Securing Funding: Oiling the Wheels of Research

Scientific research is expensive. Funds are required to pay students and postdocs, to purchase supplies, chemicals, and equipment, to cover travel expenses, and to support publication costs. Consequently, applying for funding is a vital skill for research scientists, which requires a combination of knowledge, creativity, writing skills, and planning. However, it is a highly competitive process, with funding agencies typically receiving many more grant proposals than they can fund. Consequently, a grant proposal must stand out from all the others submitted to the same program. This can be achieved by focusing on a problem relevant to the funding agencies’ priorities and making sure your grant proposal is presented in a clear, concise, and compelling manner. Persistence and resilience are vital when pursuing research funding, as most grant proposals are rejected. Therefore, it is important to keep refining your ideas and trying to get them funded. This chapter provides advice on designing a grant proposal and writing each of the sections in a manner that is compelling and more likely to increase your chances of getting funding.