Preparing a Grant Application

Steps to Success

NRSA Trainees Research Conference Slide Presentation (Text Version)

By Shelley Benjamin and Karen Rudzinski

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On June 25, 2005, Shelley Benjamin and Karen Rudzinski from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) Office of Extramural Research, Education, and Priority Populations (OEREP) made a slide presentation on grantsmanship at the 11th Annual National Research Service Award (NRSA) Trainees Research Conference. This is the text version of the slide presentation. Select to access the PowerPoint® slides (356 KB).

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Slide 1

Preparing a Grant Application: Steps to Success

Slide 2

Shelley Benjamin & Karen Rudzinski
Division of Research Education, OEREP

training@ahrq.gov

Slide 3

Overview

• Getting started.
• Application processes.
• Application strategies.

Slide 4

Getting Started

• Internet is funding gateway.
• AHRQ and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) use essentially same application process.
• Keep abreast of research priorities and open solicitations.

Slide 5

AHRQ's Web site—www.ahrq.gov

Funding Opportunities:

• AHRQ Research Agenda.
• Funding Announcements.
• Research Policies.
• Grants Process.
• Grant Application Basics.
• Training and Education.
• Contracts.

Slide 6

NIH and AHRQ Grant Application Similarities

• Announcement publication: NIH Guide for Grants (http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/index.html) and www.http://grants.gov.
• Mechanisms—e.g., RO3, R36, K08, K02, R01.
• Application forms: PHS 398, 416-1.
• Receipt dates.
• Application submission and referral—NIH Center for Scientific Review.
• Application review procedures.

For AHRQ "assignment," line 2 of the application (PHS form 398) should indicate the name of an AHRQ PA/RFA.

Slide 7

AHRQ/NIH Solicitations—Request for Applications (RFA)

• Formal statement inviting applications (grant or coop. agree.) on a well-defined area with specific objectives.
• Specific, one-time application receipt date.
• Specific $ and # of awards.
• Special review panels or study section review.

Slide 8

AHRQ/NIH Solicitations—Program Announcements (PA)

• Describes AHRQ's broad research interests.
• Individual project designs reflect the ideas and creativity of the investigators.
• Set receipt dates; funding dependent upon availability of money.
• Reviewed by standing study sections—Health Care Research Training (HCRT) for training grants.
• All active individual training grants are in form of PA.

Slide 9

Examples of Program Announcements—research topics of interest to AHRQ

• PAR-04-039 AHRQ Grants for Health Services Research Dissertation.
• PAR-04-016 AHRQ Minority Research Infrastructure Support Program (M-RISP).
• PA-03-117 AHRQ Grant Program for Large Conference Support.
• PAR-01-040 AHRQ Small Research Grant Program.
• PAR-00-141 Small Grant Program for Conference Support.
• PA-00-111 AHRQ Health Services Research-Program Announcement.
• PA-00-069 Predoctoral Fellowship Awards For Minority Students.
• PA-00-010 Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Awards.
• PAR-99-164 Independent Scientist Awards.
• PA-99-005 Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards.

Slide 10

Application Processes

• Most AHRQ research grant applications must use PHS form 398—http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html
• Fellowship applications use form PHS 416-1—http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/416/phs416.htm
• All forms can be found under "Tools and Resources" at http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/training/trainix.htm
• All applications sent to the NIH Center for Scientific Review—will be changing to electronic submission in near future.
• Investigators may request (in cover letter with application) assignment of an application to a specific study section and/or agency/institute (request assignment is not guaranteed).

Slide 11

Application Receipt Dates

• Health Services Research Dissertation Awards—Receipt Deadline Date: February 15, June 15, October 15.
• Independent Scientist Awards—Receipt Deadline Date: February 17, June 15, October 15.
• Mentored Clinical Scientist Award —Receipt Deadline Date: February 1, June 1, October 1.
• Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards—Receipt Deadline Date: April 5, August 5, December 5. These may be changing soon.
• Predoctoral Fellowship Awards for Minority Students—Receipt Deadline Date: May 1, November 15. These may be changing soon.

Slide 12

Sample page of PHS Grant Application Form 398.

Slide 13

Application Process

• Application must be received by due date or bear a proof-of-mailing date by deadline (read the announcement to find which pertains).
• Applications sent from NIH to AHRQ, where they are assigned to a study section and to a specific PO at a Center/Office within AHRQ.
• Review typically occurs 4 months after applications received.
• Funding decisions occur 1-3 months later.
• Resubmission—generally two allowed, dissertations one.

Slide 14

AHRQ Staff Involved in Grants Process

• Referral Officer.
• Review Staff—Scientific Review Administrator and Grants Management Specialist Team.
• Program Staff—Project Officer (PO).
• Grants Management.

Slide 15

Phases of an Application/Project & Agency Staff Contacts

• Preapplication—P.O.s, Review/Referral, Grants Management.
• Application—Review/Referral, Grants Management.
• Grant award—P.O.s, Grants Management.
• Post closeout—P.O.s, Grants Management.

Slide 16

Scientific Review Group ("Study Section")

Scientific Review Administrator:

• Recruits and selects reviewers.
• Assigns applications to specific reviewers.
• Sees that each application gets review that is competent, thorough and fair.
• Assures that proper review criteria used.
• Prepares summary statements of review.

Reviewers are Members or temporary members of Study Section or "SEP":

• Scientists with appropriate expertise.
• Dependable, reasonable, open minded.

Slide 17

Review Procedures

• Applications assigned to 2-3 reviewers for written comments, but reviewed and discussed by all reviewers.
• If all reviewers agree in advance that an application is non-competitive, the study section may choose not to discuss the application (triage process). At present all training/career development grants are discussed—may change.
• A summary statement conveying the comments and assessment of the reviewers is sent to the principal investigator.

Slide 18

Ingredients of a Successful Grant Application

• Good Idea.
• Good Science.
• Good Application.

Adapted from: Gordon, Stephen L. "Ingredients of a Successful Grant Application to the National Institutes of Health." J Orthopaed Rsch 7:138-141 (1989) (as reprinted in Preparing a Research Grant Application to the National Institutes of Health).

Slide 19

What Determines Which Awards Are Made?

• Scientific merit:
  • Significance and originality.
  • Methods.
• Program considerations:
  • What is uniquely AHRQ.
  • Existing portfolio balance.
  • Anticipated IMPACT of research.
• Availability of funds.

Slide 20

Application Preparation Suggestions

• Follow instructions.
• Be clear.
• Be organized.
• Watch your language.
• Cover all bases.

Adapted from Federal Grants & Contracts, "Project Opportunities in Research, Training, and Services Grant Workshop" by Pam Moore.

Slide 21

Basic Elements of the Research Plan

• Specific aims—What does the investigator intend to do?
• Background and significance—Why is the work important?
• Preliminary studies—What has the applicant already done?
• Research design and methods—How is the applicant going to do the proposed work?

Slide 22

Common Problems in Applications

• Lack of original idea and/or scientific rationale.
• Diffuse, superficial, or unfocused research plan.
• Questionable methodology.
• Lack of important details.
• Lack of experience in methodology.
• Lack of generalizability of findings or methods.
• No attention to human subjects and/or population representation issues.
• Unrealistically large amount of work.

Slide 23

New Common Problem—"Applications of Application"

• No apparent translatability of research into practice or policy.
• Not unique to AHRQ.

Slide 24

Practical Tips

• Make a rough draft of your application... then let it sit so you can distance yourself and review it a bit more dispassionately.
• Does the draft seem coherent? Are transitions logical?
• Have you checked for grammar, spelling and typographical errors? Is the draft readable?
• Have an objective person review the draft and final copy; involvement of mentors is critical.
• All of this requires hard work, study, and mental discipline.

Slide 25

Specific Issues with Dissertation Applications

• Letters.
• Involvement of Mentors.
• Adequacy of committee membership.
• Relevance to HSR and AHRQ.
• Balance between specificity, originality, and career potential.
• Doability.

Slide 26

Specific Issues with Career Development Applications

• Balance between career development plan and research.
• Mentors (K08).
• Doability.
• Why need the funds.
• Adequacy of career development plans given where are at in career and what are proposing to do.

Slide 27

What Steps to Successful Career Development Looks Like

• Save Lives and Dollars.
• Change Practices.
• Visibility & Dissemination.
• Publication.
• Graduation.

Current as of July 2005

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Internet Citation:

Preparing a Grant Application: Steps to Success. Text Version of a Slide Presentation. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/training/grantsmantxt.htm

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