Getting a grant is not easy, but it’s definitely doable if you put in the effort! Funding opportunities abound for aspiring scientists, especially in the area of scientific research.
Grants are typically very specific – they want to fund studies or experiments on a particular topic. This removes general funding from the equation, as most grants focus on one thing only.
That being said, there are many ways to apply for a grant even if the award is not huge. For example, you can submit an internal proposal (also referred to as a self-sponsored project) that has a lower budget limit than external proposals.
or You can also try your hand at creative fundraising strategies such as crowdfunding or challenge competitions.
Create a grant proposal
Creating a grant proposal is its own special skill that comes down to two things; how well you prepare your proposal and what kind of topic you choose to research.
Both are very important as they play a big part in determining whether or not you receive funding!
Having a strong background in the field you want to pursue grants for is key, along with knowing how to organize your ideas and comments effectively.
General formatting rules apply when writing a scientific research grant, such as using an appropriate level of vocabulary, spelling correctly, and employing good grammar. Make sure to proofread your final draft several times before sharing it.
And lastly, be honest! Don’t make false claims about the work you have done if you haven’t yet.
Connect with scientists
One of the best ways to get funding is through private donations or grants from various organizations and government agencies that fund scientific research.
Becoming familiar with the types of grant opportunities available will help you identify what might be relevant to your personal career goals.
Some people are more inclined to donate money to educational projects, while others may want to contribute to medical studies or technology.
By donating to different areas, you increase your chances of getting approved for a grant!
The process usually involves submitting a short application form about the project, receiving confirmation that the organization would like to award funds to you, and then finding someone in the department who can oversee the rest of the budget.
This person is called a principal investigator (PI) since they lead the way towards securing the needed resources.
They spend their time researching potential donors and negotiating the terms of the donation – thus increasing the chance that your proposal gets funded.
Choose a topic
Choosing a research topic is an integral part of applying for a grant. You will have to make sure that your topic is appropriate and relevant, as well as feasible.
Most grants do not accept topics that seem too broad or vague. It also cannot be something that has been done before – if you are proposing to conduct the same study as others, this can easily disqualify you!
Your topic should be clearly defined and unambiguous. For example, studying how to improve reading comprehension through educating students about different subjects rather than just teaching them one subject like maths or science is considered a more interesting topic because it goes beyond what people already know.
Prepare your team
As mentioned earlier, being able to show past success is a great way to prove yourself as an applicant. Make sure to include not only your own personal achievements in the research field, but also those of anyone else who has done similar work.
If possible, you should always try to match up with other successful applicants so that you know what their requirements were and whether they received funding. This can help you determine if there are any similarities between your application and others’ that may make it more likely you would be awarded money.
By looking at past winners, you will also get an idea of how much grant-writing is like selling a house – everyone’s different! What works for one might not work for another, so by studying examples you will learn some key tips.
In addition to giving you ideas for writing your proposal, this will give you practice putting together a group of people to assist you in achieving your goal.
Get approval for your team
A grant is not awarded to just anyone, it requires you to be authorized to apply! As mentioned earlier, most academic institutions have lien policies that allow participation in research projects. This includes getting permission from both your department’s internal review board as well as external peer reviewers who will look at your proposal critically but positively.
Your faculty or department may even help manage the project while you are funded! By having this level of support, your chances of being approved significantly increase. Make sure to highlight all of the ways their help can boost the success of the project and how they can take credit for the outcomes if the project gets funded.
Fund your project
A grant is what you use to fund your scientific research. Most academic institutions have their own grants that they make available to students in various fields. These are usually sponsored by an organization or individual who has a budget they want to spend on projects, so they look out for qualified applicants and approve funding for those that fit.
Students must be clear about how the grant will benefit the institution as well as the work he or she plans to conduct under the grant. General benefits such as publicity do not qualify as grants. Only targeted, focused benefits do. This makes sure there is no wasted money!
Some examples of possible grants include buying equipment needed for teaching classes, paying for student lunches, or covering the cost of international travel. The possibilities are endless! Simply doing some research and finding appropriate grants online can help you get started.
Publish your results
After completing any scientific research, you must also publish your findings. This is an important step as it allows other people in the field to review your work and evaluate its quality!
Publishing does not necessarily mean writing a full paper or giving a talk, but rather posting information about your study on social media, digital platforms, and/or academic websites.
It is very common to see researchers that do not release their studies due to fear of plagiarism or copyright issues. However, these fears are overstated.
Plagiarizing part or all of a dissertation or thesis is almost impossible to avoid unless you don’t use quotes or sources. And most universities allow you to write your own introduction and conclusions so long as you acknowledge the source.
I know from experience — I had to give a few talks when I was doing my PhD because no one would agree to speak on our topic. But we found another one, and I still got paid!
Getting credit for your work is half the battle of publishing; the other half is making sure that others recognize your contribution.
Build your website
After you have designed your research, now is time to get it online! Once your scientific field has an established site, they usually offer link-outs or affiliate programs that allow you to create a page with their content and logo in order to gain credit for the material.
Most universities will require you to include a disclaimer stating that you did not write this article yourself and that the source of the information must be linked. This way, people can easily see where you got your info from!
By creating your own site, you can use your own style and tone to convey important messages about your research area. You may even choose to add additional content to draw more attention to yourself.
