Spring 2026 NIH Proposal Writing Bootcamp
January 30, 2026 – May 29, 2026
Led by the Office of Research & Innovation’s Research Development and Proposal Services team, this writing group is designed to support faculty at Michigan State University (MSU) as they develop their application for an NIH research grant. Weekly meetings will include didactic instruction, dedicated writing time, and peer review sessions focused on writing the aims page, the significance, innovation, and approach sections, and developing figures and tables. We encourage group members to participate in the January 2026 Write Winning Grants seminar series before the writing group starts and to have a copy of the NIH version of the Grant Application Writer’s Workbook.
Target Audience
MSU and Henry Ford Health (HFH) researchers preparing to submit a proposal for a Research Project Grant (e.g., R01, R21, R03) in June 2026 (or a resubmission in July 2026).
Timeline
This group will meet online for 60-90 minutes each week, beginning on Friday, January 24 and continuing through the end of May. Group participants will follow a shared timeline for developing drafts of each section of the proposal and for providing peer feedback on proposal drafts from other group members.
Program Overview
The NIH writing group will walk you through how to write each section of a research proposal to the NIH. Group sessions will focus on writing the specific aims page, the Significance and Innovation sections, and the Approach section. Additional sessions will focus on critical preparation steps to take before writing a proposal, such as identifying study sections and contacting program officers, as well as tips and tricks for persuasive writing and how to use tables and figures effectively. By participating in this writing group, you will receive individual feedback and personal attention on any proposal development problem you are grappling with.
Participants in the writing group are expected to commit to attending scheduled meetings throughout the spring semester. A major contributor to the success of this writing group is the element of peer review. Participants will be expected to read and provide feedback on sections of their peer’s proposal drafts. This feedback will be discussed during our group meetings. After developing a full draft of your proposal with the writing group, your research plan is reviewed by experts of your choosing. To ensure a polished and complete final document, the Office of Research and Innovation editors will edit your near-final draft to help make your application its best.
Eligibility
Interested participants should be preparing an R-series proposal to submit in June or July of 2026. Writing group participants must be (1) an MSU or HFHS researcher who will serve as the Principal Investigator on the proposal, (2) the primary writer of the proposal, and (3) able to attend weekly meetings throughout the spring semester.
To Apply
Interested participants should fill out an application form. Enrollment in this writing group will be limited, and we recommend applying early. Participants will be selected based on their availability to participate in most sessions, their target application deadline, and their eligibility to serve as a PI. Preference will be given to participants who attend Write Winning Grants and/or other grant-related workshops hosted by the MSU Office of Research & Innovation during the current or prior academic year.
In addition to the application form, participants should provide the following:
- Biosketch or CV
- Brief description of their proposal or a draft of their specific aims page
- Target Notice of Funding Opportunity if identified
- Target submission date
Registration for the 2026 cohort will open in October/November 2025. If you have any questions, please contact ORI.Editors@msu.edu.