April 2017, Library, Notes from the library

Notes from the Library…Finding Funding & Writing Grant Proposals

Finding funding and writing grant proposals is a necessary, time-consuming, and at times frustrating, part of doing research. Our ‘Finding Funding & Writing Grant Proposals’ guide lists resources available at Tufts and beyond for locating funding opportunities, discovering projects that have been funded, and writing grant proposals. The full guide can be viewed at: http://researchguides.library.tufts.edu/findfunding. Here are a few highlights from this guide:

Finding Funding

  • COS Pivot: Comprehensive database of national and international funding opportunities from government and private funders. Advanced search features allow you to restrict your search to a particular funder, funding type or applicant type (e.g. graduate student). Profiles section may help you identify potential collaborators within or outside of Tufts. Use your Tufts email address to create an account, which will allow you to build a profile, view potential funding matches, save searches and schedule funding alerts.  Log in with Tufts username and password for off campus access.
  • Graduate & Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES): Compiled by the University of California at Los Angeles, GRAPES is a database of scholarship, grant, award, and fellowship opportunities for graduate students and postdocs.

Discovering Funded Projects

  • National Institutes of Health RePORTER: Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool Expenditures and Results (RePORTER) is a searchable database of research projects funded by the NIH as well as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
  • National Science Foundation (NSF) Award Search: Complete data on active and expired NSF awards from 1976 to present; some information available for pre-1976 awards.

Books on Writing Grant Proposals

  • The Grant Application Writer’s Workbook: This popular workbook guides applicants through a NIH grant application, providing examples of each component of the application. Updated to reflect recent changes to application requirements.
  • Guide to Effective Grant Writing: How to Write a Successful NIH Grant Proposal: Covering all aspects of the proposal process, from the most basic questions about form and style to the task of seeking funding, this book offers clear advice backed up with excellent examples. Based on the author’s experience serving on NIH grant review panels, it covers the common mistakes and problems he witnessed while reviewing grants.
  • Writing the NIH Grant Proposal: Hands-on advice that simplifies and demystifies writing a NIH grant proposal.