Workbook Descriptions
National Institutes of Health Version
The January 2025 edition has been updated to comply with the recently updated FORMS-I general and program-specific instructions for NIH grant applications due on or after January 25, 2025. Some of the updates and information include: process for evaluating the scientific and technical merit of most research project grant applications has been revised to reflect the new simplified review framework; added samples of a Research Project Grant (RPG) critique template and a Summary Statement for the simplified review framework; emphasized that NIH prohibits inclusion of figures in the Specific Aims section; Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support content has been updated to reflect that NIH will require use of Common Forms starting May 25, 2025; revised guidance on preparing PHS Assignment Request Form; added new content on contacting a Scientific Review Officer of a relevant study section; updated how to format the Significance subsection of the Research Strategy based on simplified review framework; and emphasized that marking changes in the body text of an NIH resubmission (A1) is prohibited. All Notice of Funding Opportunity numbers, URLs, and screenshots have also been updated.
National Science Foundation – Research.gov Version
The May 2024 edition has been updated to comply with the revised version of the Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 24-1) effective for all proposals due or submitted on or after May 20, 2024. Some changes for this revised version are updates to: NSF-approved Biographical Sketch format; Synergistic Activities; NSF-approved Current and Pending (Other) format; Mentoring Plan; Index. All URLs, screenshots, and references to PAPPG sections have also been updated.
USDA/NIFA Version
The October 2021 edition was extensively updated with additional content on strategic presentation of background literature and supporting preliminary data; creation of compelling arguments for project significance and novelty; and biographical sketches. Additional samples, sentence starters, and other practical tools/resources are now included throughout the workbook, along with complete examples of the Overview, Rationale and Significance, and Project Summary parts from a funded AFRI proposal. Other features include modifications for proposals that do not involve traditional hypothesis-testing work, and additional consideration of integrated proposals and those with stakeholder engagement. All URLs and screenshots have also been updated, and this edition is congruent with the new NIFA Grants Application Guide, released October 5, 2021.
Successful Proposals to Any Agency
(For proposals other than to the NIH, NSF, or USDA)
Grant applications to most agencies contain basically the same sections – only the specific names for the sections and the order in which they appear in the application are different. In addition, the principles and fundamentals of good proposal writing are the same for all agencies. Given these two facts, we have written a “generic” workbook that can be used to write a proposal to any granting agency. It walks the applicant through the preparation of each section and is meant to be complemented by the specific instructions of the agency that is being targeted. September 2016 edition.