Grantwriting 101: P roposal Construction Ball State University Sponsored Projects Administration Research Week 2015 – November Jacqueline S. Davis, MA, CRA Associate Director, Pre-Award Operations Augusta Wray, MS, MA Proposal Manager

1 st Layer of Deconstruction: Good Match?  Purpose of Sponsor & funding fits well with your project needs and focus  Acquire the Request for Proposal (RFP), Guidelines, Solicitation Eligibility requirements  You, Project AND Organization Deadline for submission Project period of funding Restrictions on fund use Geographic restrictions & requirements Terms & Conditions

1 st Layer of Deconstruction: Good Match? cont. GOOD BAD IDEA GOOD BAD PROPOSAL Good Idea Good Proposal

2 nd Layer of Deconstruction: Guidelines for Submission  Type of Submission Preliminary proposals Letter of Intent Application Forms Online vs 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

2 nd Layer of Deconstruction: Guidelines for Submission cont. Good Idea Bad Proposal Bad Idea Bad Proposal Bad Idea Good Proposal Good Idea Good Proposal

3 rd Layer of Deconstruction: Proposal Components  The guidelines (RFP) may be very specific, or they can be vague at best. How do you organize your narrative if there are no instructions?  The key to proposal development is to tell a story.

3 rd Layer of Deconstruction: Proposal Components cont.  Abstract/Summary  Introduction  Literature Review/ Background  Significance/ Relation to Sponsor’s Mission  Goals & Objections  Methodology  Contingency Plan  Evaluation  Dissemination & Timeline  Qualifications of Personnel  Budget & Justification  Appendix/ Letters

Deconstruct: Guidelines ASPiRE Junior Faculty Research  Application Cover Sheet  Proposal Narrative  Executive Summary  Background  Goals/Objectives  Budget  Budget Narrative  Proposal Attachments  External Funding Plans  Methods/Timeline  Dissemination/Outcomes

Deconstruct: Application Cover Sheet  Project Period  Establishes Eligibility  Introduces Topic  Categorizes Review Committee  Conveys Funding Request  Identifies External Reviewers  First Impression

Deconstruct: Proposal Narrative  Executive Summary: What the project is about-should be brief, thorough and non-technical  Background: 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

Deconstruct: Proposal Narrative cont.  External Funding Plans: Identify potential future funders Link the project to the future funder’s priorities  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

Deconstruct: Proposal Narrative cont.  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?

Deconstruct: Budget  People wages, salary, stipends, benefits, percentage of time Personnel  Faculty/Staff  Students – Graduate or Undergraduate  Consultants  Collaborators  Things equipment, supplies, participant costs, publication/page charges  Travel  Facilities & Administration (indirect costs)

 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: Budget Narrative

Deconstruct: Proposal Attachments  References Cited  Departmental Chair support letter  Vita – Highlights successes and track record Summarize – What is relevant Not everything  Glossary of Terms  Other?

Editing and Proofing  Wait 1-2 days after completion  Involve an outside reader  Revise, Rewrite, Rearrange, Reduce, Read aloud and Relax

Questions? Jackie Davis Associate Director, Pre-Award Operations Augusta Wray Proposal Manager