Grant writing workshop

Grant Writing Workshop, 2005

Friday, September 16 and Friday, September 23

The grant writing workshop is directed at those new to the grant writing process. The goal is to help young researchers to better understand the grant application process, with emphasis on the writing and evaluation of a research proposal. It should be of particular benefit to postdocs and graduate students who are applying for a grant or fellowship; it should also be useful for graduate students who are applying for jobs.

September 16:

This session will be a general overview of the grant writing process, focusing on the submission of grants to the NSF. There will be a general introduction to the topics below (with ample discussion), and then a panel discussion concentrating on the choice of a research project and how you should present it. The panel members are Robert Bryant, Harold Layton, Les Saper and Tom Witelski. One thing to keep in mind during the discussion is that there is no magic formula for preparing a successful grant proposal.

Overview of grant writing process:
- Funding agencies:
  - NSF
  - ONR
  - NIH
  - NASA
  - DOE
  - NSA
  We will concentrate on the NSF as most mathematicians are funded by them, and because the process is similar for all federal funding agencies.
- The process: writing --> Department via Bonnie --> Duke ORS --> submission via Fastlane --> review --> notification.
Who is the audience for your proposal? what do they know? who are the reviewers? the program directors? What are they looking for? What is important? What's not?
Nuts and bolts:
- Picking a program
- Proposal format
- CV
- Budgets: what grants pay for, what they do not.
- Fastlane
- Deadlines: Duke and at NSF
NSF Links:
- Deadlines: go to the DMS page and click on the link for the appropriate Disciplinary Programs
- Fastlane
- Mathematics and the Physical Sciences MPS of the NSF
- Division of Mathematical Sciences DMS of the NSF
- The Grant Proposal Guide
- Guide to Broader Impacts

September 23:

This session will be a mock review. In order to benefit from this session, you should have written a draft proposal in consultation with your mentor or advisor. It will be (constructively) reviewed by your peers and also members of the faculty. The goal of this session is to give constructive feedback on research proposal drafts, whether they be grant proposals, fellowship proposals or job applications.

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