Maggie's Hints and Tips

There are any number of excuses why proposal don't get funded, but it has long been my philosophy that much of the control is in the hands of the applicant. A quick review of the following Common Proposal Errors readily demonstrates my philosophy.

Interestingly enough, these errors are derived from the results of two studies, one taking place in the late 1960s and the other in the early 1990s. The results were virtually identical. Go figure!

In addition, each of the errors directly correlates to one of my Three Laws of Grantwriting:

Do your homework.
Follow directions.
Use common sense.

COMMON PROPOSAL ERRORS

Problems with goals
Inappropriate for sponsor
Not responsive to guidelines
Outcomes not measurable
Inattention to guidelines
Poor administrative detail
Budget not realistic
Not specific
Top-heavy staffing
Experience not appropriate
Presentation problems
Assumes reviewers know things they don't
Lack of awareness of existing work
No recognition of possible problems
Unbalanced presentation