Investigator-Initiated Grants - Grant Writing Tips

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Grant Writing Tips and Examples

Basic Writing Tips

Write in a straightforward manner. (Hemmingway, not Faulkner.)
Start with a clear statement of your research objective.
Distinguish long-term goals and project aims.
Connect all of the dots, especially when discussing significance. In general, reviewers will not do this for you.
Write as if you are teaching a general scientific audience instead of trying to impress a specialist in your field.
Make your document free of formatting, grammatical, and spelling errors.
Read the review criteria (if provided) before you start writing and after you finish your first draft.

Comprehensive Guidance

NIAID Application Preparation Guidance and Samples (helpful for other sponsors as well)
NIH Grant Writing Tip Sheets
AHRQ Tips for Grant Applications

Component-Specific Guidance

All Components (complete applications)
- Sample NIH applications
- Annotated NIH Application Forms Set (Included for information purposes only. The grants team loads these forms.)
Biosketches
- Quick Guidance
Budgets
Concept Papers
- Overview
- NIDA Research Concept Paper Guidance
Cover Letters
- NIH Cover Letter Instructions
Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information Form
- Walkthrough of the NIH Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information Form
Other Support
- NIH Requirements
- NIH FAQs
Research Plan
- NIAID Research Plan Guidance
Specific Aims
- NIAID Guidance

General Information for New Investigators