Writing Tips
As you develop your idea, create folders for each component of a grant application. As you have ideas of what to include, write yourself a note and put it into the folder. When you are finally ready to write, it will be easier to organize your thoughts.
Address every 'bullet' or criterion listed in the guidelines.
What are your specific aims?
What is the hypothesis to be tested, and what objectives will test the hypothesis?
Background and significance: What is the current relevant literature? What is your evaluation of the existing knowledge?
What is the relevance to your field or to others?
What preliminary data, or evidence, do you have to support your hypothesis? Have you done work on this topic already?
When and where?
Project design and methods: How do your methods relate to the aims of your project? Demonstrate your awareness of potential problems and solutions. Demonstrate your familiarity with methodologies; document your adaptations.
Make a clear case for why YOU should do this project at this time. Clearly state your honors, achievements, qualifications and related experiences.
Create a realistic timetable. How many chapters can you realistically write during a summer? Can you finish your whole book during a year-long sabbatical leave? Can you implement a new course or curriculum change in one year or two?
Give serious thought to what you will be able to accomplish during the grant funded period.
Evaluation and dissemination:
- Establish baseline and end points for evaluation
- If a curriculum project, document meaningful changes in the student's experience
- Actively promote your new information -- not just a web site linked to/from other web sites.
- Consider workshops on/off campus, personal contact including visits to other campuses, possible test sites at other schools, use of consortia to which UR belongs – Associated Colleges of the South or the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges
- Find external evaluators who are qualified to produce a realistic assessment of your work
Collaborators:
You should have clear commitments from any collaborators and attach appropriate letters of support. A partner from another institution should obtain the appropriate sign-offs from that institutional grants office.
Review your proposal for the use of positive language. You want to set a positive tone and your request will be much stronger if your writing reflects confidence in your project and in the forthcoming funding. Using conditional language only gives a tentative outlook for your project:
- Not "We would like to..." but "We will..."
- Not "We may include..." but "Programs will include..."
- Not "Possible results might be..." but "The results will be..."
- Not "Dr. Jones may be invited to..." but "Dr. Jones will participate..."
Make sure you back up your entire proposal. Back it up frequently throughout the writing process.