Maximise your ability to secure research funding

Funding is the lifeblood of research.

Attaining it requires time, preparation, and focused effort.

Here are six tips to help make the most of grant opportunities and increase your chance of attaining research funding: 

1. Develop a funding strategy

Taking advantage of suitable grant opportunities is crucial to your success as a researcher.

Your funding strategy follows a similar format to your research strategy. What are your aims, and what is your approach? 

Capture all potential grant opportunities, known and forecasted, for at least the next 12 months (ideally longer).

Some useful sources for medical researchers in Australia are:

• GrantConnect (help.grants.gov.au) for all Australian Government Grant opportunities (i.e., Australian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, Medical Research Future Fund, Cancer Australia).  

• National (e.g., Dementia Australia Research Foundation, Diabetes Australia, National Breast Cancer Foundation, National Heart Foundation - search for organisations specific to your field of research]) and State Funding (e.g., Cancer Council [state-based], Department of Health [state-based]).

• Philanthropic (e.g., Ian Potter Foundation, Perpetual Trust, Ramaciotti Foundations, Westpac Bicentennial Foundation).

Once set up, your funding strategy should be used as a dynamic tool, updated as new opportunities arise and research priorities change. 

2. Set up automated grant notifications

These are great reminders for grant opportunities you may already have in your funding strategy and, more importantly, alert you to new opportunities as they arise.

A real game-changer for me was setting up email notifications of grant opportunities through GrantConnect. Rather than haphazardly reviewing the entire repository of grants when I think of it (not often and very inefficient), I now receive email notifications as new grant opportunities arise (including updates to existing grants if changes have occurred). I take a quick look at the spreadsheet, and if an opportunity is relevant, I'll add it to my funding strategy. 

Want to know how to set up automated notifications through GrantConnect? Once logged in, select email notifications under your user profile to opt in. 

3. Allocate and prioritise time for grant writing 

Now that you’ve developed your funding strategy, you’ll know when applications are due.

Plan and block out time in your calendar. 

Give yourself plenty of time. It usually takes more time than you think, and time can be the difference between a half-baked idea and submitting a truly competitive grant.  

4. Prioritise attending grant-specific information sessions

I have no doubt this point will generate a lot of eye-rolling and mutterings, like 'Who has the time for that?!'.

However, if you’re serious about applying for a specific grant, if they host an information webinar, attend.

Have you ever read grant guidelines and needed clarification on what the funders want? These sessions often clarify these ambiguities – and can give you an added advantage.

Yes, it may take an hour out of your day, but it will clarify whether the grant opportunity is suitable. That one hour could end up saving you weeks of wasted effort. It could also give you greater clarity and valuable insights about what the funders seek.

5. Read the grant guidelines

This may seem obvious, but many applicants don’t refer to the guidelines until they’ve spent considerable time preparing their grant—only to discover that their research objectives don’t align with the grant objectives. Worse, they try to make it fit because they’ve already spent so much time developing the application. Save yourself the agony and read the guidelines thoroughly before you put pen to paper.

Then, ask yourself: Does my research align with the grant's objectives?

If the answer is a resounding yes, go for it. 

If the answer is maybe, dig deeper to clarify whether your research matches the grant opportunity. If in doubt, contact the granting body to get more information.  

If the answer is no, invest your time identifying other more suitable grant opportunities. 

My hunch is that successful grantees have read the guidelines thoroughly and referred to them often during grant development. (I have no data to support this, though.) 

The grant guidelines should be your go-to document during the entire grant preparation process, so refer to them often.

6. Review and revise your grant using the assessment criteria and scoring matrix

The assessment criteria and scoring matrix provide a framework for grant reviewers to assess and score your application.

So, you should use them, too.

Just like a crossword puzzle that comes with the answers (albeit upside down and in small font), the information the funders seek is (hidden in plain sight) in the scoring matrix.

Use the scoring matrix to assess your application critically. Ensure adequate information and evidence are provided to achieve the highest score in each category. You want the reviewer to understand the strength of your proposed research.

Every point counts, so make sure your application is hitting the top scores. It can be a fine line between a successful and unsuccessful score. Guarantee points when and where you can.

What can you do to increase your chance of securing vital research funding?

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Are you missing grant opportunities because you don’t have a funding strategy in place?

Do other priorities get in the way, and you miss submission deadlines?

Do you develop a good draft but lack time to polish it and submit a suboptimal application?

If this sounds like you, let’s have a chat.

As an experienced researcher and medical writer, I can help with all aspects of the grant process.