1. Grant Writing Basics: Finding Funding Opportunities
Kari Whittenberger-Keith, Ph.D.
Proposal Development Services
Office of Sponsored Projects
Office of Research, UW-M

2. Thinking about Funding
Specific persuasive form
Specific “physical” form
Audience-centered
“Dating” game

3. Universe of Funders Colleges and schools Centers and institutes
Internal
External
Colleges and schools
Centers and institutes
Systems
Federal
Foundations
Professional associations
Institutions

4. Award Types Multiple people Multiple years Equipment and supplies
Grants
Individual Awards
Multiple people
Multiple years
Equipment and supplies
Larger award size
Physical/biosciences; education; some social sciences; large scale humanities
Award made to institution
Single researcher support
One year or less
Salary support or travel/access
Smaller award size
Humanities; arts; some social sciences; students
Award made to individual

5. Funding Sources Individual sponsor Web sites Free databases
Federal, state, foundations, corporations
Free databases
Grants.gov, FedBizOpps (mostly federal grants)
Topic-specific
Paid subscription databases
Pivot (UWM)
Wide net (gov’t; national foundations; global)
Extensive customization
Other Services
OSP Research Updates
The Grants Library URL:

6. Finding Federal Opportunities
Sponsor Notification s
Free
Typically just a list with no functionality (e.g., no searching, sorting, bookmarking)
Pre-determined frequency (weekly or bi-weekly)
Reliable, easy to use, accurate
“Hands-free” approach

7. Finding Federal Opportunities
Types of Free Sponsor Notifications
Government-wide
Federal Register
Grants.Gov
FedBizOpps
Federal Agency-specific
Dept. of Education, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Environmental Protection Agency
Public Service
ScanGrants
Foundations
No free databases

8. Grants.gov Notice

9. NSF Notice

10. Finding Federal & Other Opportunities
Pivot Grant Opportunity Database
Formerly Community of Science (COS)
Most comprehensive, editorially maintained database of global funding opportunities
By governments, private/corporate foundations
For research, fellowships, scholarships
Search one database for funding in any discipline and country, rather than multiple sources or across Internet
Receive weekly updates on saved searches you organize in your own folders
Receive alerts when new matching opportunities match your saved searches

11. Pivot Notice

23. Call for Proposal = … Request for proposal (RFP)
Broad agency announcement (BAA)
Funding opportunity announcement (FOA)
Request for information (RFI)
Information for bid (IFB)
Invitation to bid (ITB)
Request for quote (RFQ)

24. Purpose of Calls
Define the research need and the purpose of the solicitation
Research expectations
Project scope
Expected outcomes/deliverables
Schedules
Outline competitive information
Eligibility
Number and size of awards
Conditions of award
Review process and timeline

25. Purpose of Calls (cont.)
Application instructions
Deadlines
Content requirements
Format requirements
Page length
Margins/fonts
Headers/footers
Page numbers
URLs
Completion of required forms
Sponsor contact information
Program officer and technical support
Conditions of award/reporting requirements/deliverables

26. Analyzing a Call Before you think about writing a proposal
Define project and funding needs
Determine fundable components
Research funding agencies and funding mechanisms/calls
Analyze specific calls and requirements
Funding priorities
Agency goals
“Audiences”
Deadlines and application process
Requirements, including page and form limits
Past recipients
Proposal examples
FAQs and program officer contacts
REMEMBER: Specifics vary by agency and program

27. Is This Opportunity Right for Me?
Can my work fit the call?
Can I do it in the timeframe?
Can I look competitive?
Do I have enough experience?
Do I have publications or other evidence?
Do I need collaborators or other team members?
Can my project “match” the level of innovation?
“Revolutionary not evolutionary”
“Breakthrough not incremental”
“Basic research”
Can I show I have the resources to accomplish the work?
On campus
Collaborations
Travel to resources

28. For More Information
Kari Whittenberger-Keith (414) Michelle Schoenecker (414)