Pilot Grantsmanship and Mentoring Program for Winning your first NIH R01 Grant
April 20, 2023 – October 2023
Led by S. Alexandra Burt, SSC Diamond Distinguished Professor, Psychology, MSU
S. Alexandra Burt, Ph.D., facilitator for the program
This mentoring program is designed to prepare early-career faculty at MSU to submit a strong R01 proposal to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Participants will receive information and advice on all aspects of the grant writing process during biweekly cohort meetings and personal mentoring sessions.
- Get tips for planning a successful NIH proposal
- Understand the NIH peer review process
- Understand how to tailor your proposal to fit the NIH criteria
- Learn how to develop the specific aims, research strategy, and ancillary sections of NIH proposals
- Learn advanced NIH grant writing via a combination of didactic sessions, examples, peer review, and personal mentorship
- Get extensive feedback on your research plan to improve your chance to win
Target Audience: Early career faculty with New Investigator status (i.e., no previously funded R01) intending to (re)submit an R01 application in October 2023 (or to submit their revised R01 application in November 2023).
Timeline: This group will meet 60 to 90 minutes every other week between April and October, including the summer months. Meetings will include both informal group meetings and individual mentoring sessions. Participants will work on developing and writing each section of their R01 proposals between meetings.
Program overview: The mentoring program will focus on writing key sections of NIH research grants, including the specific aims page, the significance and innovation sections, and elements of the approach section. It will also focus on writing key ancillary sections, preparing a budget, and developing effective graphics and tables. Participants will learn about NIH’s overall philosophy and approach, making connections with program officers, analyzing and understanding funding opportunities, and the proposal review process. We will also discuss key differences between writing grant proposals and manuscripts, how to effectively communicate ideas and expertise, and common mistakes and solutions.
To apply: Fill out the application form. You will need to provide 1) your biosketch or CV, not to exceed five pages including funding history, 2) a tentative title for this proposal, 3) a short description of your proposal or your specific aims page, not to exceed one page, 4) your target submission date, and 5) a letter of nomination (self-nomination or nomination from your department chair or research dean). Enrollment in this pilot program will be limited. The deadline is March 31, 2023, and applicants will receive notification by April 14. If you have any questions, please contact ORI.Editors@msu.edu.