Research Grants

NSF (National Science Foundation)

NIH (National Institutes of Health)

DOE (Department of Energy)

DARPA

Core Proposal Components

1. Executive Summary / Abstract

Purpose: Standalone summary capturing research vision, significance, and approach

Length by Agency:

• NSF: 1 page (Overview + Intellectual Merit + Broader Impacts)
• NIH: 30 lines
• DOE/DARPA: Typically 1-2 pages

Essential Elements:

1. Clear problem statement
2. Why it matters (significance, urgency)
3. Novel approach or innovation
4. Expected outcomes and deliverables
5. Team qualifications
6. Broader impacts or translational pathway

Writing Strategy:

Opening Hook → Problem Significance → Innovation → Approach → Outcomes → Impact

2. Specific Aims (NIH) / Objectives

NIH Specific Aims Page Structure (1 page):

## Opening Paragraph
Gap in knowledge + significance (2-3 sentences)

## Long-term Goal
What you ultimately want to achieve

## Objective
What this project will accomplish

## Central Hypothesis
Testable statement based on preliminary data

## Specific Aim 1: [Action verb + clear objective]
Rationale: Why this aim
Working hypothesis: Testable prediction
Approach: Brief methods (2-3 sentences)
Expected outcome: What you'll learn

## Specific Aim 2: [Same structure]

## Specific Aim 3: [Same structure]

## Payoff Paragraph
Impact on field, clinical relevance, next steps

Key Principles:

• 2-4 aims (typically 3)
• Aims should be independent but complementary
• Each aim achievable within timeline/budget
• Include contingency plans

3. Broader Impacts (NSF)

NSF broader impacts are equally weighted with intellectual merit. Address at least one:

Category 1: Teaching, Training, Learning

• Research-education integration
• Student/postdoc training
• Curriculum development

Category 2: Broadening Participation

• Underrepresented group recruitment
• MSI partnerships
• Mentoring programs

Category 3: Research Infrastructure

• Shared facilities
• Open-source tools
• Community databases

Category 4: Dissemination

• Public outreach
• K-12 programs
• Policy engagement

Category 5: Societal Benefit

• Economic impact
• Health/environment benefits
• Workforce development

Writing Strategy:

• Be specific with concrete activities
• Provide timeline and milestones
• Explain assessment methods
• Connect to institutional resources
• Show preliminary efforts

4. Innovation Section

Highlight what is novel and paradigm-shifting:

Types of Innovation:

• Conceptual: New frameworks, models, theories
• Methodological: Novel techniques, approaches
• Technological: New tools, instruments, platforms
• Translational: New applications, pathways to impact

Template:

## Innovation

This project advances the field through three innovative elements:

**Conceptual Innovation**: First application of [concept] to [domain], 
enabling [new capability].

**Methodological Innovation**: Development of [novel approach] that 
overcomes limitations of existing methods by [specific improvement].

**Technological Innovation**: Creation of [tool/platform] that will 
[specific benefit] and be made available to the community.

5. Research Plan / Approach

Structure:

## Aim 1: [Title]

### Rationale
[Why this aim is necessary, 1 paragraph]

### Preliminary Data
[Evidence supporting feasibility, with figures]

### Approach
[Detailed methods, broken into sub-sections]

#### 1.1 [Sub-aim or method]
[Specific protocol, reagents, equipment]

#### 1.2 [Sub-aim or method]
[Continue with specifics]

### Expected Outcomes
[What success looks like]

### Potential Problems & Alternatives
[Contingency plans, alternative approaches]

### Timeline
[Gantt chart or milestone table]

Budget Best Practices

Personnel Justification

**PI (Dr. Smith)** - 2 calendar months
Responsible for overall project direction, experimental design, 
data analysis, and manuscript preparation.

**Postdoctoral Fellow (TBD)** - 12 calendar months
Will conduct [specific experiments], analyze [data types], 
and prepare [deliverables].

Equipment Justification

**[Equipment Name]** - $XX,XXX
Required for [specific purpose]. Not available through shared 
resources. Quote attached from [vendor].

Supplies Categories

• Laboratory consumables
• Computational resources (cloud, HPC)
• Publication costs
• Travel (conferences, collaborator visits)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Review Criteria Checklist

NSF

• Intellectual Merit clearly articulated
• Broader Impacts specific and assessable
• Qualifications demonstrated
• Resources adequate
• Prior support described (if applicable)

NIH

• Significance addresses important problem
• Innovation clearly defined
• Approach feasible with preliminary data
• Rigor and reproducibility addressed
• Human subjects/vertebrate animals handled
• Authentication of key resources included

Integration with Grant Aggregation System

When using this skill with the grant aggregation system:

1. Source identification: Use scraped grant data to identify relevant FOAs
2. Keyword matching: Align proposal keywords with funding agency priorities
3. Deadline tracking: Coordinate writing timeline with submission deadlines
4. Requirements extraction: Parse FOA requirements from aggregated data

Local References

Use these bundled references for more detailed guidance:

• Reference index
• NSF guidelines
• NIH guidelines
• DOE guidelines
• DARPA guidelines
• NSTC guidelines
• Specific aims guide
• Broader impacts guide

References

For agency-specific guidelines, consult:

• NSF PAPPG
• NIH Grants Policy
• DOE Office of Science
• DARPA BAA Repository