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Welcome to the GradFund Blog

Welcome to the GradFund Blog

Follow the GradFund Blog for current advice and insights on best practices in applying for research support, written by the GradFund Fellowship Advising Team.

Proposal Writing 101

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Kelsey Bitting

At a basic level, nearly all merit-based graduate student award applications (from early graduate study to completion fellowships) include a set of common elements. If you have never written a proposal before, or are beginning a new draft, the suggestions below will help you get started in crafting these elements. Introduction– The introduction will take […]

Filed Under: Proposal Writing Advice Tagged With: proposal structure

Keys to the Castle? Strategic Use of Sample Proposals

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Kelsey Bitting

On more than one occasion during my time as a GradFund Fellowship Advisor, I have met with students who seem to hold winning sample proposals from previous competitions to an almost mythical regard. By cracking the code, analyzing the formula, figuring out the secret of these documents, these believers expect that they can surely unlock […]

Filed Under: Proposal Writing Advice

The Art of the Abstract

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Ben Arenger

Applications for competitive fellowships and grants often require a research abstract, but condensing big research ideas into a short blurb can be a challenging task. How does one go about writing an effective abstract? Think of the abstract as a highly compressed version of your research proposal. It should follow a similar structure and formula […]

Filed Under: Proposal Writing Advice Tagged With: abstract, research question

Gaining a Fresh Perspective on an Old Document

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Kelly Clancy

Are you so tired of your proposal that you’d rather do anything than read it again? Here are a few strategies for getting fresh perspective on an old document. Explain the proposal to someone – Ask a friend or colleague if you can talk them through your proposal. Often times saying the ideas out loud […]

Filed Under: Proposal Writing Advice Tagged With: editing

Presenting Your Work to Multidisciplinary Audiences

Posted on August 5, 2013 by Kelly Clancy

Figuring out how to communicate your research to different audiences can be tough, as anyone who is managing multiple applications can tell you. It can be even tougher, though, to figure out how to do so in the same application.  As you research your funder and their mission, it’s important to understand how the review […]

Filed Under: Proposal Writing Advice

Feedback from Multiple Sources

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Kelly Clancy

Revision is the hardest part of the proposal writing process for some people. The prospect of learning how to manage feedback from multiple sources and combine them into a coherent next draft can be daunting. Figuring out how to weigh different types of feedback, and make sure your ego doesn’t get stung during the revision […]

Filed Under: Proposal Writing Advice Tagged With: revision tips

Crafting the Research Question

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Kelsey Bitting

A well-reviewed research proposal is typically built around one specific research question. Crafting this pivotal detail can be challenging, and we offer a number of suggestions to students at this formative stage in the proposal-writing process. A good question should be built directly upon a foundation of existing scholarship in your discipline, and should advance […]

Filed Under: Proposal Writing Advice Tagged With: proposal structure

Presenting Your Qualifications: Previous Research Statements

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Kelsey Bitting

Previous research statements are a common element of applications for a wide range of awards, from early graduate study fellowships to dissertation research grants. Sometimes funders request a previous research statement as a separate document, while others ask for a previous research or preliminary results section within the structure of a larger research proposal.  Whatever […]

Filed Under: Proposal Writing Advice Tagged With: dissertation research, early graduate study fellowships, proposal sections

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 […]

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

Salesmanship: Appealing to Your Funder

Posted on June 24, 2013 by Kelsey Bitting

A common mistake made by novice proposal writers is writing the research proposal for an external award application from their own perspective alone, or from the perspective of their thesis or dissertation advisor: I need money to do X, my advisor likes to hear me talk about Y, I think it’s interesting to consider Z. […]

Filed Under: Proposal Writing Advice

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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 →

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