How to Approach a First Grant Application

Abstract

Obtaining grant funding opens up new possibilities for the academic faculty member’s career. The rewards can be great, both professionally and personally. However, applying for grant funding poses a variety of challenges. The application process draws upon one’s motivation and persistence, creativity, strategic thinking, communications with others (funders, collaborators, and administrators), planning and time management skills, openness to critical feedback, and attention to details. In approaching a first grant application, there is much to learn and keep in mind. Typically, unanticipated problems will arise in working under a looming deadline for submitting the grant. This process can be stressful and result in submitting a less-than-optimal application or no application at all. This chapter describes practical guidelines that can help the academic faculty member to anticipate and surmount such challenges and create a high-quality grant. These guidelines will help with the grant application process from start to finish: determine which kind of grant to seek, generate really good ideas for the grant, communicate with one’s internal grant administrators, plan the completion of all sections of the grant application by the deadline while not compromising the grant’s quality, obtain helpful feedback from the funding agency and colleagues, take final steps to maximize the quality of the grant, submit the grant in time, and manage stress and avoid burnout.