Materials for large grant proposals
Large program-type grants are, by necessity, complex in nature and may present obstacles during the proposal development stage that investigators are not used to encountering. Below are some documents prepared by the RDO's Large Grant Development Program (LGDP) that can aid you in the development of a large grant. UCSF MyAccess required.
- Annotated skeleton for NIH Research StrategyAn annotated skeleton is meant to be a living document that 1) outlines the sections listed in the RFA and 2) ensures that multiple sections (e.g., Cores or Projects) are similarly formatted. Make sure that the skeleton adheres to the formatting theme that the team has agreed upon (see Style Guide). Here is a general skeleton for a Research Project.
- Expanded checklist for NIH proposalsThis Excel spreadsheet can help track the status for all the various sections required in a NIH large grant proposal. Looking for a web-based tracking tool? See our info on Airtable below.
- Strategic summary of RFAThis worksheet helps highlight the important points from the RFA so that a strategic plan can be developed.
- Document formatting/style guideThis document can be used to summarize a project's formatting theme so sections are consistently formatted and comply with the funder's requirements.
Additional large grant support
The Large Grant Development Program (LGDP) in the UCSF Research Development Office can help investigators navigate through the rough waters of developing and preparing these complex research proposals. The program's highly trained staff of the can be involved at every step of the proposal process, including early-stage scientific discussions, the collection and writing of common institutional language, late-stage technical editing, and proofreading. This high level of involvement ensures that each proposal — no matter how complex — is a cohesive, consistent and clear presentation of your science.
If you'd like to learn more about our services, visit our website or contact Dr. Gretchen Kiser.
Tools to project manage proposal development
Are you currently using spreadsheets to track the status of your proposal, but run into version control issues and/or are looking for something better? If so, we recommend you check out Airtable, the UCSF Research Development Office's preferred project management tool for proposal development.
This free(!), online project management tool gives you the power of a super-flexible database to connect all aspects of your proposal development process —and design the perfect workflow—all in one place.
How to get started
- Go to https://tinyurl.com/y5v6ogtm
- Create your own Airtable account
- Duplicate the "Proposal Template" base to your own Airtable workspace
- Start building!