“How to write a successful grant in a CIHR
competition?”
Joseph Lam, PhD, FAAM
Professor and CRC
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
CIHR UD for the University of Guelph
Grantsmanship Seminar – Faculty Information Exchange Series
Room: UC442 Oct. 11, 2012

Webinar:
http://researchofficer.wordpress.com/2012/03/29/c
ihr-webinar-art-of-writing-a-cihr-application/

HTML document:
http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/45281.html

Understand the “cultural differences”
between funding agencies:
i.e. PROJECT versus PROGRAM (unless you
respond to an RFA of a program grant)

Success rate (recent competitions):
@17% (or @14% at the grant review
committee level) - Fundable score?
 WHERE
TO START?
 Prepare your CCV (Common CV)
 Start writing your progress report (even
if you are a new investigator, applying
for the first time)
 Empower
Yourself: Be prepared!
1. Assess your readiness to apply
2. Review the Funding Opportunity for
critical information
3. Don’t wait until the last minute
 Application
Content: Success is in
the Details!
4. Read the instructions carefully (and
be prepared to follow them
EXACTLY!)
5. Address the evaluation criteria
6. Substantiate your claims
7. Include gender and sex in your
Research Design (when appropriate)
 Application
Content: Success is in
the Details!
8.Justify
your team composition (when
appropriate)
9.Address
your projects limitations (self-
assessing potential pitfalls, provide
alternatives)
10.Justify
your budget request
11.Address
previous reviews with respect
 Writing
and Finalizing
12.Engage
your audience – keep asking
“So?” to yourself when you are writing.
Preamble: include preliminary/published
results
13.Summaries
are more important than
you might think
14.Have
your applications pre-reviewed


CIHR is revamping its OOGP (Open
Operating Grant Program)
2-stage application process!
 Project Grants
 Program Grants

Peer Review Reform - College of
Reviewers