• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Log in

  • About
    • The GradFund Team
    • Success Stories
  • Advice
    • Blog
    • Planning When to Apply
    • Proposal Writing Advice
  • Fellowships and Grants
    • Search for Fellowships and Grants
    • SGS Managed Awards
    • SGS Competitive Awards
  • Resources
    • GradFund Self-Paced Guide to Grants and Fellowships
    • Research Development Support
    • Funding Directories
  • Questions
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Contact Us
  • Meet With Us

Engaging with Program Officers

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Kelly Clancy

When we held the GradFund Fall Conference in September, one of the most popular panels featured program officers from a variety of foundations who shared advice and insights from the program officer’s perspective. The most agreed upon advice? Contact the program officer early, and contact them often.

People seem reluctant to take this advice. They seem worried the program officer will be annoyed, or tell them not to apply, or that the questions will come off as dumb or uninformed. Contacting the program officer should be a routine part of any fellowship application, and this post will walk you through some of the finer points of engaging with a program officer.

As we point out in a previous post, many funders are trying to build a community of scholars. This means taking seriously the relationship you build with the funder before your application is even submitted. Some awards require or strongly advise you to establish a relationship with the institution before hand, particularly postdoctoral awards and archival awards. If you are applying to be in residence, you need the people who will be working with you to vouch for you.

Before you contact the program officer, do your homework – have thoughtful questions, know the background of the program officer, and know the types of projects the organization has funded over the past few years. Read everything you can. Funders often have a board of directors or a foundation that help to set the funding priorities and the research trajectory of the institution.

Before you call, thoroughly review all of the information on the website – make sure you aren’t asking for something that can be easily found in the application materials online. Jot down a list of all of your questions and follow up questions. Even if the website doesn’t answer your question, it helps to be able to say “I have a follow up question to what I read on your website.” When you are ready to get in touch, it’s a good idea to set up a time to talk that works for both of you. Send a short email quickly explaining why you want to talk, and ask if you can schedule a time to talk on the phone, or if they prefer email. Often attaching a brief summary of your proposal will help the program officer orient their feedback and advice.

Talking to the program officer can give you a sense of how the organization envisions itself – the types of awards it wants to make, and any subtle shifts that are happening. That said, program officers are busy people, so don’t call just to chat – have serious questions they can help you answer.

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask the questions you most want advice on – “does my research seem like a good fit with your organization?” and “what do I need to do to be a good candidate for this award?” Program officers may say no, but could also direct you to another funder you hadn’t thought of – one that might be a better fit for your interests.

Filed Under: Proposal Writing Advice Tagged With: program officer, review criteria

Stay in Touch!

Our newsletter will keep you informed about new funding opportunities and upcoming deadlines, as well as information about GradFund services and other resources that will help you search for and apply to funding opportunities.

* indicates required





Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. Understanding an External Award Program | GradFund Conversations says:
    July 18, 2013 at 1:42 pm

    […] you have gleaned from the process above as a starting point for a deeper conversation with the program officer about how your research topic and professional goals will fit with the goals of the award program […]

  2. Understanding an External Award Program | GradFund Conversations says:
    July 18, 2013 at 1:42 pm

    […] you have gleaned from the process above as a starting point for a deeper conversation with the program officer about how your research topic and professional goals will fit with the goals of the award program […]

  3. Ambassador, Scholar, Fellow | GradFund Conversations says:
    July 18, 2013 at 3:43 pm

    […] who help you with the online application system often relay their interactions with you to the program officer, whose insights may have sway over the award decision process.  The level of professionalism that […]

  4. Ambassador, Scholar, Fellow | GradFund Conversations says:
    July 18, 2013 at 3:43 pm

    […] who help you with the online application system often relay their interactions with you to the program officer, whose insights may have sway over the award decision process.  The level of professionalism that […]

  5. Program Officers: Understanding Awards from an Insider’s Perspective | GradFund Conversations says:
    July 18, 2013 at 4:35 pm

    […] details and components. After reviewing the website and solicitation for a particular award, program officers (program managers, program administrators, or perhaps award administrators, depending on the […]

  6. Program Officers: Understanding Awards from an Insider’s Perspective | GradFund Conversations says:
    July 18, 2013 at 4:35 pm

    […] details and components. After reviewing the website and solicitation for a particular award, program officers (program managers, program administrators, or perhaps award administrators, depending on the […]

  7. Predissertation Research Grants as a Foundation for Successful Dissertation Research | GradFund Conversations says:
    July 18, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    […] and other institutions can fall into this category of awards, though you should check with the program officer if you are unclear about what stage of study the award is intended to support. Critically, your […]

  8. Predissertation Research Grants as a Foundation for Successful Dissertation Research | GradFund Conversations says:
    July 18, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    […] and other institutions can fall into this category of awards, though you should check with the program officer if you are unclear about what stage of study the award is intended to support. Critically, your […]

  9. Proposal Writing 101 | GradFund Conversations says:
    September 11, 2013 at 7:01 am

    […] guidelines of the award program for which you will apply. If you are unclear on any of the details, contact the program officer for more information about that specific funder and award. Then, check out our blog post on […]

  10. Proposal Writing 101 | GradFund Conversations says:
    September 11, 2013 at 7:01 am

    […] guidelines of the award program for which you will apply. If you are unclear on any of the details, contact the program officer for more information about that specific funder and award. Then, check out our blog post on […]

  11. In-Residence Fellowships for Research and Writing | GradFund Conversations says:
    September 23, 2013 at 7:05 am

    […] to offer? Before submitting your application, or even before you begin writing, call or email the program officer or other program affiliates to talk these arguments over for a deeper perspective on your fit with […]

  12. In-Residence Fellowships for Research and Writing | GradFund Conversations says:
    September 23, 2013 at 7:05 am

    […] to offer? Before submitting your application, or even before you begin writing, call or email the program officer or other program affiliates to talk these arguments over for a deeper perspective on your fit with […]

  13. American Association of University Women Fellowships | GradFund Conversations says:
    September 30, 2013 at 7:30 am

    […] year of study in law, or a third or fourth year of study in a medical doctoral program (contact the program officer for more details about how AAUW defines diversity). The application form includes a proposed […]

  14. American Association of University Women Fellowships | GradFund Conversations says:
    September 30, 2013 at 7:30 am

    […] year of study in law, or a third or fourth year of study in a medical doctoral program (contact the program officer for more details about how AAUW defines diversity). The application form includes a proposed […]

  15. Writing an Annotated Bibliography for Funding Proposals | GradFund Conversations says:
    October 2, 2013 at 7:04 am

    […] although some applications allow a more expansive list. Consult the application guidelines and program officer if this is […]

  16. Writing an Annotated Bibliography for Funding Proposals | GradFund Conversations says:
    October 2, 2013 at 7:04 am

    […] although some applications allow a more expansive list. Consult the application guidelines and program officer if this is […]

  17. Understanding the Review Process | GradFund Conversations says:
    October 14, 2013 at 7:19 am

    […] materials, or if you have any questions about your understanding of them, you should definitely contact the program officer, program administrator, or other program official to ask. Then, keep this deep understanding of the […]

  18. Understanding the Review Process | GradFund Conversations says:
    October 14, 2013 at 7:19 am

    […] materials, or if you have any questions about your understanding of them, you should definitely contact the program officer, program administrator, or other program official to ask. Then, keep this deep understanding of the […]

  19. Responding to Reviewer Comments | GradFund Conversations says:
    May 19, 2014 at 7:20 am

    […] contact the program officer if you have any questions about the feedback given by the reviewers. While he or she may not know […]

  20. Responding to Reviewer Comments | GradFund Conversations says:
    May 19, 2014 at 7:20 am

    […] contact the program officer if you have any questions about the feedback given by the reviewers. While he or she may not know […]

  21. Take a Minute to Review Formatting Guidelines | GradFund Conversations says:
    June 24, 2014 at 7:33 am

    […] are writing does not specify formatting guidelines, or if they are unclear, contact the award’s program officer for clarification. Because funding applications take a lot of time and effort, ensuring that your […]

  22. Take a Minute to Review Formatting Guidelines | GradFund Conversations says:
    June 24, 2014 at 7:33 am

    […] are writing does not specify formatting guidelines, or if they are unclear, contact the award’s program officer for clarification. Because funding applications take a lot of time and effort, ensuring that your […]

Search Awards

Make an Appointment →

Get personalized help finding funding and writing applications

Founded in 2000, GradFund’s mission is to assist Rutgers graduate students in securing merit-based research grants and fellowships to support their graduate study and research. Read about our history and approach to working with graduate students. Learn more →

Copyright © 2025 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. All rights reserved. Log in