# Grant Writing Skill > Translate research vision into funded reality. Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/grant-writing-skill` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/grant-writing-skill` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/grant-writing-skill/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Research & Search - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/grant-writing-skill --- # Grant Writing Skill > Translate research vision into funded reality. ## Core Principle A grant proposal is a persuasion document. You're convincing reviewers that your research is important, your approach is sound, and you're the right person to do it. ## The Three Questions Every Reviewer Asks 1. **Why does this matter?** (Significance) 2. **Will this approach work?** (Feasibility) 3. **Can this team do it?** (Expertise) Answer all three. Clearly. Early. ## Proposal Structure (General) ### 1. Specific Aims (1 page) The most important page. Reviewers decide here. **Structure:** - **Hook**: Why this problem matters NOW - **Gap**: What's missing in current knowledge - **Hypothesis**: Your central claim - **Aims**: 2-4 specific, achievable objectives - **Impact**: What changes if you succeed **Template:** > [Problem statement establishing significance]. Despite [current state of knowledge], [the gap] remains unaddressed. We hypothesize that [your central hypothesis]. To test this, we will: Aim 1: [specific objective]. Aim 2: [specific objective]. This work will [impact statement]. ### 2. Significance & Innovation - Why the problem matters (societal, scientific, economic) - What's new about your approach - How it advances the field ### 3. Approach / Research Plan - Detailed methodology for each aim - Preliminary data (shows feasibility) - Timeline and milestones - Potential pitfalls and alternatives ### 4. Investigator Qualifications - Why you're the right person/team - Relevant expertise and publications - Collaborations and resources ### 5. Budget & Justification - Personnel, equipment, supplies, travel - Clear justification for each item - Matches scope of work ## Agency-Specific Guidance ### NSF (National Science Foundation) - **Broader Impacts** required (education, diversity, public benefit) - **Intellectual Merit** equally weighted - Project descriptions limited to 15 pages - Annual reports and data management plan required ### NIH (National Institutes of Health) - **Significance, Innovation, Approach, Investigators, Environment** (5 criteria) - R01 is the standard research grant - K awards for career development - Page limits vary by mechanism - Biosketch format is strict ### Private Foundations - Often shorter applications - More flexibility in format - Relationship building matters - May prefer specific populations or approaches ## Writing Strategies ### The Inverted Pyramid Start with the most important information: 1. **Significance** (why care?) 2. **Innovation** (what's new?) 3. **Approach** (how?) 4. **Details** (specifics) ### Active Voice, Concrete Claims | Weak | Strong | |------|--------| | "It is believed that..." | "We will test whether..." | | "Studies will be performed" | "We will conduct experiments" | | "This may lead to..." | "This will demonstrate..." | ### Preliminary Data Strategy - Show you CAN do the work - Demonstrate feasibility, not completion - Just enough to prove concept - Save some results for the funded project ### Addressing Weaknesses - Acknowledge risks upfront - Provide alternatives for each - Shows you've thought it through - Reviewers find problems anyway—beat them to it ## Common Mistakes | Mistake | Fix | |---------|-----| | Burying the significance | Lead with impact | | Too much jargon | Write for educated non-expert | | Vague aims | Make aims specific and measurable | | No preliminary data | Pilot studies, even small ones | | Ignoring page limits | Ruthless editing | | No alternatives | "If X fails, we will Y" | | Weak budget justification | Every dollar explained | | Missing required sections | Use the checklist | ## Review Criteria Alignment Map your writing to review criteria: | Criterion | Where to Address | |-----------|------------------| | Significance | Specific Aims, Significance section | | Innovation | Specific Aims, Innovation section | | Approach | Research Plan, each aim | | Investigator | Biosketch, Team section | | Environment | Resources, Letters of support | ## The Review Process (Know Your Audience) 1. **Assignment**: Program officer assigns to study section 2. **Primary reviewers**: 2-3 read in detail, score each criterion 3. **Panel discussion**: Top 50% discussed 4. **Scoring**: 1 (best) to 9 (worst) for each criterion 5. **Funding line**: Percentile determines funding **Key insight**: Reviewers are tired, busy experts. Make it EASY to find your strengths. ## Timeline for Submission | Weeks Before | Task | |--------------|------| | 12+ | Start Specific Aims draft | | 10 | Circulate Aims for feedback | | 8 | First draft of full proposal | | 6 | Internal review | | 4 | Major revisions complete | | 2 | Final polish, budget finalized | | 1 | Institutional review | | 0 | Submit (never day-of!) | ## Resubmission Strategy Most grants don't fund on first try. Resubmissions: - Address EVERY reviewer concern - Show what changed (clearly marked) - Don't argue with reviewers—adapt - Include new preliminary data - Resubmit to same study section if possible ## Budget Tips - **Modular budgets** ($250K/year blocks) for NIH R01 - **Match effort to work** (if you're doing half the work, request half time) - **Justify everything** (why this equipment? why this travel?) - **Include indirect costs** (check your institution's rate) - **Don't under-budget** (reviewers wonder what you're hiding) ## Synapses See [synapses.json](synapses.json) for connections. --- > Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/fabioc-aloha) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.