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Grant basics? - (Jan/04/2006 )

Hello all,

I graduated in December with a B.S. cell/molecular biology and, while I await job application responses, I am looking to practice writing grants. I actually have a great idea for a research project (biodefense related, so there's definitely funding available). Realistically though, my goal is to get a feel for the process rather than actually obtain funding. I know this all sounds crazy, but there is really nothing to do around here so I might as well attempt to be productive biggrin.gif

So I have a few basic questions:

1. Obviously I need to ultimately be associated with a lab prior to carrying out such research, but has anyone ever obtained a grant first and then found a place to use the funding? It seems it would be much easier to find a place to work if you had some money under your belt.

2. On average, what is the response time for a grant application?

3. Is it absolutely necessary to have an established researcher propose a grant, or will a novel and innovative idea suffice?

I would greatly appreciate any online resources related to the basics of scientific grants. I've performed a variety of Google searches, but there's a ton of garbage results to sort through. I remember seeing a book related to this topic at a bookstore, so maybe I'll go take a look at that tomorrow.

Thanks in advance,
Hank

-haringsh-

QUOTE (haringsh @ Jan 4 2006, 08:13 PM)
1. Obviously I need to ultimately be associated with a lab prior to carrying out such research, but has anyone ever obtained a grant first and then found a place to use the funding? It seems it would be much easier to find a place to work if you had some money under your belt.

2. On average, what is the response time for a grant application?

3. Is it absolutely necessary to have an established researcher propose a grant, or will a novel and innovative idea suffice?


Hi, I have written a few grants and am looking for more grants to write as I complete my PhD.

1. There are some grants that allow you to do this and fund you on your potential, but the majority of grants I have come across involves you proposing a project to be conducted in an established lab and would require some writing on the PI's part.

2. Depends on grant, for small travel grants they can be quick, but usually the ones I think you are after there is at least a 6 month turnaround time. I am applying for a grants this year to be funded next year. You should check the funding rules and guidelines for each grant you apply for, they will certainly help you towards writing for that grant.

3. Novel ideas will suffice but the reviewers will be judging you on your potential to get results from your proposed projects so think of it this way (I have been told) if you were the reveiwer for this grant what would you look for in the application that would tell you that the applicant has the potential to perform the proposed project in question.....so things like publication record (you have just finished your PhD and therefore you may not have a strong record), maunscripts submitted, awards, conference presentations, invited talks and the like, these will certainly help you along. Reveiwers will understand that you are a young researcher and will take this into account, however the m ore competitive the grant the less this will happen, so have a look for grants that target young and upcoming researchers I am not too sure where you are from however, here in australia, the univerisites have a grants office that desseminates all the grant information to us, so maybe your institution would have the same.

good luck with grant writing! it is helluva work to do and you are not guarunteed success everytime by no means

Nick

-methylnick-

Thanks for the advice!

-haringsh-

Here is a grant application guide for NIH, but it has some fairly broadly applicable advice:
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/grants/write/write_pf.htm

-microphobe-

NIH grant for new investigators
NIH grant policy, grant application resource, awards, and definition of new investigators.

GrantsNet
The most comprehensive grant resource! Search for grant, get grant application advice, membership is free.

Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects
CRISP: this is where a postdoc can find Principle Investigator that has federally funded biomedical research projects conducted at universities, hospitals, and other research institutions. Provides brief descriptions of project and is searchable


I have the links here:

http://www.cyberpostdoc.org/mambo/index.ph...emid=4&catid=87

-cyberpostdoc-