Office of Sponsored Programs
Administration and Accounting
Basic Grant Writing
John Hulvey
Director – Sponsored Programs
What we will Cover Today
 Planning
the Project
 How to find sponsors
 Drafting and polishing the proposal
 What to consider next after a submission.
Gain the Right Perspective
 Writing
a successful proposal is not easy!
 There are lots of tips, tricks, and ideas for
approaching grant writing.
 There is no ‘right’ way to construct a
proposal; there are however, things you
can do to improve your chances.
 This is mostly common sense. Consider:
what makes your project stand out?
Planning a Project

Formulate an idea (problem, objectives,
activities)
 Consider how long the project might take


If longer than 3 years, can it down?
Consider how you evaluate or measure
your results.
 What are the broader impacts?
 Sustainability – how will you keep it going?
 What University resources will be needed?
Continue Developing the Idea

Outline a project.
 Define problem; objectives; activities
 Outlines helps “tell the story”:
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Preserve the logic in the presentation
Identify the main ideas or goals
Allows for ‘scaling’ the project (or proposal)
Maintain continuity of the request
Helps avoid getting off track
Helps reduce omissions
• Assessment - Broader Impacts - Sustainability
Continue Development
 Don’t

If there is a known problem, address it (the
reviewers will already know)
 Do

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avoid the obvious!
your homework:
Know about other ideas or projects
Know what your sponsor has supported.
Review previously successful proposals.
Get Ready to Go

Obtain at least verbal approval for the project
from Department Heads and/or Deans.

Disclose any resource needs that do not presently
exist. (people, space, equipment).
 Be
prepared for him/her to help
Search for Sponsors:
 Ask
other successful researchers (how/where did they start?)
 Use the Web :
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Funding agencies’ web sites
Grants.gov (all Federal Agencies)
Office of Sponsored Program (OSP) site:
• Grants Resource Center (http://www.aascu.org/grc/)
• Monthly OSP Newsletter
 Technical
Publications/Websites
Narrowing Funding Opportunities:
 Given
your project plan and potential
sponsors, further consider:

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Your skill level and available resources
The type of organization you work for
• JMU = 501(c)3 Non-profit; State Agency; Institution
of Higher Education
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Awards go to an agency NOT to the Researcher.
Timeline for application and use of the funds.
Amount of funds available and expected
award amount.
After Picking a Funding
Opportunity:

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Contact the Office of Sponsored Programs
(OSP)
Read the Sponsor’s guidelines!
Learn about your sponsor and previously funded
proposals (particularly Foundations)
Contact any possible collaborator to determine
their interest and possible contributions.
Follow up with Department Head(?)
Write the Proposal to the
SPONSOR
 Make
sure your proposal fits their desired
funding goals
 Reference their ‘talking points’
 Don’t ignore the opportunity for ‘extra
points’

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University/Industry collaborations?
Use of students on the project?
Writing the Proposal

Actual format will vary by sponsor

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Some have specific forms, others are narratives
Generally, a sponsor will want:
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Short summary of the project and expected outcomes
(in layman’s terms)
Complete background, scope of work
Budget and budget narrative (Allowable expenses –
Session #2)
Timeline and evaluation plan (how will overall impact
of a funded project be measured?)
Writing the Proposal (continued)
Answer the sponsor’s questions and address
their concerns
 Be excited about your project, it will show in your
writing
 Make the proposal easy for the reviewer to read
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Follow the required format exactly
Use section headings and bullets
Follow the font and margin rules (if any) even on
picture captions and charts (stay consistent)
 Don’t
expect the reviewers to assume
things
Budget Preparation – Session #2
 Financial
presentation of your project Take some time with this, you will have to
live with it after the award!
 Let OSP help! Think in narrative terms
“one month of my time”; “travel to Dallas
for 2 people for 3 days” - let OSP
calculate the amounts.
 OSP is happy to revise the budget
Other Budget Considerations
 Cost
Share (or “Match”)
 Participant Support Costs
 Indirect Costs
Indirect Costs
 Also
called Facilities and Administration
(F&A) or “overhead”
 This is not “profit” for the institution; it is a
method of recapturing actual costs
 Some of this recovery is returned to the
department and the dean for discretionary
use
Writing Tips:

Use short sentences (15-20 words TOPS)
 Get to the point; then expand.
 Avoid jargon or acronyms unless the meaning
will be known to all, and always define acronyms
on their first use and perhaps more.
 Use sponsor’s buzz-words!
Writing Tips Continued
 Don’t
rely on spell-check or grammar
check to find everything! (Read and have
others read)
 Don’t do this. (stick with one type of
‘highlight’)
 Watch use of “this” or “it’s”
 Write a draft, let it age, then read it again
 Consider having a colleague proofread
Examples

Bad: The project team will look at the insects at
4 test sites once a week for 12 weeks.
 Better: Insects will be monitored by the project
team at four test sites once a week for 12
weeks.
 Bad: At the end of the project, I will analyze the
soil and measure the trees’ diameter.
 Better: At the end of the project, the soil will be
analyzed and the tree diameters will be
measured by me.
Finishing the Proposal
 Complete
necessary forms (this is where
your OSP can really assist)


Sponsor’s Forms
University Forms
 Obtain
formal Departmental approval
 Submit proposal and approvals to OSP for
final review and submission (5 or more
days before the sponsor’s deadline)
Want to Get More Information?

Contact us directly:
 Office of Sponsored Programs
Administration and Accounting (SPAA)

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jmu_grants@jmu.edu
JMAC 6, Suite 26 (OSP) or 30 (Accounting)
568-6872
Website
 SPAA http://www.jmu.edu/sponsoredprograms/
Questions?