Key Elements in Applying for a Key Elements in Applying for a Clinical Research GrantClinical Research Grant

Niloofar Afari, PhDNiloofar Afari, PhD

Associate ProfessorAssociate ProfessorUniversity of CA, San DiegoUniversity of CA, San DiegoDirector of Clinical AffairsDirector of Clinical Affairs

VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental HealthVA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Healthnafari@ucsd.edunafari@ucsd.edu

VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health

Key ElementsKey Elements

Finding the right collaboratorsFinding the right collaborators

Refining your ideaRefining your idea

Finding the right granting agency and Finding the right granting agency and mechanismmechanism

Telling a good story or the “Art of Telling a good story or the “Art of Grantsmanship” Grantsmanship”

VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health

CollaborationCollaboration Grant writing is an inherently collaborative Grant writing is an inherently collaborative

processprocess

Co-investigators are importantCo-investigators are important

Lots of input from different peopleLots of input from different people MentorMentor Program officerProgram officer Co-investigatorsCo-investigators Respected researchers in the fieldRespected researchers in the field

Feedback is necessary to refine the ideaFeedback is necessary to refine the idea

Give ample time for feedbackGive ample time for feedback

Don’t be shy about asking for helpDon’t be shy about asking for help

VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health

Agencies and MechanismsAgencies and Mechanisms Proposal has to fit with the mission and objectives Proposal has to fit with the mission and objectives

of the agency of the agency

Contact granting agency program officers to ask Contact granting agency program officers to ask questions and get clarificationquestions and get clarification

Find information about funding levels so that you Find information about funding levels so that you can come up with a reasonable budgetcan come up with a reasonable budget

Talk to colleagues who have served on or have Talk to colleagues who have served on or have received grants from the agency received grants from the agency

Find models of successful applicationsFind models of successful applications

Keep an eye out for relevant PAs and RFAsKeep an eye out for relevant PAs and RFAshttp://www.hfsp.org/how/ArtOfGrants.htmhttp://www.hfsp.org/how/ArtOfGrants.htm

VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health

Granting AgenciesGranting Agencies National Institutes of HealthNational Institutes of Health

www.nih.govwww.nih.gov

Veteran’s Administration Office of Research Veteran’s Administration Office of Research and Developmentand Development www.research.va.govwww.research.va.gov

Department of DefenseDepartment of Defense cdmrp.army.milcdmrp.army.mil

National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation www.nsf.govwww.nsf.gov

Private FoundationsPrivate Foundations

VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health

NIH Institutes & CentersNIH Institutes & Centers

VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health

NIH MechanismsNIH Mechanisms Predoctoral and Postdoctoral training grants Predoctoral and Postdoctoral training grants

(NRSA)(NRSA)

Career Development AwardsCareer Development Awards

Research GrantsResearch Grants R01R01 – Funding up to 5 years for discrete, specified, – Funding up to 5 years for discrete, specified,

circumscribed research projectscircumscribed research projects R03R03 – Funding up to 2 years for pilot study or – Funding up to 2 years for pilot study or

secondary analysis of existing datasecondary analysis of existing data R21R21 – Funding up to 2 years for exploratory and – Funding up to 2 years for exploratory and

developmental research developmental research R34R34 – Funding up to 3 years for development of – Funding up to 3 years for development of

essential elements of a clinical trialessential elements of a clinical trial K99/R00K99/R00 - Pathway to Independence - Pathway to Independence

VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health

VA R&D ProgramsVA R&D Programs

VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health

VA R&D MechanismsVA R&D Mechanisms Career Development AwardCareer Development Award

Merit AwardMerit Award

Pilot GrantsPilot Grants

Implementation GrantsImplementation Grants

VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health

Telling a Good StoryTelling a Good Story The goal is to write an application The goal is to write an application

that is:that is: ClearClear FocusedFocused LogicalLogical Original, novel, innovativeOriginal, novel, innovative FeasibleFeasible With testable hypothesesWith testable hypotheses

Make it obvious for the reviewersMake it obvious for the reviewers

VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health

The ProposalThe Proposal Start earlyStart early

Follow the instructions carefully and Follow the instructions carefully and exactlyexactly

Pay attention to detailsPay attention to details A sloppy application = a sloppy researcherA sloppy application = a sloppy researcher

Organize with headings and Organize with headings and subheadingssubheadings

VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health

Key SectionsKey Sections TitleTitle

AbstractAbstract

Specific AimsSpecific Aims

Critical literature reviewCritical literature review

Preliminary data if necessaryPreliminary data if necessary

Research Design detailsResearch Design details

VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health

The greatest oak was once a little The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground. nut who held its ground. 

~Author Unknown~Author Unknown