
ml
20
ml
20
ml
20 20 20
ml ml ml
Statistical Methods
• Involve a biostatistician early
– Ensure statistical analysis plan is sound
– Double check power/sample size
• Ask biostatistician to review description of
statistical methods
Power/Sample Size Example
Difference in mean HIV-1 plasma RNA at 38
weeks gestation (log10 copies/mL)
Power
1.25
1.00
0.75
0.50
0.25
75%
20
30
52
114
446
80%
22
34
58
128*
504
85%
26
38
66
146
576
90%
28
44
76
170
674
*Required sample size to address study aims
Abstract
• Write LAST
• Cover all key elements of your project, in
chronological order
– Specific Aims
– Brief summary of methods
– Study design
– Significance
• Clear and succinct
• 1 page or less
Human Subjects
• Ethical Review Committees
• Informed consent
• Equitable subject representation
– Gender, race/ethnicity, age
•
•
•
•
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Risks/Benefits
Confidentiality
Incentives and minimizing coercion
Linkage of indentifying information
Protection of biological materials
Literature Cited
• Include all relevant and important research
– Even if it does not support your hypotheses
• Use reference managing program
– EndNote, RefMan
• Cite as many references as needed
– Doesn’t count in page limit
Developing a Budget
• How much will you need to carry out project?
• Allowable costs
– Supplies, travel, equipment, salaries
• Unallowable costs
– U.S. federal grants typically prohibit
food/beverages, renovation, furniture
Sample Budget - PSPGH
Supplies
Antenatal Multivitamins
Study drug
N
148
74
# visits
1
3
# weeks
13
13
#days per
week
7
7
Inflation
1.1
1.1
Total
number
14815
22222
Cost per
unit
TOTAL
$0.05 $
740.74
$
0.00
Clinic supplies ($100/month)
$
900
Paper and photocopying
HSV-2 serology kits
250
$8.00
$
$
300
2000
CD4 Reagent
180
$8.00
$
1440
$
5477.04
1
1
250
TOTAL Supplies
Travel
Roundtrip travel to Nairobi, Kenya (Study
Coordinator)
Housing in Nairobi, Kenya
(Study Coordinator)
Participant transport costs
TOTAL Travel
N
# visits
Cost per unit
1
$1,700
1
160
$500
$2.00
6
Months
TOTAL
$
3
1700
$
1500
$
1920
$ 5120.00
Personnel
Title
% Effort
2%
Principal Investigator
Duration in
months
12
Fringe
Site Director
3%
12
50%
100%
50%
25%
9
6
3
18
Fringe
Nurse Counselor
Data entry staff
Research Study Coordinator*
Lab technician
TOTAL Personnel
Monthly Salary
$
$
$
$
$
$
500
$
$
300
$
$
$
500
$
$
TOTAL
2,011
479
2,440
690
2,250
1,800
8,000
2,250
28,920
Budget Justification
• Concise statements about need for key
equipment, personnel, supplies, and travel
• Describe any donations
– Space, supplies, drugs,
– Staff salaries covered by other fellowships, etc
• Level of detail depends on grant
Direct and Indirect Costs
• Direct: Costs for project
• Indirect (overhead, Facilities and
Administration-F&A): Costs not specifically
related to project; common costs
– Percentage of direct costs based on level set by
institution
– May be limited by grant
Example: Indirect Costs
Categories
Total Cost
Personnel
$28,920
Supplies
$5,477
Services
$15,000
Travel
$5120
TOTAL DIRECT
$54,517
10% Indirect
$5,451
TOTAL COSTS
$59,968
Budget Tips
• Avoid future headaches
– Make budget as accurate as possible
• Include all expenses – be thorough
– Photocopying, office supplies, travel, transportation,
shipment of samples, lab supplies/kits, participant
reimbursement, treatment of study participants
• Ask someone in collaborative group to review
– Hidden costs
– Actual costs of items locally
Common problems with applications
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Topic not important enough
Not likely to produce useful information
Based on shaky hypothesis or data
Method unsuited to the objective
Too little detail in research plan
Over-ambitious/unrealistic
Lack of focus
Lack of original or new ideas
Investigator too inexperienced with techniques
Lack of preliminary data
Insufficient consideration of statistical needs
*Slide courtesy of Carey Farquhar
Acknowledgments and
More information
• Slides/information from Dr. Carey Farquhar
• For additional information on Grant Writing:
– Epi 586: Responsible Conduct in International
Research
– NIH website www.nih.gov
– NIH Office of Extramural Research:
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm