Writing a grant proposal can be daunting, and the information that you've gathered can look overwhelming. But there are some tried and true guidelines to keep in mind as you prepare for and write that proposal. When confusion sets in, revisit these tips to get your bearings again.
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).
Grant Writing Tips Sheets
Citation: Bourne PE, Chalupa LM (2006) Ten Simple Rules for Getting Grants. PLoS Comput Biol 2(2): e12. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.0020012 Published: February 24, 2006 Copyright: © 2006 Bourne and Chalupa. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Be specific about outputs and outcomes. The proposal should explicitly state expected practical, tangible outputs (such as number of students whose training or careers are affected, data collected, scientific papers produced) and outcomes (such as new knowledge, institutional strengthening, etc).
Please note that this information is general guidance applicants can use to assist them in applying for funding opportunities at EPA. I. General Tips on Writing a Competitive Grant Proposal A federal grant is an award of financial assistance from a federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose of support authorized by Federal law.
