My university recently arranged a grant writing guidance session. The following were some of the lessons I came away with.
- Common sources of funding are research councils (AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, MRC, NERC, STFC), charities (Leverhulme, CRUK, BHF), EU FP7 and industry
- Each council has its own grant procedure. It is essential to understand the procedure inside out.
- Universities have research support contacts. Get in touch with them as early as possible.
- Get feedback from colleagues and peers on proposal drafts
- Standard research proposals consist of
- Form
- Track record/CV
- Research environment
- Aims and objectives
- Programme and methodology
- Dissemination and exploitation
- Relevance to beneficiaries
- It is effective to start the proposal with a concise summary of the background, aims and impact of the project.
- Full economic costing is essential. Get professional advice on this.
- There may be a requirement to get internal permission before submitting proposal bids.
- Projects can include responsive mode research grants, fellowships, travel support, networking support, workshop grants or some other major project.
- It is important not to be emotional when responding to proposal reviews.
- For the proposal, never use a font below the minimum specified.
- A risk analysis and risk management outline is recommended.
- In multi-participant proposals, management of collaboration must be outlined. This includes allowing funds for travel expenses and meetings.
Inter-disciplinary proposals are well received. There are even cross council mechanisms for such proposals.
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