Grant Proposals (or Give me the money!

What this handout is about

This handout will help you write and revise grant proposals for research funding in all academic disciplines
(sciences, social sciences, humanities, and the arts). It’s targeted primarily to graduate students and faculty,
although it will also be helpful to undergraduate students who are seeking funding for research (e.g. for a
senior thesis).

The grant writing process

A grant proposal or application is a document or set of documents that is submitted to an organization with
the explicit intent of securing funding for a research project. Grant writing varies widely across the disciplines,
and research intended for epistemological purposes (philosophy or the arts) rests on very different
assumptions than research intended for practical applications (medicine or social policy research).
Nonetheless, this handout attempts to provide a general introduction to grant writing across the disciplines.

Before you begin writing your proposal, you need to know what kind of research you will be doing and why.
You may have a topic or experiment in mind, but taking the time to define what your ultimate purpose is can
be essential to convincing others to fund that project. Although some scholars in the humanities and arts may
not have thought about their projects in terms of research design, hypotheses, research questions, or results,
reviewers and funding agencies expect you to frame your project in these terms. You may also find that
thinking about your project in these terms reveals new aspects of it to you.

Writing successful grant applications is a long process that begins with an idea. Although many people think
of grant writing as a linear process (from idea to proposal to award), it is a circular process. Many people start
by defining their research question or questions. What knowledge or information will be gained as a direct
result of your project? Why is undertaking your research important in a broader sense? You will need to
explicitly communicate this purpose to the committee reviewing your application. This is easier when you
know what you plan to achieve before you begin the writing process.

Diagram 1 below provides an overview of the grant writing process and may help you plan your proposal
development.

Applicants must write grant proposals, submit them, receive notice of acceptance or rejection, and then revise
their proposals. Unsuccessful grant applicants must revise and resubmit their proposals during the next
funding cycle. Successful grant applications and the resulting research lead to ideas for further research and
new grant proposals.

Cultivating an ongoing, positive relationship with funding agencies may lead to additional grants down the
road. Thus, make sure you file progress reports and final reports in a timely and professional manner.
Although some successful grant applicants may fear that funding agencies will reject future proposals
because they’ve already received “enough” funding, the truth is that money follows money. Individuals or
projects awarded grants in the past are more competitive and thus more likely to receive funding in the future.

Some general tips

1. Begin early.
2. Apply early and often.
3. Don’t forget to include a cover letter with your application.
4. Answer all questions. (Pre-empt all unstated questions.)
5. If rejected, revise your proposal and apply again.
6. Give them what they want. Follow the application guidelines exactly.
7. Be explicit and specific.
8. Be realistic in designing the project.
9. Make explicit the connections between your research questions and objectives, your objectives and
methods, your methods and results, and your results and dissemination plan.
10. Follow the application guidelines exactly. (We have repeated this tip because it is very, very important.)

Before you start writing

Identify your needs and focus
First, identify your needs. Answering the following questions may help you:

• Are you undertaking preliminary or pilot research in order to develop a full-blown research agenda?
• Are you seeking funding for dissertation research? Pre-dissertation research? Postdoctoral research?
Archival research? Experimental research? Fieldwork?
• Are you seeking a stipend so that you can write a dissertation or book? Polish a manuscript?
• Do you want a fellowship in residence at an institution that will offer some programmatic support or
other resources to enhance your project?
• Do you want funding for a large research project that will last for several years and involve multiple staff
members?
Next, think about the focus of your research/project. Answering the following questions may help you narrow
it down:

• What is the topic? Why is this topic important?

• What are the research questions that you’re trying to answer? What relevance do your research questions
have?
• What are your hypotheses?
• What are your research methods?
• Why is your research/project important? What is its significance?
• Do you plan on using quantitative methods? Qualitative methods? Both?
• Will you be undertaking experimental research? Clinical research?

Once you have identified your needs and focus, you can begin looking for prospective grants and funding
agencies.

Finding prospective grants and funding agencies

Whether your proposal receives funding will rely in large part on whether your purpose and goals closely
match the priorities of granting agencies. Locating possible grantors is a time consuming task, but in the long
run it will yield the greatest benefits. Even if you have the most appealing research proposal in the world, if
you don’t send it to the right institutions, then you’re unlikely to receive funding.

There are many sources of information about granting agencies and grant programs. Most universities and
many schools within universities have Offices of Research, whose primary purpose is to support faculty and
students in grant-seeking endeavors. These offices usually have libraries or resource centers to help people
find prospective grants.

At UNC, the Research at Carolina office coordinates research support.

The Funding Information Portal offers a collection of databases and proposal development guidance.

The UNC School of Medicine and School of Public Health each have their own Office of Research.

Writing your proposal

Audience
The majority of grant programs recruit academic reviewers with knowledge of the disciplines and/or program
areas of the grant. Thus, when writing your grant proposals, assume that you are addressing a colleague who
is knowledgeable in the general area, but who does not necessarily know the details about your research
questions.

Remember that most readers are lazy and will not respond well to a poorly organized, poorly written, or
confusing proposal. Be sure to give readers what they want. Follow all the guidelines for the particular grant
you are applying for. This may require you to reframe your project in a different light or language. Reframing
your project to fit a specific grant’s requirements is a legitimate and necessary part of the process unless it
will fundamentally change your project’s goals or outcomes.

Final decisions about which proposals are funded often come down to whether the proposal convinces the
reviewer that the research project is well planned and feasible and whether the investigators are well qualified
to execute it. Throughout the proposal, be as explicit as possible. Predict the questions that the reviewer may
have and answer them. Przeworski and Salomon (1995) note that reviewers read with three questions in
mind:

• What are we going to learn as a result of the proposed project that we do not know now? (goals, aims,
and outcomes)
• Why is it worth knowing? (significance)
• How will we know that the conclusions are valid? (criteria for success) (2)

Be sure to answer these questions in your proposal. Keep in mind that reviewers may not read every word of
your proposal. Your reviewer may only read the abstract, the sections on research design and methodology,
the vitae, and the budget. Make these sections as clear and straightforward as possible.

Style
The way you write your grant will tell the reviewers a lot about you (Reif-Lehrer 82). From reading your
proposal, the reviewers will form an idea of who you are as a scholar, a researcher, and a person. They will
decide whether you are creative, logical, analytical, up-to-date in the relevant literature of the field, and, most
importantly, capable of executing the proposed project. Allow your discipline and its conventions to determine
the general style of your writing, but allow your own voice and personality to come through. Be sure to clarify
your project’s theoretical orientation.

Develop a general proposal and budget

Because most proposal writers seek funding from several different agencies or granting programs, it is a
good idea to begin by developing a general grant proposal and budget. This general proposal is sometimes
called a “white paper.” Your general proposal should explain your project to a general academic audience.
Before you submit proposals to different grant programs, you will tailor a specific proposal to their guidelines
and priorities.

Organizing your proposal

Although each funding agency will have its own (usually very specific) requirements, there are several
elements of a proposal that are fairly standard, and they often come in the following order:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Introduction (statement of the problem, purpose of research or goals, and significance of research)
• Literature review
• Project narrative (methods, procedures, objectives, outcomes or deliverables, evaluation, and
dissemination)
• Personnel
• Budget and budget justification

Format the proposal so that it is easy to read. Use headings to break the proposal up into sections. If it is
long, include a table of contents with page numbers.

Title page

The title page usually includes a brief yet explicit title for the research project, the names of the principal
investigator(s), the institutional affiliation of the applicants (the department and university), name and
address of the granting agency, project dates, amount of funding requested, and signatures of university
personnel authorizing the proposal (when necessary). Most funding agencies have specific requirements for
the title page; make sure to follow them.

Abstract

The abstract provides readers with their first impression of your project. To remind themselves of your
proposal, readers may glance at your abstract when making their final recommendations, so it may also serve
as their last impression of your project. The abstract should explain the key elements of your research project
in the future tense. Most abstracts state: (1) the general purpose, (2) specific goals, (3) research design, (4)
methods, and (5) significance (contribution and rationale). Be as explicit as possible in your abstract. Use
statements such as, “The objective of this study is to …”

Introduction

The introduction should cover the key elements of your proposal, including a statement of the problem, the
purpose of research, research goals or objectives, and significance of the research. The statement of problem
should provide a background and rationale for the project and establish the need and relevance of the
research. How is your project different from previous research on the same topic? Will you be using new
methodologies or covering new theoretical territory? The research goals or objectives should identify the
anticipated outcomes of the research and should match up to the needs identified in the statement of
problem. List only the principle goal(s) or objective(s) of your research and save sub-objectives for the project
narrative.

Literature review

Many proposals require a literature review. Reviewers want to know whether you’ve done the necessary
preliminary research to undertake your project. Literature reviews should be selective and critical, not
exhaustive. Reviewers want to see your evaluation of pertinent works. For more information, see our handout
on literature reviews.

Project narrative

The project narrative provides the meat of your proposal and may require several subsections. The project
narrative should supply all the details of the project, including a detailed statement of problem, research
objectives or goals, hypotheses, methods, procedures, outcomes or deliverables, and evaluation and
dissemination of the research.

For the project narrative, pre-empt and/or answer all of the reviewers’ questions. Don’t leave them wondering
about anything. For example, if you propose to conduct unstructured interviews with open-ended questions,
be sure you’ve explained why this methodology is best suited to the specific research questions in your
proposal. Or, if you’re using item response theory rather than classical test theory to verify the validity of your
survey instrument, explain the advantages of this innovative methodology. Or, if you need to travel to Valdez,
Alaska to access historical archives at the Valdez Museum, make it clear what documents you hope to find
and why they are relevant to your historical novel on the ’98ers in the Alaskan Gold Rush.

Clearly and explicitly state the connections between your research objectives, research questions,
hypotheses, methodologies, and outcomes. As the requirements for a strong project narrative vary widely by
discipline, consult a discipline-specific guide to grant writing for some additional advice.

Personnel

Explain staffing requirements in detail and make sure that staffing makes sense. Be very explicit about the
skill sets of the personnel already in place (you will probably include their Curriculum Vitae as part of the
proposal). Explain the necessary skill sets and functions of personnel you will recruit. To minimize expenses,
phase out personnel who are not relevant to later phases of a project.

Budget

The budget spells out project costs and usually consists of a spreadsheet or table with the budget detailed as
line items and a budget narrative (also known as a budget justification) that explains the various expenses.
Even when proposal guidelines do not specifically mention a narrative, be sure to include a one or two page
explanation of the budget. To see a sample budget, turn to Example #1 at the end of this handout.

Consider including an exhaustive budget for your project, even if it exceeds the normal grant size of a
particular funding organization. Simply make it clear that you are seeking additional funding from other
sources. This technique will make it easier for you to combine awards down the road should you have the
good fortune of receiving multiple grants.

Make sure that all budget items meet the funding agency’s requirements. For example, all U.S. government
agencies have strict requirements for airline travel. Be sure the cost of the airline travel in your budget meets
their requirements. If a line item falls outside an agency’s requirements (e.g. some organizations will not
cover equipment purchases or other capital expenses), explain in the budget justification that other grant
sources will pay for the item.

Many universities require that indirect costs (overhead) be added to grants that they administer. Check with
the appropriate offices to find out what the standard (or required) rates are for overhead. Pass a draft budget
by the university officer in charge of grant administration for assistance with indirect costs and costs not
directly associated with research (e.g. facilities use charges).

Furthermore, make sure you factor in the estimated taxes applicable for your case. Depending on the
categories of expenses and your particular circumstances (whether you are a foreign national, for example),
estimated tax rates may differ. You can consult respective departmental staff or university services, as well
as professional tax assistants. For information on taxes on scholarships and fellowships, see
https://cashier.unc.edu/student-tax-information/scholarships-fellowships/.

Timeframe

Explain the timeframe for the research project in some detail. When will you begin and complete each step? It
may be helpful to reviewers if you present a visual version of your timeline. For less complicated research, a
table summarizing the timeline for the project will help reviewers understand and evaluate the planning and
feasibility. See Example #2 at the end of this handout.

For multi-year research proposals with numerous procedures and a large staff, a time line diagram can help
clarify the feasibility and planning of the study. See Example #3 at the end of this handout.

Revising your proposal

Strong grant proposals take a long time to develop. Start the process early and leave time to get feedback
from several readers on different drafts. Seek out a variety of readers, both specialists in your research area
and non-specialist colleagues. You may also want to request assistance from knowledgeable readers on
specific areas of your proposal. For example, you may want to schedule a meeting with a statistician to help
revise your methodology section. Don’t hesitate to seek out specialized assistance from the relevant research
offices on your campus. At UNC, the Odum Institute provides a variety of services to graduate students and
faculty in the social sciences.

In your revision and editing, ask your readers to give careful consideration to whether you’ve made explicit the
connections between your research objectives and methodology. Here are some example questions:

• Have you presented a compelling case?

• Have you made your hypotheses explicit?
• Does your project seem feasible? Is it overly ambitious? Does it have other weaknesses?
• Have you stated the means that grantors can use to evaluate the success of your project after you’ve
executed it?

If a granting agency lists particular criteria used for rating and evaluating proposals, be sure to share these
with your own reviewers.

Example #1. Sample Budget

Item Quantity Cost Subtotal Total

Jet Travel

RDU-Kigali (roundtrip) 1 $6,100 $6,100

Maintenance Allowance

Rwanda 12 months $1,899 $22,788 $22,788

Project Allowance

Research Assistant/Translator 12 months $400 $4800

 Transportation within country

–Phase 1 4 months $300 $1,200

–Phase 2 8 months $1,500 $12,000

Email 12 months $60 $720

Audio cassette tapes 200 $2 $400

Photographic and slide film 20 $5 $100

Laptop Computer 1 $2,895

NUD*IST 4.0 Software $373

Etc.

Total Project Allowance $35,238

Administrative Fee $100

Total $65,690

Sought from other sources ($15,000)

Total Grant Request $50,690

Jet travel $6,100

This estimate is based on the commercial high season rate for jet economy travel on Sabena Belgian Airlines.
No U.S. carriers fly to Kigali, Rwanda. Sabena has student fare tickets available which will be significantly less
expensive (approximately $2,000).

Maintenance allowance $22,788

Based on the Fulbright-Hays Maintenance Allowances published in the grant application guide.

Research assistant/translator $4,800

The research assistant/translator will be a native (and primary) speaker of Kinya-rwanda with at least a four-
year university degree. They will accompany the primary investigator during life history interviews to provide
assistance in comprehension. In addition, they will provide commentary, explanations, and observations to
facilitate the primary investigator’s participant observation. During the first phase of the project in Kigali, the
research assistant will work forty hours a week and occasional overtime as needed. During phases two and
three in rural Rwanda, the assistant will stay with the investigator overnight in the field when necessary. The
salary of $400 per month is based on the average pay rate for individuals with similar qualifications working
for international NGO’s in Rwanda.

Transportation within country, phase one $1,200

The primary investigator and research assistant will need regular transportation within Kigali by bus and taxi.
The average taxi fare in Kigali is $6-8 and bus fare is $.15. This figure is based on an average of $10 per day in
transportation costs during the first project phase.

Transportation within country, phases two and three $12,000

Project personnel will also require regular transportation between rural field sites. If it is not possible to
remain overnight, daily trips will be necessary. The average rental rate for a 4×4 vehicle in Rwanda is $130 per
day. This estimate is based on an average of $50 per day in transportation costs for the second and third
project phases. These costs could be reduced if an arrangement could be made with either a government
ministry or international aid agency for transportation assistance.

Email $720
The rate for email service from RwandaTel (the only service provider in Rwanda) is $60 per month. Email
access is vital for receiving news reports on Rwanda and the region as well as for staying in contact with
dissertation committee members and advisors in the United States.

Audiocassette tapes $400

Audiocassette tapes will be necessary for recording life history interviews, musical performances, community
events, story telling, and other pertinent data.

Photographic & slide film $100

Photographic and slide film will be necessary to document visual data such as landscape, environment,
marriages, funerals, community events, etc.

Laptop computer $2,895

A laptop computer will be necessary for recording observations, thoughts, and analysis during research
project. Price listed is a special offer to UNC students through the Carolina Computing Initiative.

NUD*IST 4.0 software $373.00

NUD*IST, “Nonnumerical, Unstructured Data, Indexing, Searching, and Theorizing,” is necessary for cataloging,
indexing, and managing field notes both during and following the field research phase. The program will
assist in cataloging themes that emerge during the life history interviews.

Administrative fee $100

Fee set by Fulbright-Hays for the sponsoring institution.

Example #2: Project Timeline in Table Format

Exploratory Research Completed
Proposal Development Completed

Ph.D. qualifying exams Completed

Research Proposal Defense Completed

Fieldwork in Rwanda Oct. 1999-Dec. 2000

Data Analysis and Transcription Jan. 2001-March 2001

Writing of Draft Chapters March 2001 – Sept. 2001

Revision Oct. 2001-Feb. 2002

Dissertation Defense April 2002

Final Approval and Completion May 2002

Example #3: Project Timeline in Chart Format

Some closing advice

Some of us may feel ashamed or embarrassed about asking for money or promoting ourselves. Often, these
feelings have more to do with our own insecurities than with problems in the tone or style of our writing. If
you’re having trouble because of these types of hang-ups, the most important thing to keep in mind is that it
never hurts to ask. If you never ask for the money, they’ll never give you the money. Besides, the worst thing
they can do is say no.

UNC resources for proposal writing

Research at Carolina
http://research.unc.edu

The Odum Institute for Research in the Social Sciences

https://odum.unc.edu/

UNC Medical School Office of Research

https://www.med.unc.edu/oor

UNC School of Public Health Office of Research

http://www.sph.unc.edu/research/

Works consulted
We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the
handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not
use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are
using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial. We revise these
tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Holloway, Brian R. 2003. Proposal Writing Across the Disciplines. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice
Hall.
Levine, S. Joseph. “Guide for Writing a Funding Proposal.” http://www.learnerassociates.net/proposal/.
Locke, Lawrence F., Waneen Wyrick Spirduso, and Stephen J. Silverman. 2014. Proposals That Work.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Przeworski, Adam, and Frank Salomon. 2012. “Some Candid Suggestions on the Art of Writing Proposals.”
Social Science Research Council. https://s3.amazonaws.com/ssrc-cdn2/art-of-writing-proposals-dsd-e-
56b50ef814f12.pdf.
Reif-Lehrer, Liane. 1989. Writing a Successful Grant Application. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Wiggins, Beverly. 2002. “Funding and Proposal Writing for Social Science Faculty and Graduate Student
Research.” Chapel Hill: Howard W. Odum Institute for Research in Social Science. 2 Feb. 2004.
http://www2.irss.unc.edu/irss/shortcourses/wigginshandouts/granthandout.pdf.

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