GRANTS TOOLBOX:
Planning a Proposal

Explore Possible Funding Sources

The first step is finding possible sources of funding for your project. To do this, you must have a clear idea of the problem you are addressing. While this sounds basic, it is not -- many proposals submitted by applicants are unclear about their objectives, as well as what they would do with grant funds if they are funded.

More importantly, once your program is designed, make sure your idea fits the funding priority of the grant you are seeking. State your goals clearly and precisely.

Use the materials available in the Grassselli Library, Internet and The Foundation Center Library. Search the SPIN database from a John Carroll network-connected computer. Be familiar with foundation or federal guidelines and annual reports. Some of this material is available on-line and can be accessed this way.

Contact the Funding Agency in Advance

It is estimated that chances for success increase 300% when the grantee contacts the funding sources before the proposal is written. Program officers will be able to tell you what to watch out for when preparing your applications, common problem areas, and ways to improve your application. If they are not interested, they may be able to suggest other sources. Ask for written guidelines for the preparation and submission of proposals. Some program officers prefer to have a one page written summary prior to your contacting them personally.

Try to obtain information on any new ideas or priorities the agency is promoting. Also ask about housekeeping details, i.e. should you use binders or tabs, how many copies of the application should you submit? Some of this information is available in the Guidelines.

You may want to request lists of previous grantees or even of previous proposals. Contact these people to get answers to your questions. Talk to people on campus who have obtained grants and may be helpful in providing information on their experiences. Often the Graduate School can provide this information. You may also be able to talk to proposal reviewers to get some information about the reviewers, their selection process and the review process.

Personal visits to funding sources are often productive.

Planning & Preliminary Work

It is advisable to start working on your proposal at least a year in advance. Generally, you should allow six months to pull together the elements of your proposal on campus and another six months to go through the actual grant application process.

Plan your project carefully and think through all the elements, preparing for contingencies in order to avoid blocks which may occur. Focus your project, gain organizational support and be sure to get the required approvals. See Procedures for Seeking Grant Funds. Do a literature search in your field to ascertain other similar projects. The Library can assist in these searches.

Collaborative Ventures

When appropriate, explore the possibilities of working with other departments within the University, other universities and/or agencies on a collaborative basis if you share mutual interests. Funding agents often look with favor upon these types of joint ventures.

Submitting a Preliminary Prospectus

It is recommended that preliminary contact be made with potential funding sources in order to determine whether or not they are willing to consider a formal grant application. A well-written two or three page prospectus submitted to an agency can inform you of the agency's potential interest in the proposal and will save time for both you and the agency personnel -- especially if the proposal is clearly not suitable for formal submission. In addition, the preparation of the formal document is much simpler if a prospectus has been prepared carefully. This process may result in agency assistance in designing the proposal to meet their priorities without distorting your original intentions. Finally, the agency staff may be able to suggest other agencies or private foundations possibly interested in your proposed research. Often joint funding by more than one foundation occurs.

The prospectus should, if possible demonstrate that the investigator is acquainted with the work and purpose of the particular organization being approached. An effective prospectus will point out the significance of the project, and will discuss the objectives of your particular research, how you plan to reach these objectives, and how long it will take you to do so. Although a detailed budget is not necessary, there should be an overall cost estimate included (including appropriate University fringe benefits and indirect costs). Other information which should be included is: Who will benefit? Who cares about the results? What difference will it make if the project is not funded? A prospectus should indicate step-by-step planning and that blocks have been anticipated. It should be emphasized that this is a preliminary inquiry, not a formal proposal, and that the investigator will provide further details in a future discussion.

In general, private foundations are interested in innovative projects that are:

Some Federal agencies are not responsive to a prospectus. Further suggestions on both the appropriateness and the preparation of a prospectus contact the Director of Sponsored Research.