Grant Writing

The following resources from ASHA, funding agencies, and other sources provide tips on preparing grant proposals and the peer review process. For names of agencies that typically fund research in communication sciences and disorders, please see ASHA's Federal and Private Funding Sources page.

ASHA Resources

ASHA's Academic and Research Mentoring (ARM) Network includes five research education and mentoring programs that address grant writing and reviewing skills. Recordings of several presentations from these programs are available online.

• Pathways
  Assists scientists in establishing strong foundations for independent clinical research careers. Available recordings on grant writing include:
  • Preparing to Submit a Grant by Shelley Gray
  • Understanding Grant Elements & Specific Aims by Vincent Gracco
• Lessons for Success
  Provides intensive training in the grant writing skills and other professional competencies needed to advance research careers. See the grant writing section of the LfS CREd webpage for several recorded presentations.
• Clinical Practice Research Institute (CPRI)
  Helps scientists compete successfully for federal funding to support clinical practice research (research in epidemiology, prevention, assessment, diagnosis, intervention, outcomes measurement, knowledge translation, and implementation science)
• Dissemination and Implementation Science Travel Award (DISTAnce)
  Helps scientists compete successfully for research funding that incorporates implementation science
• Grant Review and Reviewer Training (GRRT)
  Specific instruction on how to review research grants, with a special emphasis on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) review process. See The Grant Review Process by Lisa Goffman to improve your grant writing by better understanding the review process.

"Destination First Grant"
Article by Christopher A. Moore from The Leader that outlines ten key steps to seeking grant funding

Common Grantsmanship Strengths and Weaknesses
Feature article from ASHA's Access Academics & Research e-newsletter

Funding Agency Resources

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER)
Resources on submitting NIH grant proposals, including:

• Grants Process Overview
  Detailed information on getting started, how to apply, application referral and review, and pre-award and post-award processes.
• Types of Grant Programs
  Learn about the different grant mechanisms
  • NIH Extramural Research Training & Career Development
    Information and kiosks to assist early-career researchers in finding the right grant mechanism 
• All About Grants Podcasts
  Conversations with NIH staff members on a variety of grant-related topics
• NIH Grants Conference & PreCon Event
  Monthly events on a variety of NIH topics followed by a 2-day conference on funding, policies, and processes.
  
  • NIH Peer Review: “Live” Mock Study Section. Video recorded at the October 2020 NIH Virtual Seminar on Program Funding and Grants Administration
• Enhancing Diversity
  Learn about the importance of diversity in research and how to build participation
• Early Stage Investigator Status
  Learn about the eligibility for receiving priority for R01 funding

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) Funding for Research

Information about NIDCD’s research funding program, mechanisms, and efforts to promote diversity

• Research training and career development 
• Understanding Types of Grants and Funding, including the Research Enhancement Award (R15) and Early Career Research (ECR) Award (R21)
• How to Apply for a Grant, Research Training, or Career Development Funding
• Building a Diverse Scientific Workforce. Learn about NIDCD training and funding opportunities intended to promote diversity and meet the NIDCD diversity scholars.

NIH Grant Writing 101 video
Video from NIH's Center for Information Technology

Sample Applications and Summary Statements from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Examples of grants illustrating good grantsmanship

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) Toolkit for Clinical Researchers
Guidelines and templates for preparing and organizing clinical research documents

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Building up the Nerve podcast

Conversations with NINDS staff intended to inform trainees about the life cycle of a grant, from preparation to award, with a focus on NINDS processes

NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR)

• Peer-Review Resources for Applicants, including planning and writing tips from a review perspective, the Insider’s Guide to Peer Review for Applicants, and FAQs
• Peer-Review Resources for Reviewers, including the Inside's Guide to NIH Peer Review for New Reviewers, Reviewer Orientation [PDF], Review Criteria at a Glance [PDF], Scoring System and Procedures [PDF], Additional Scoring Guidance for Research Applications [PDF], and Enhancing Reproducibility through Rigor and Transparency
• Early Career Reviewer (ECR) Program
• Peer Review Webinars & Videos

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES)

Research Funding Webinars
Live and on-demand webinars that provide a general overview, in-depth information on preparing applications in response to current requests for applications, information on the submission process, and an inside look at grant review.

National Science Foundation (NSF)

Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide
Specific instructions for preparing NSF applications

Grants Conference
Covers a wide range of current issues at NSF including the state of current funding, policies and procedures, and relevant administrative issues

Presentations from recent Regional Grants Conferences available online

Other Resources

ORD Handbook for Proposal Writers and Project Directors [PDF], Eastern Michigan University, Office of Research Development
A handy, step-by-step guide to the proposal-writing process

Chapter 9: Getting Funded from Making the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty [PDF], Second Edition
Burroughs Wellcome Fund and Howard Hughes Medical Institute 
General information and tips, with a focus on the NIH R01 mechanism