Volume 15, Number 6: December 3, 2008
FUNDING TIPS
Advice on Contacting Program Officers
"Talk to the program officer" is probably the single most common piece of advice given to grant seekers by federal and private sponsor officials. In a recent Office of Proposal Development newsletter at Texas A&M University, Robyn Pearson offers the following advice about how to contact program officials and some of the questions you should ask.
- Read the solicitation carefully if there is one.
- Check the agency's website for a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section.
- Read abstracts of awards that have been funded by the agency or program.
- Prepare your list of questions:
- Does your project fit with the program's objectives?
- What are the common traits of successful proposals?
- What is the success rate overall? In North Carolina?
- Are there any problem areas in your proposed research that might hamper your chances for success?
- What are some common problems with unfunded proposals?
- What is the review process like? Who are the review panelists?
- What is the program officer's role in the review process?
- Are review comments available after awards are made?
- Contact the program officer first by email.
- Ask to schedule a telephone conference.
- Send a white paper or project summary.
- Ask about the possibility of scheduling an in-person visit.
Pearson says, "Developing a healthy rapport with program administrators in your discipline may give you an added advantage when new opportunities are forthcoming since you've already opened up a line of communication and made the program officer aware of your research interests. By reaching out to program officers, you are making their jobs easier and your own grantwriting process more efficient."
Proposal Development Resources at Carolina
The GrantSource Library website contains a wealth of information about resources that can assist in planning and developing proposals. These resources include:
- Offices at Carolina that provide proposal assistance for faculty and staff
- Proposal-writing guides in the library
- Online proposal-writing guides and tutorials
- Ebooks such as Grant Application Writer's Handbook by Liane Reif-Lehrer
- National Institutes of Health proposal-development resources and tips.
Effective Proposal Development for Hospitals and Academic Medical Centers
This online presentation addresses best practices in proposal development at hospital and academic medical centers. Delivered at the November 2008 annual conference of the National Council of University Research Administrators, the session covers:
- Fundamentals of proposal development
- Dealing with the pressure to connect faculty with funding
- Facilitating collaboration (inter- and intra-institutional)
- Managing limited submissions
It includes links to useful online resources and guidelines for proposal development.
To view the PowerPoint presentation, click here.
Funding Information in the Arts
As part of its Funding for Arts Month (October 2008), the Foundation Center has updated its online funding guides for artists, filmmakers, writers, and musicians.
Arts-specific electronic resources for artists and writers seeking funding include:
- New York Foundation for the Arts's NYFA Source, a national database of awards, services, and publications for artists of all disciplines (registration required).
- Arts Funding Watch, the Foundation Center's newsletter devoted to the arts, including funding for organizations and individuals (registration required).
Other multidisciplinary databases available through the GrantSource Library, including COS, InfoEd SPIN, and the Foundation Directory Online, also list many funding opportunities in the arts.
For assistance in identifying funding opportunities in the arts, please contact the GrantSource Library (962-3463) to schedule a consultation or visit the library's website.