What is eRA Commons? The eRA Commons is a web interface where National Institute of Health, certain other Department of Health and Human Services agencies, applicants and institutions are able to to participate in the electronic grant application and administration process. Principle Investigators and postdoctoral personnel funded by the NIH are required to be registered with the Commons, and to include their Commons user name in their proposals. The best place to start is with the following presentations geared to provide you with an overview of the electronic grant application process: Interacting Electronically With NIH (PowerPoint – 4 MB) – Updated June…read more →
Letters of Support, a.k.a. Letters of Commitment, document your partnerships and the contributions they bring to the project. Follow these 5 keys to secure great letters of support: Ask early! Put your partners and supporters on alert as soon as you decide to apply for a grant. Give them a brief summary of the grant purpose, the estimated deadline for their letter, when you will provide more details about the proposed project and when they can expect a draft from your organization. The more time you give your partners and supporters the more likely you are to get…read more →
Coach, Researcher, Project Development Specialist, Collaborator Copied and adapted from an article by Marie-Noël Appel “Proposal writing represents the last phase of thorough project development.” Development of a grant proposal typically starts with an idea that will enhance, enrich and or increase current operations. This idea must link seamlessly to an organization’s mission and strategic long-range planning objectives. To build the proposal and launch the project, the grant writer must be fully versed in these fundamental aspects of the organization. The grant writer can be a staff member on the development team, an external consultant, or the person…read more →
Grant Ready, Set, Go! Organizations big and small come to us to find grant resources and prepare proposals. They come with great ideas and amazing projects, and before we can go forward with a grant application we find out if they are ‘Grant Ready’. What does it mean to be ‘Grant Ready’ One of the most effective ways you can increase your success rate with grants is to be ready to apply for a grant. Of course, this sounds obvious! However, being grant ready is an ongoing process that requires an investment of time and resources which…read more →
What do Grantmakers Mean When They Ask You to Describe “Program Sustainability After the Grant”? Grantmakers and donors are asking you how you will keep your program running after their commitments and investments in your organization or program is over. How do you answer these questions? What are grantmakers really asking? Well, across funders there is little consensus on the definition and conceptualization of sustainability. Some funders want to see other investors in your projects and programs including other grants, donations and program income. While other funders are more interested in your ability to communicate and demonstrate a lasting impact…read more →
Comments