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 […]
Proposal Writing Advice
Proposal Writing Advice
Presenting Your Qualifications: Previous Research Statements
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 […]
Engaging with Program Officers
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 […]
Salesmanship: Appealing to Your Funder
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. […]
Personal Statements: Crafting Your Intellectual Biography
Fellowships and scholarships are structured as financial investments in an individual scholar, rather than a specific research project or scholarly endeavor. As such, applications for these types of awards often require a personal statement or personal essay of some sort that presents your intellectual biography as a scholar. Striking the appropriate tone and including the […]
Giving and Working with Peer Feedback
How does one approach providing feedback to peers on grant and fellowship application drafts? This summer, many of you will be participating in the Graduate Funding Mentoring Program where you will work with peers to develop competitive application essays. The following advice is meant to guide through process of both giving and receiving critical feedback. […]
Preparing to Write: Some Tips to Get You Started on that Fellowship or Grant Application
The early stages of writing can be key to putting together a compelling proposal. During this period, you establish a pattern of working and the foundational structure upon which your proposal will be based. This is a period of planning, research, and vision that will pay off as you write your proposal. Following are some […]
Bird’s Eye View – A Timeline for Applying for Funding
Because research funding is cyclical, it’s good to be thinking in advance, often far in advance, about what your next funding move should be. This post is an overview of the funding process. Our blog has more in-depth discussions of many of these topics, so feel free to click through as you go along. Stage […]
Understanding an External Award Program
Taking the time to fully understand an award program is a critical part of the application preparation process that novice proposal writers sometimes overlook. GradFund suggests carefully following the multi-step process below before even beginning to draft your application materials. These steps will allow you to tailor your application to the guidelines, funder’s goals, and […]
How to Describe Teaching in a Fellowship Application
Applications for external funding competitions occasionally require a teaching statement or personal statement that focuses on teaching. However, even if you have years of classroom experience, it may be challenging to succinctly communicate your effectiveness in the classroom. The following tips are meant to guide you through writing any part of an application that involves […]