Developing a Plan of Action Dr. Jan Dorman University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing [email protected].
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Transcript Developing a Plan of Action Dr. Jan Dorman University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing [email protected].
Developing a Plan of
Action
Dr. Jan Dorman
University of Pittsburgh
School of Nursing
[email protected]
Why Write a Grant?
Grants provide you with resources needed
to complete a major project that interests
you
Grants allow you to set your own career
goals and increase your autonomy
Grants help you achieve recognition and
enhance your professional reputation
Grants generate resources for graduate
students
Why Write a Grant?
Grants offer salary support and
potentially release time
Grants fund personnel, equipment and
travel
Grants can be used to support conferences
Grants may be required for tenure
Grants provide prestige to you and your
school
What Type of Grants?
Project grants
– Research
– Conferences
– Books
Career development grants
– Fellowships
– K awards
– Institutional Training Grants
Need an Idea that FITS
Fills a gap in knowledge
Important
Tests a hypothesis
Short-term investment leads to long-term
gain
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To you and long-term career path
To your institution
To the field
To the funding agency
To the reviewers
– Impact
– Sustainability
Ideas May Come From
Clinical experience
Literature
Presentations at professional meetings
Discussions with colleagues
Funded investigators
Emerging health-related issues
Solicited reports (e.g. IOM)
Current agency priorities
NIH-sponsored conferences
Current Hot ‘Topics’
Community-based participatory research
Interdisciplinary initiatives
Underserved populations
Technology
Translational research
Biobehavioral science
Genomics
Patient safety
NINR Program Areas
Health promotion and disease prevention
Managing symptoms in acute and chronic
illness
Self-management in health and illness
Caregiving
Health disparities
End of life/palliative care
CRISP
Information on grants and programs
funded by HHS
Search database to see what has been
funded that relates to your topic
Can obtain copy of the proposal
– Contact PI
– Contact NIH Freedom of Information
Office Coordinator
Communicate Intent
To mentor/advisor/department chair
To Research Administration
To program staff from the funding agency
– Do homework first!
Before You Start Writing
Conduct comprehensive literature review
– Your question should be based on gaps in
the literature
– Why is your research compelling,
necessary, timely, significant?
– What are your goals and outcomes?
– Brainstorm with colleagues
Identify Co-investigators and a statistician
Consider theoretical frameworks
Before You Start Writing
Draft your Specific Aims
All proposals require a narrative
– Read funded proposals
– Develop an outline
– Consider developing a presentation of
your proposal
– Consider publishing your narrative (after
your grant is submitted!)
Do you need pilot data?
Before You Start Writing
Develop study design and methods
– Identify study population
– Determine
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How your project will be conducted
Recruitment needs
Data to be collected to address your question
Resources will be required
If your environment is appropriate
Do you need community support?
– Develop timeline
– Talk with a statistician
Before You Start Writing
Carefully read grant guidelines and review
criteria
Determine whether you are eligible to
apply – NIH says:
– “Any individual with the skills, knowledge and
resources necessary to carry out the proposed
research is invited to work with their
institution to develop an application for
support.”
Additional qualifications depend on the
funding agency and mechanism
Before You Start Writing
Talk with your colleagues and mentors
– You will want them to review your proposal
– Include people who do and do not know the
area
Visit your University’s Office of Research
Website
Make an appointment with your school’s
research administrators
Before You Start Writing
Do you have institutional support?
Do you have the needed infrastructure?
When are applications due?
Can you apply later?
When are they reviewed?
Are there budgetary restrictions?
When do you need the money?
How much money do you anticipate needing?
Key Question: GO/NO GO?
Rules to Follow If It’s a Go
Rule 1
Get Started Early!
Rule 1
Establish benchmarks and deadlines
– Start ~3 months before it’s due
Are internal reviews are needed?
Is the submission electronic?
– Register with agency weeks in advance
– Need 10 extra days
Allow time for feedback
– Don’t be defensive
Rule 2
Read the
Instructions!
Rule 2
Follow instructions exactly!
– If not, application may be returned
Use Appendices wisely
– Don’t put anything in an Appendix that
the reviewer needs to read
Check key websites frequently
Make contact with agency as needed
Rule 3
Make It Easy
For the Reviewers
Rule 3
Write from the reviewer’s perspective
– Assume that they are NOT experts
Make it EASY for the reviewers
– Let there be white!
Clarity is key – avoid detours
– Use subheadings, tables, figures
Rule 3
Keep it simple, focused and interesting to
reviewers and funding agency
Identify potential problems /limitations
– Address them in the proposal
Talk up strengths
Say it’s significant because …
Rule 4
Play It Straight!
Rule 4
Don’t pad biosketches
– Do not list conference presentations or
book chapters if you’re applying to NIH
Don’t over- or under-estimate the budget
– NIH has 2 tier review
Toot your horn – but don’t deafen the
reviewers!
Grants are awarded to your institution, not
you!
Rule 5
Don’t Work in
A Vacuum!
Rule 5
Lot’s of resources on the web
Meet with collaborators early and often
Update internal and external staff
frequently
Get feedback from colleagues
– Senior investigators, non-experts
Additional Things to Consider
Take additional grant writing courses
Read books
Take a course in accounting
Write (or help write) lots of grants!
– Gerin W. Writing the NIH Grant Proposal, Sage
Publications, 2006
– Ogden TE and Goldberg IA. Research
Proposals: A Guide to Success. Academic Press.
2002.
– Reif-Lehrer L. Grant Application Writer’s
Handbook. Jones and Bartlett, 2005.
Rule 6
Don’t Give Up!