Grantwriting 101:
Proposal 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
1st Layer of Deconstruction:
Good Match?
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Purpose of Sponsor & funding fits well with
your project needs and focus
Acquire the Request for Proposal (RFP),
Guidelines, Solicitation
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Eligibility requirements
 You, Project AND Organization
Deadline for submission
Project period of funding
Restrictions on fund use
Geographic restrictions & requirements
Terms & Conditions
1st Layer of Deconstruction:
Good Match? cont.
IDEA
• GOOD
• BAD
• GOOD
PROPOSAL
• BAD
Good
Idea
Good
Proposal
2nd Layer of Deconstruction:
Guidelines for Submission
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Type of Submission
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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
2nd Layer of Deconstruction:
Guidelines for Submission cont.
Bad Idea
Good Idea
Bad
Proposal
Bad
Proposal
Bad Idea
Good
Proposal
Good Idea
Good
Proposal
3rd Layer of Deconstruction:
Proposal Components
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The guidelines (RFP) may be very
specific, or they can be vague at best.
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How do you organize your narrative if there
are no instructions?
The key to proposal development is to
tell a story.
3rd Layer of Deconstruction:
Proposal Components cont.
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Abstract/Summary
Introduction
Literature Review/
Background
Significance/
Relation to
Sponsor’s Mission
Goals & Objections
Methodology

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Contingency Plan
Evaluation
Dissemination &
Timeline
Qualifications of
Personnel
Budget &
Justification
Appendix/ Letters
Deconstruct: Guidelines
ASPiRE Junior Faculty Research
Application Cover Sheet
 Proposal Narrative
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Executive Summary
Background
Goals/Objectives
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Budget
 Budget Narrative
 Proposal Attachments
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External Funding Plans
Methods/Timeline
Dissemination/Outcomes
Deconstruct:
Application Cover Sheet
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Project Period
Establishes Eligibility
Introduces Topic
Categorizes Review Committee
Conveys Funding Request
Identifies External Reviewers
First Impression
Deconstruct:
Proposal Narrative
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Executive Summary:
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Background:
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What the project is about-should be brief,
thorough and non-technical
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
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Deconstruct:
Proposal Narrative cont.
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External Funding Plans:
Identify potential future funders
 Link the project to the future funder’s priorities
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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
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Deconstruct:
Proposal Narrative cont.
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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?
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Deconstruct:
Budget
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People
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Things
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wages, salary, stipends, benefits, percentage of time
Personnel
 Faculty/Staff
 Students – Graduate or Undergraduate
 Consultants
 Collaborators
equipment, supplies, participant costs,
publication/page charges
Travel
Facilities & Administration (indirect costs)
Deconstruct:
Budget Narrative
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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:
Proposal Attachments
References Cited
 Departmental Chair support letter
 Vita –
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Highlights successes and track record
Summarize – What is relevant
Not everything
Glossary of Terms
 Other?
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Editing and Proofing
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Wait 1-2 days after completion
Involve an outside reader
Revise, Rewrite, Rearrange, Reduce,
Read aloud and Relax
Questions?
Jackie Davis
Augusta Wray
Associate Director,
Pre-Award Operations
Proposal Manager
jsdavis@bsu.edu
765-285-1607
amwray@bsu.edu
765-285-5033