Research Fortnight’s Catie Lichten looks back on a year of talking to funders and successful grantees to distil the secrets of a really good funding application.
The last time I submitted anything resembling a research funding application was in 2008, when I applied to my university for a PhD studentship worth about £8,000, which seemed like quite a lot of money to me then. These days, I write about tens and hundreds of millions of pounds worth of funding and spend a lot of time thinking and talking about it. For instance, over the past six months, I have had 19 detailed conversations with researchers and funders about funding applications or opportunities. I have also attended five workshops on applying for research funding.
Although it’s been a while since I applied for any funding myself, thinking back over these conversations, I have been wondering what lessons I would keep in mind if I ever needed to again. I have begun to notice some patterns. Of course, there are some suggestions that you hear all the time. But, after speaking to a variety of people from early-career researchers to senior academics, I suspect that letting your enthusiasm get into your proposal can help you win over reviewers.
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