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Practical tips for �grant writing

Ruth Horn

Early Career Bioethics Network

25.07.2023

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My trajectory

General thoughts

Do your best, but prepare for failure
Do not rush to submit just anything when the deadline is tight
Submit the best possible project you can do – show that you are a thoughtful and rigorous scholar

Choosing your topic

Be excited about your topic
Show how the topic relates to your previous work and what is new about it
Reflect about your competency in the new field
Identify the research gaps and how you can fill these - what new insight will your research offer?
How will it advance the field of bioethics, interact with other fields, develop new methodologies
Think about your limitations and the challenges you may face, and how you might overcome these

Choosing a suitable funding scheme

Check who is likely to fund research in your area, stage of career, disciplinary background
Some funders like “bold” ideas, something new, “out of the box”, they want people to explore new ideas
Others prefer research on current issues arising in practice/clinic or are policy-oriented
Some funders are more open to interdisciplinary approaches than others
Check if there are specific calls
Check deadlines early on
Contact people who had funding from a particular funder

Choosing your host institution

Explore which research group is active in the area you want to work in
Choose possible supervisors according to what you will need and what they can offer
Explore research groups during conferences, workshops, visiting fellowships etc.
A new grant is a good opportunity to move to a new place (if you can)
the location/University is important, but a suitable supervisor and research group are more important

When you chose your topic and institution

Discuss your topic and research question with others early on
Test your ideas by presenting them to colleagues
Use the experience of others to structure your proposal
Approach experts in your field and/or invite them into your supervisory/advisory team
Check out funder’s application form
Be realistic, narrow down your focus
Approach the funder and speak to them about your project ideas

When you start filling in the application

Take every single section and documents required seriously
Every section needs to be written thoughtfully
Be precise about every step in your research, workshops, advisory board meetings, research ethics issues, interview topic guide, methods
Be strategic about who you invite to join your advisory board: who are the experts, from whose expertise can you learn most?

Costing

Be precise and justify what you need and why
Only ask for what is necessary to conduct a successful project
Show that you thought about the best as well as most cost-effective and sustainable options

When you have a first draft

Plan for enough time – writing, reviewing, formatting takes longer than you think
You will rely on others’ help and time, consider enough time for others to read and return comments; research services at your host institute may need the proposal a few weeks before submission deadline – often it is the host who needs to submit the proposal