Finding Funding Challenge

Welcome to Day 3 of the Finding Funding Challenge!

Now that you have identified possible funding opportunities in Pivot or Foundation Directory Online (or both!), it's time to think about the proposal planning that will go into the funding announcements you found.

Proposal Planning Tips as We Begin the Day

• Start Planning EARLY (this includes the self inventory below!)
• Develop (or enhance) your research question (this is ongoing, and will be part of your challenge tomorrow!)
• Search Funding Sites (as we did on Day 1 and Day 2!)
• Write a Concept Paper (more on that tomorrow, on Day 4!)
• Talk to Program Officer(s) (also coming on Day 4!)
• Develop your Idea (more on that on Day 5!)
• Identify Collaborators
• Seek Advice and Feedback from Colleagues

Below is a sample proposal process, which illustrates the myriad steps one might take when searching for funding.

Your Challenge: Complete a Grant Writing Self Inventory!

With one of your potential funding opportunities in mind, spend 15 minutes completing this grant writing self inventory. Click on File, and Make a Copy (or Download), to create your own self inventory worksheet. Additionally, reflect on:

• Your strengths and capacities when it comes to the funding opportunities you identified
• Where you need complementary skills
• What kind of team or mentor(s) you need
• What you are passionate about

This self inventory will be influential as you work through a concept paper tomorrow, and consider your pitch to a program officer.

BONUS (Optional) Challenge: Take Your FOA Skills to the Next Level!

1. Look at one or both of these annotated funding opportunity announcements (FOAs), and use them as a guide for reading through the FOAs you have found.

• Annotated FOA from the National Institutes of Health (in-depth; annotated by the NIH)
• Annotated FOA for "Fundamental Role of the Arts and Humanities in Medical Education," from the Association of American Medical Colleges (annotated by UMaine's Research Development Specialist Danielle O'Neill)

2. Next, take some notes.

• Read through one or two of the FOAs you found earlier this week, and use this template to annotate them. (Click on File, and Make a Copy, to create your own template from the link above).
• Take notes on what areas are especially important, what the funders are looking for in an applicant, and how your work might be a good match for what they are trying to accomplish.
• Take notes on what else you need to know or do in order to meet the criteria outlined in the FOA, and how you will do this (e.g., identify relevant collaborators, locate matching funds, obtain a letter of support from your institution).

You did it! You're halfway through the Finding Funding Challenge.

Tomorrow, we will begin working on the essential grant writing output: the concept paper. See you in the morning!