Grant Writing Resources

Quick Reference Guides

• Proposal Prep 101
• Where do I go for Help with...?
• A Guide to the Grants Process at Purdue University This booklet, created by EVPRP Research Development staff, includes useful information regarding processes and resources related to funding and research grant administration at Purdue. A must read for new faculty.
• Preparing for a Conversation with Your Program Manager

Purdue Drop-in Text

Find up-to-date "boilerplate" text for Purdue institutional resources and facilities at the EVPRP e-Pubs site for use, either in entirety or pertinent portions, in proposals submitted to funding agencies.  Documents are searchable by keyword and include citations to avoid plagiarism.

Self-Help Tools for Proposal Preparation

This series provides step-wise guidance, samples, and/or tailorable text for some of the non-research-related requirements of a proposal submission. *Note: Only accessible from the purdue.edu domain.

• Tool # 1: Management Plan Self-Assessment 
• Tool # 2: Annotated Letters of Individual or Institutional Commitment 
• Tool # 3: Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan Template 
• Tool # 4: Preparing Major or Shared Research Instrumentation Proposals 

Broader Impacts Resources

All NSF proposals must include a section within the Project Description that discusses the broader impacts of the proposed activities. The resources below may be helpful in completing this requirement.

• National Alliance for Broader Impacts (NABI) Check out this NSF-funded network for developing more innovative and compelling broader impact activities.
  • NABI Broader Impacts Guiding Principles and Questions for NSF Proposals The purpose of this document is to assist NSF program managers, proposal reviewers, and review panels in evaluating the BI component of NSF proposals and to assist proposers with developing their broader impact plans.
• Virtual Rolodex of Potential Education and Outreach Partners Proposal-focused information on campus resources you can leverage for broad impacts.
• Steps to Leveraging Campus Resources for Broader Impacts This figure walks you through best practices for incorporating broader impacts in your research proposal.
• NSF Merit Review Information on NSF's Merit Review Process, including FAQs.
• Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence's Broader Impacts 2.0® This excellent document from COSEE helps to clarify the broader impacts criterion and provides practical tips for addressing broader impacts in your proposal.

Data Management Plans

All NSF proposals must include a supplementary document labeled "Data Management Plan" that describes how results from NSF funded research will be shared with other researchers. The resources below may be helpful in completing this requirement.

• Purdue's Research Repository (PURR) - this site contains step-by-step instructions for completing the data management plan requirements. The website also offers citable boilerplate text that can be inserted into the DMP.
• Data Storage Options at Purdue - this site explains different data storage options available to the Purdue community
• HUBzero^TM - this resource is available to Purdue researchers for storing research data. The website also offers citable boilerplate text that can be inserted into the DMP.
• NSF Data Management Plan (DMP) Includes NSF Data Sharing Policy, DMP Requirements by Directorate, Office, Division, Program or Unit; and DMP and Sharing FAQs.
• Sample DMP Content Outline
• Generic Example of a DMP
• Self-Assessment Document to guide faculty through identifying issues that should be reflected in the DMP.

Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan

All HHS applications that propose multiple PD/PIs must include a Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan. The resource below may be helpful in completing this requirement.

• Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan Samples as provided by NIH

Agency Resources

Department of Energy

• DOE Grant Application Guide

Foundations

• The Foundation Center, Offers a wide-range of proposal training opportunities via audio, video, workshops, or webinars, many at no cost and/or multilingual.

Grants.gov

• Grants.gov User Guides and Videos, Use this website to find information on using Grants.gov. Includes a link to the Grants.gov Online User Guide.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

• NASA Guidebook, April 2017

National Science Foundation

• NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPP), This guide provides specific NSF requirements for proposal preparation, including such issues as font choice, margins, and biosketches, as well as definitions and a list of acronyms.
• NSF User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation, A basic guide for those who need to learn more about the evaluation process within a project funded by NSF.

National Institutes of Health

• NIH Grant Application Basics
• NIH Grant Process Overview, Provides guidance on each step in the submission process - getting started, how to apply, the reviw process and the award process
• NIH Application Guide and Electronic Submission Information, Includes links to the SF424 Application Guide along with other information about the preparation, writing, and submission of an NIH proposal. Includes detailed information for Research (R), Training (T), Career Development (K), and Fellowship (F) applications.
• NIH Write Your Application, This includes helpful information on proposal writing and a link to Important Writing Tips
• Apply for a Grant, Information from the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases including links to helpful resources, such as:
  • Sample Applications
  • Application Preparation, Information on Specific Aims, Research Plans, Review Committees, etc.
  • Budget Planning
  • Additional Application Elements, Information on Biosketches, Cover Letters, and Data Sharing Plans
  • Special Considerations, Including Human Subjects, Vertebrate Animals, and Select Agents
  • Application Submission
• NIH All About Grants Podcasts, These short podcasts provide insights on grant topics including current topics at the agency, how to prepare a successful grant application, how application reviews work, and more.
• NIH Mock Review Panel Videos

United States Department of Agriculture

• NIFA Grant Writing Tips
• NIFA Grant Training