Research Proposal Writing

Since every research project is different there is no single format for research proposals. Every discipline, university and donor organisation have different formats and requirements. There are several core components which must be included in every research proposal: the specific research question will determine what other sections are required. The following sources provide a wide range of examples:

The Art of Writing Proposals: Some Candid Suggestions for Applicants to Social Science Research Council Competitions (Adam Przeworski and Frank Salomon) (Social Science Research Council)

"Writing proposals for research funding is a peculiar facet of North American academic culture, and as with all things cultural, its attributes rise only partly into public consciousness. A proposal's overt function is to persuade a committee of scholars that the project shines with the three kinds of merit all disciplines value, namely, conceptual innovation, methodological rigor, and rich, substantive content. But to make these points stick, a proposal writer needs a feel for the unspoken customs, norms, and needs that govern the selection process itself. These are not really as arcane or ritualistic as one might suspect. For the most part, these customs arise from the committee's efforts to deal in good faith with its own problems: incomprehension among disciplines, work overload, and the problem of equitably judging proposals that reflect unlike social and academic circumstances." (cf. About page)

Graduate Student Writing Kit: Writing a Thesis Proposal: A Systems Approach ( University of Ottawa)

Grant Proposal Writing (Stephen Wilbers)

Grant Proposal Writing Tips (Corporation for Public Broadcasting)

Grant Proposals (or Give me the money!) (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Grant Writing Handbook (Adelphi University)

"This is the sixth edition of the Adelphi University Grant Writing Handbook. The purpose of this Handbook is to provide general information about grants, grant writing, and University policies concerning the processing of grant proposals." (cf. About page)

Grant Writing Resources (University of California Berkely)

"A quick guide."

Guide for Writing a Funding Proposal (Michigan State University)

“This Guide for Writing a Funding Proposal was created to help empower people to be successful in gaining funds for projects that provide worthwhile social service. A major theme that runs throughout the Guide is a concern for the development of meaningful cooperative relationships - with funding agencies, with community organizations, and with the people you are serving - as a basis for the development of strong fundable initiatives. The Guide is built on the assumption that it is through collaboration and participation at all levels that long term change can be effected.” (cf. About page)

A Guide to Proposal Planning and Writing

Guidelines for Writing Grant Proposals (National Science Foundation, Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences)

How to Write a Research Proposal (Trinity Western University)

How to Write a Research Proposal (University of Waterloo)

How to Write A Research Proposal (Sanchez, 2006)

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (National Institutes of Health)

"All About Grants helps investigators plan and write grant applications and manage their awards. Our advice comes from the knowledge and views of NIAID staff, including former NIH grantees." (cf. About page)

Proposal Writer's Guide (University of Michigan)

"This Guide is intended for faculty and staff members with little or no experience in writing proposals for sponsored activities." (cf. About page)

Proposal Writing Short Course (Foundation Center)

Research Proposal Writing (Univervity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

"The goal of this page is to give information on research-proposal writing that will help the novice and the experienced proposal writer. It can be used as a guide and a reference source. It uses some original material, but it is mostly an organized directory of resources." (cf. About page)

Ryerson University (Office of Research Services Grant Applications)

Tips on Obtaining Grants (Sir Wildrid Laurier University Office of Research Services)

"The responsibility of accounting for the expenditure of public funds is placing increasing pressure on funding agencies to ensure that projects will not only result in original contributions to knowledge, but will also be relevant to the discipline, or have outcomes of an applied nature. In order to be successful, a proposal for funding should demonstrate that the project: i) is unique and original; ii) has a sound and clearly described methodology; iii) is feasible; and iv) meets the ethical standards expected in human or animal research. The proposal must convince the reader, frequently outside the researcher's home discipline, that the project is relevant and has scholarly merit. Equally important, the reviewer must be convinced that the researcher is not only capable of conducting the research, but also has the expertise to conduct this type of research project.

"Often the researcher is too close to the project to see that the proposal does not creatively and clearly outline the scope, rationale, objectives, or the methodology. For this reason every proposal should be critically reviewed by a colleague before submission to the external agency. A colleague at another university, who is working in the same or a closely related field and who has been successful in obtaining external research funding, may be particularly helpful. A colleague in your own department with demonstrated success in obtaining grants or contracts also may be willing to critically review the proposal.

"Members of grant selection committees and external reviewers are your peers. Being visible in your field through publications, conference presentations, and scholarly communication with colleagues in the field may help you to achieve greater success.

"Even if you are unsuccessful, there is often valuable experience gained by applying for external funding. Your own ideas may crystallize as you prepare the proposal for a second or third review. Critical comments from colleagues and from the assessors should aid in improving the proposal as you submit another application for funding to the same or a different agency." (cf. About page)

Tips on Writing A Grant Proposal (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

University of Michigan Proposal Writer's Guide

"This Guide is intended for faculty and staff members with little or no experience in writing proposals for sponsored activities.: (cf. About page)

Writing A Good Grant Proposal (Microsoft)

“Writing a good research grant proposal is not easy. This document is an attempt to collect together a number of suggestions about what makes a good proposal. It is inevitably a personal view on the part of the authors; we would welcome feedback and suggestions from others.” (cf. About page)

Writing Grant Proposals (APS Association for Psychological Science)

" ...describes general elements of each section of a grant proposal." (cf. About page)

Writing a Successful Proposal (Rochester Institute of Technology Office of Sponsored Research)

"The most universal advice on writing a successful grant proposal is to present a well written, focused solution to a problem in a logical progression. This is much easier said than done, and finding the focus is often the most difficult piece of the puzzle. To find this focus, we suggest writing a "concept paper." A concept paper summarizes in two to three pages the entire project from beginning to end. The point is to take all of the ideas in your head and put them down on paper as concisely as possible. Writing a concept paper is a good exercise in defining your priorities and mission, and can be a useful tool in obtaining valuable feedback before "diving into" the full proposal." (cf. About page).

Writing Winning Proposals: An Introduction (Professional Practice Curriculum Online)

"This Module is Part 1 of a three-part series on proposal writing. This part introduces you to the processes and procedures for writing winning proposals. Part 2 discusses writing the technical proposal, and presents techniques that will ensure your proposal is responsive to your customer's needs, is easy to follow, and builds on the strengths of your company. Part 3 tells you how to develop financial information for the cost proposal." (cf. About page)