It might start with a simple search in GRANTS.GOV for computation where you find yourself lost in 86 matching results from a dozen agencies and even more programs; a nudge from your chair to go after a funding mechanism that you thought was out of your reach; or an excited email from a long-time collaborator sharing the perfect opportunity. However you find yourself in the process of planning and development for larger grants, you will find many challenges along the way. I-DISC is here to help you build your capacity for successfully addressing these challenges.
As leadership of an institute whose mission is to support the development of interdisciplinary teams and equip those teams to compete for funding, we have several goals in areas related to addressing the challenges of preparing large team proposals. First, many faculty, even those with significant grant-writing experience for single-PI proposals, find that the process of applying for larger mechanisms seems daunting. From pulling together the right team to developing coordination and management plans, the demands for larger-scale proposals are often new ones. I-DISC wants to demystify the process. Second, barriers to large grant preparation should be anticipated through the sharing of knowledge and experience about the process and the path smoothed where possible. Finally, I-DISC is tasked with providing support for our research teams and affiliated faculty. Our goal is to meet teams with the resources that they need at the right time in their development process.
This fall we will provide a half-day workshop on “Funding Your Research: How to Develop and Write Successful Team Proposals.” This workshop will be geared at demystifying the process for those individuals and teams looking forward to a specific call or just wanting to have a roadmap for how to move forward when your team is ready. For teams looking to bolster a great idea with a little preliminary data, the I-DISC Fellows are available to put some extra person-power into your project on a short-term basis. We continue to offer I-DISC support for proposal development through arranging the services of, and footing the bill for, our experienced external consultants. These professionals can help teams in many stages of the proposal-preparation process, so ask early and we can guide you through the process. Finally, I-DISC is excited to introduce our “friendly reviewer” program. With the help of our Faculty and External Advisory Councils, we are launching a new service in which faculty who are preparing grant proposals can submit drafts and I-DISC will solicit "friendly" feedback from colleagues. Members interested in taking advantage of this service will also be asked to “pay it forward” by joining our team of reviewers.
Wherever your team may be in the proposal timeline, from the big vision, ideation stage to the final push to polish your proposal, I-DISC is here to support your efforts.
I-DISC Leadership TeamLarry Snyder, ISE, I-DISC Director
Kate Arrington, Psychology, I-DISC Associate Director