• 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

Advice

Advice

American Association of University Women Fellowships

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Kelsey Bitting

Each fall, our office receives multiple requests for review of proposals to the various award programs offered by the American Association of University Women (AAUW). Generally speaking, the AAUW seeks to support the educational and professional advancement of women through a wide range of programs, including fellowships for female graduate students. While an applicant’s graduate […]

Filed Under: Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Cross Stage Support, Dissertation WritingCompletion, Master's Support, Physical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, Understanding Award Types Tagged With: international students, women

In-Residence Fellowships for Research and Writing

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Kelsey Bitting

In the dissertation research and writing stages, perhaps among the most under-utilized external funding mechanisms are fellowships that offer support to young scholars spend a semester or academic year in residence at a library, research center, or other university. While the residency requirement attached to this type of award can be challenging due to personal […]

Filed Under: Dissertation Research, Dissertation Research/Writing, Dissertation WritingCompletion, Predoctoral/Postdoctoral, Proposal Writing Advice, Understanding Award Types

Archival Research Grants and Fellowships

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Kelsey Bitting

Will your thesis or dissertation research lead you into the pages of historical manuscripts or rare books found only in a few libraries in the world? Will you need to examine collections of photographs, paintings, or fine prints? Will historical or archaeological artifacts held by world museums or research centers be a primary source of […]

Filed Under: Dissertation Research, Humanities, Predissertation, Proposal Writing Advice, Social Sciences, Understanding Award Types Tagged With: archival research

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

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 25
  • Go to page 26
  • Go to page 27
  • Go to page 28
  • Go to page 29
  • Go to page 30
  • Go to Next Page »

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