Top Ten Tips for Preparing Successful Grant Applications
In an effort to promote grant opportunities to early career investigators, the ATS developed the Grant Resource Guide. This Guide features prominent and timely grant opportunities that directly support predoctoral, postdoctoral, and clinical fellows as well as early career faculty in Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine.
Applying for your first independent grant can be a daunting but exciting task! The first step is to determine the grant to which you should apply. To do this you will need to carefully read the eligibility requirements and the program funding announcement. Even great projects won't be funded if they aren't within the goals of the organization that is providing the funding. Start by talking to your mentor about which grants his or her trainees have successfully attained. Additionally, while most young investigators have their hopes set on achieving NIH funding, don't forget about other funding agencies such as foundations (including the ATS foundation). These grants can be an excellent stepping stone to getting your first independent NIH grant. After you have decided on the grant(s) to which you will apply, you will need to start writing. We recommend starting early and having multiple colleagues at your home institution provide a critical appraisal of your grant proposal before you submit. Once your grant is written make sure that you (and others) very closely proofread the proposal, and ensure that the figures are consistent in their formatting and with clear and legible legends. Lastly, don't get discouraged if your first submission (or first several submissions) doesn't get funded. Even the most successful scientists have had many grants rejected. Read the grant reviewers' comments with an open mind and take them as an opportunity to improve your work for a stellar re-submission. Good luck!
If you have questions or would like to include a grant opportunity to the list, please email us.