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Secrets of Successful Grant-writing Petr Zemčík CERGE-EI (based on a presentation by R. Filer)

Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

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Secrets of Successful Grant-writing. Petr Z em čík CERGE-EI (based on a presentation by R. Filer). Goals of Proposal Design. Your Objective Function Contains: Probability of Acceptance Interest (to you) of the Project Probability of Successful Completion - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Petr ZemčíkCERGE-EI

(based on a presentation by R. Filer)

Page 2: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Goals of Proposal Design

Your Objective Function Contains:1) Probability of Acceptance2) Interest (to you) of the Project3) Probability of Successful Completion4) Effect on Your Reputation of Outcome

There Are TRADEOFFS - Today and Over TimeProbability or interest is often so low that writing

application fails cost/benefit test

Page 3: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

Interests of Funding Source Review Process Budget Consideration Administrative Procedures

Page 4: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Interests of Funding Source

Science / Policy Viewpoint / Political Agenda

Page 5: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Review Process

Internal / External

Specialists / Generalists

With / Without Referee Reviews

Page 6: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

All Combinations Are Possible

Examples:

1) GDN or NSF - External, Specialists Refereed

2) Fulbright - External, Generalists, Refereed

Page 7: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Budget

Always Cost / Benefit Calculation

1) At Initial Stage

2) Negotiate After Review

What Are Your Incentives in Each Case?

Page 8: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Administrative Procedures

How Easy Is It To Modify While In Process?

Availability of Extensions (Cost or No-Cost)?

How Closely Will Deliverables Be Scrutinized?

Page 9: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

How to Influence Probability of Acceptance

Pr(A) = f(CR, CP) where

CR = Characteristics of Researcher

CP = Characteristics of Proposal

Page 10: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Characteristics of Researcher

Can’t influence much in short run – but remember it is a repeated process

Send the strongest possible signal without exaggerating

Can you “borrow” someone else’s reputation?

Will evaluation be on team or institution?

Page 11: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Characteristics of Proposal

Importance of Initial Impression Use of Language Is a Signal Show Mastery of Subject Show Significance of Contribution Show Realism

Capabilities Work Plan Budget

Page 12: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Main Reasons for Grant Rejections

Mechanical Methodological Personnel Cost-Benefit

Page 13: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Mechanical

Deadline Not Met Format Not Followed Presentation Not Clear Presentation Not Complete Presentation Showed Political Agenda Quality of Writing Was Poor Presentation Was Sloppy

Page 14: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Methodological

Proposal Lacked Originality Methodology Was Inappropriate Unclear That Required Data/Cooperation

Would Be Available

Page 15: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Personnel

Investigator Did Not Show Mastery of Literature

Investigator Appeared to Lack Required Background

Investigator Failed to Deliver on Previous Projects

Investigator Appeared to Be Overcommitted

Page 16: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Cost-Benefit Test

Relevance to Agency’s Priorities Not Clear Budget Excessive in Relation to Apparent

Benefits Budget Reveals Padding Not Necessary for

Project Probability of Failure Seems High

Page 17: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Grants Administration

Internal webpage: For Faculty and Researchers » Important Info for Researchers

The Deputy Director for Finance, DDF, and the Deputy Director for Research, DDR, would like to ask all researchers who are coordinators of or partners in research grants to set up a meeting with DDF at least one month before the end date of each grant to discuss final financial reports.

A minimum of 25% of the total budget of each research grant must be used for the internal overhead of CERGE or EI. The following expenses can be included in this overhead:

- official overhead approved by the grant agency; - monthly research assistantships; - purchase of PCs, printers, databases, books, journals, office supplies for common use - phone and mail expenses, unless they must be included in the official overhead; - compensation for local staff (finance management, workshop coordination, etc.).

Page 18: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Czech Grant Agencies

Grant Agency of the CH.U. (GA UK) - University employee or doctoral student at Charles University, January

Grant Agency of the Academy of Science of the Czech Republic (GA AV ČR), April

Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (GA ČR) - Czech or permanent residence, March/Sept.

Page 19: Secrets of Successful Grant-writing

Other Agencies

National Science Foundation Global Development Network European Commission FP7