Transferable Skills Course: Proposal Writing

Through examples and relevant exercises as well as class discussions, each participant learns how to develop their funding idea by matching it to the goals of a targeted funding program. As a starting point, the workshop uses participants’ written outlines of their own funding ideas in the format of a short “mini-proposal” (2 pages). Group exercises help participants not only to structure proposals that comply with funding agency requirements but also to write proposals that reflect the reading behaviour of reviewers. The interactive nature of the workshop is designed to pool the experience, ideas and opinions of the instructors with those of the students in order to enhance the learning experience for all participants.

During the workshop, participants will learn how to:

• View proposal writing as a competition in a marketplace of research ideas and as an instrument for career advancement.
• Develop and sell a research idea by matching it to the goals of the targeted funding body.
• Convince reviewers of the relevance and importance of the research idea.
• Develop a work plan with milestones, deliverables and contingency plans.
• Understand reviewers’ reading behaviour.
• Engage the reviewer to advocate on their behalf to the review panel.
• Comply with formalities and manage timelines and deadlines.

Schedule

Wednesday 14th May

9:30 Start of Day 1

• Participant Introductions. Workshop Overview.
• Introduction to Proposal Writing: understanding context, processes and
• perspective of the funder by “Bridging the Culture Gap” and “Wearing the
• Reviewer’s Shoes”
• Writing style & language use
• Planning the project and the writing process

11:30 – 11:45 Break

11:45 – 13:00 What are the typical sections of the proposal? Purpose, writing and design of:

• The Introduction
• Aim & Objectives
• Group exercise: “SMART-en up your Aim”
• Research Concept & Methodology

13:00- 14:00 Lunch

14:00 – 16:00 Purpose, writing and design of:

• The Work Plan including Work Packages
• Risk assessment & Contingency Plan

15:30 – 15:45 Break

15:45 – 17:30 Description of Homework. Purpose and design of:

• Visualisation tools for project planning (PERT & Gantt charts)
• The Abstract
• Proposal Title & Acronym
• The Budget Plan

17:30 End of Day 1

Thursday 15th May

9:30 Start of Day 2

• Feedback on homework: “in the reviewer’s shoes”
• Introducing the selection process at “Yet Another Funding Agency”
• Group exercise: Mini-proposal evaluation and feedback round

11:30 – 11:45 Break

• Primer on Interdisciplinary research
• Writing the Relevance & Impact sections
• Group exercise: Develop a competitive proposal as a consortium

13:00 - 14:00 Lunch

• Group exercise: Develop a competitive proposal as a consortium (continued)
• Group exercise: Presentation of proposals by each consortium
• Group exercise: Negotiating the budget

16:00 – 16:15 Break

• Group exercise: Rewrite your proposal’s Title & Aim statement. Compose an acronym. Contingency planning.
• or
• Group exercise: Funding treasure hunt. Define your top tips for Proposal Writing
• Workshop conclusion

17:30 End of Day 2

Trainers

Dr. Brian Cusack, brian.cusack@science-craft.com
Dr. Babette Regierer, regierer@sb-sciencemanagement.com

Registration

Please email gindrat@molgen.mpg.de to register for this course.

Before signing up for this workshop, please make sure that you can attend all the dates and write them in your calendar. If you do not show up or cancel at very short notice, other interested students will not be able to participate.