In this article, you will find a guide for a funding consultant based on years of experience to provide a 13-step checklist for success.
Introduction
After nearly nine years of working at a university research office, where I assisted around 1000 funding applications until submission, I witnessed many researchers making the same mistakes over and over again. Based on these lessons, I present a checklist on how to increase your chances of success in your funding application.
Step 1: Define Your Goal and Beneficiaries
In this step, you need to define your main goal for obtaining funding and identify the direct and indirect beneficiaries of your project or research.
Step 2: Literature Review
In this step, you should conduct a comprehensive review of the literature related to your research field or project. You need to familiarize yourself with previous research, the results obtained, and the gaps that you can fill with your project.
Step 3: Set Goals and Sub-goals
In this step, you should define the main goals and sub-goals for your project or research. The goals should be measurable, tangible, and time-bound.
Step 4: Define Methodology
In this step, you should define the methodology you will use in your project or research. The methodology should be consistent with your goals and help you achieve the desired results.
Step 5: Risk Analysis
In this step, you should analyze the potential risks that your project or research may face. You should identify the risks and develop strategies to address them and minimize their impact on the project’s success.
Step 6: Gather Information and Data
In this step, you should gather the necessary information and data for your project or research. The information should be reliable, up-to-date, and support your goals and hypotheses.
Step 7: Write the Application
In this step, you should write the funding application in a coherent and clear manner. The application should include an executive summary, introduction, objectives, methodology, project or research information, action plan, budget, timeline, potential risks, and forecasts.
Step 8: Review the Application
In this step, you should carefully review the funding application to ensure it meets all required criteria and standards. You should check for grammar, spelling, formatting, and content.
Step 9: Submit the Application
In this step, you should submit the funding application according to the procedures specified by the granting institution. You should ensure that all required documents are submitted and within the deadline.
Step 10: Follow Up on the Application
In this step, you should follow up on the funding application and respond to any inquiries or additional requests from the granting institution. You should be prepared to provide more information or amendments if necessary.
Step 11: Evaluate Results
In this step, you should evaluate the results achieved from your project or research and analyze the benefits and possible improvements. You should use this information to enhance your future projects.
Step 12: Final Report
In this step, you should prepare the final report for your project or research and document the results and recommendations. The report should be detailed, comprehensive, and understandable for the target audience.
Step 13: Assess Impact
In this step, you should assess the impact that your project or research has on the community and the scientific field. You should evaluate the results, both positive and negative impacts, and document them.
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