Winter
2015
Fish 521 - Grant Proposal Writing for Graduate Students
Links
Stuff you should read for this class
Scientific Writing Booklet: A short booklet on scientific writing, including hints on grammar, style and structure. (Marc Tischler, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Arizona)
The Science of Scientific Writing: excellent article on scientific writing in general, with the general theme that writing should be aimed at the reader. A must-read! (George Gopen and Judith Swan, American Scientist 78, 550-558)
NSF: A guide for proposal writing: excellent guide to proposal writing, specifically designed for the NSF, but also very useful for scientific writing in general.
NSF: Examples for activities under broader impact: many scientists have problems with this, so the NSF provided some examples. Have a look.
COSEE Broader Impact Wizard: I showed this in class, but this is a useful site if you get stuck.
Tips for broader impact statements: good advice compiled by Rick Keil, Oceanography, UW
Reference for the class (no need to read completely, but have a look)
NSF Grant Proposal Guide: not so much a guide to proposal writing, but instructions about preparation, scope, budget and aspects of NSF proposals. No need to read completely, but you should be aware of regulations.
SAFS grants and contracts page : this page gives you all salary ranges, benefit rates, indirect cost rates, etc. Should be all you need for your budget.
SAFS Proposal Information: useful information for proposals,
SAFS graduate student proposal guidelines: structure for your SAFS proposal
NSF "At a Glance": useful and brief information what the National Science Foundation is all about. Worth looking at if you ever consider applying to them.
How to get NSF funding: interesting ppt presentation by one of the NSF program directors
Guide for writing a funding proposal: step-by-step guide for preparing a proposal. (Joseph Levine, Michigan State University)
Online English Grammar: useful online reference for grammar
Guidelines for proposal reviewers by the NSF
Stuff that may be useful in future
UW Researcher's Guide: when submitting a proposal from the UW, you need to have it cleared from the UW OSP (Office of Sponsored Programs). Submission for this clearance is electronic from this site.
NSF Guide to Programs and Funding Opportunities: allows you to browse through funding opportunities at the NSF. Useful first entry into the rather complex world of NSF funding.
NSF Strategic Plan 2011-2016 (pdf): More information about the goals and vision of the NSF. Particularly interesting in view of the revised merit review criteria.
Science article on the revision of merit NSF review criteria, providing a very interesting background on the reasons for the chance.
Video stream on NSF merit review. Somewhat length (1 hour) but worthwhile if you really apply to the NSF
NSF FastLane: Electronic submission of grant proposals to the NSF. Also allows search for past awards - very useful to see what gets funded.
NSF CAREER Proposal Writing Tips: CAREER grants are aimed at faculty in the early years (Assistant Professor). They are a lot of money but very competitive. This edited book will help when you get your first faculty position!
NSF Guide to Merit Review: interesting description of the proposal review process in the NSF.
Guide to Electronic Grant Submission: guide to the sometimes difficult task of submitting grants online, from UW medicine.
UW Office of Animal Welfare : These are the forms you need when you want to apply for a proposal involving live vertebrates. Note that you need to get approval BEFORE applying for grants.
Guidelines for reviewers by the USDA.
Peer review
A Guide to Peer Review: useful to booklet on peer review by the British Ecological Society, together with some advice on how to go about peer review.
Trouble at the lab: interesting The Economist article on the unreliability of peer review
Interesting talk on peer review by Adeian Mulligan, Deputy Director at Elsevier
Nature Peer Review Debate: interesting series of opinion pieces
Funding Opportunities
Compilations
Information by the NSF: check out speficially the graduate research fellowship program and the doctoral dissertation improvement grant
Pathways to Science: compilation of fellowship and grants for graduate students
Community of Science: funding database for everybody. You need to register but it is free.
Grants.gov: database of funding opportunies and an increasingly used tool for electronic submission. Be aware that submission may take some time so plan ahead
Science Oriented Funding Sites by UW Libraries
Federal Agencies
Federal Sea Grant - request for proposals
Saltonstall Kennedy Program: grants to benefit the US fishing industry
Office of Naval Research, Department of Defense: contracts and grants
Bonville Power Administration; Environment, Fish and Wildlife
Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior - Research proposals
Environmental Protection Agency - Grants and Debarments
National Park Service - Science and Research
National Institute of Health - Office of Extramural Research
US Fish and Wildlife Service - Grants at a Glance
US Department of Agriculture - Research and Science
US Geological Survey - Contracts and Grants
Funding opportunities for graduate students - fellowships
NSF graduate research fellowship program: deadline November; targeted at graduate students at the beginning of their thesis work
NSF doctoral dissertation improvement grant: grant for more advanced graduate students. Not much money, but it looks great on your CV
Environment Agency STAR program
Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research: specifically targeted at undergraduate and graduate students
National Sea Grant Fellowships: these are administrated and awarded via Washington Sea Grant
Dr Nancy Foster Scholarship Program: specifically targetted at women and minorities,
Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship: I have no experience with that fellowship, but it may be interesting for modelers and bioinformatics folk
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: provides a whole series of smaller grants, some of which require matching funds