Research Grant Application Process

The real reason your grant applications keep getting rejected isn't what you think. It's not your writing. It's not your programs. It's not even the competition. It's your relationships. Most organizations treat grant applications like lottery tickets. Submit enough and eventually you'll win. The organizations that secure consistent grant funding don't just write better applications. They build better relationships. They connect with program officers before submitting. They ask questions about priorities and fit. They seek feedback on declined proposals. They engage with funders even when not applying. Pull up your last five rejected grant applications. How many of those funders did you have a relationship with before applying? If your answer is "none," you've found your problem. Grant decisions aren't made by algorithms. They're made by people who fund organizations they know and trust. Stop treating grant writing as a technical exercise. Start treating it as a relationship-building opportunity. Because your grant applications aren't being rejected because of poor writing. They're being rejected because you're a stranger asking for money.

How This Space Tech Startup Secured $5.5M (Without Giving Up Equity). Last year, I invested in Raven Space Systems. They developed a novel way to 3D print aerospace hardware: • Faster • Cheaper • More efficiently Before pursuing VC money, they secured $5.5M through grants from NASA, Air Force, and The National Science Foundation. This was pure capital for R&D to: • Validate their technology • Access specialized facilities • Build government & commercial credibility Incredible benefits, yet not without challenges. Applications are competitive, time-consuming, and often come with restrictions on fund usage. 6 steps for capital-intensive startups to access non-dilutive funding: 1) Find the Right Grant Programs → Focus on SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) → STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) programs. → These offer billions annually in non-dilutive funding for early-stage R&D. Key Agencies: NASA, NSF, DoD, (AFWERX), USDA, and others. 2) Prove Your Tech Solves a Big Problem → Funders want mission-critical solutions over "cool" innovations. → Eg: NASA funds projects that improve performance in space exploration. → Use data or case studies to demonstrate the urgency of the problem → And the effectiveness of your solution. 3) Develop a Clear Proposal → Specific R&D milestones → Measurable outcomes → Commercialization plans Align your proposal with the funder's mission and values and highlight how your project advances their goals. 4) Leverage Strategic Partnerships Strengthen by collaborating with universities, labs, or prime contractors. E.g: Raven partnered with the University of Oklahoma for material testing and technical validation. Partnerships mean specialized equipment and critical expertise. 5) Engage with Grant Officers → Reach out to program managers before applying → For insights on aligning your application with agency priorities → Clarify any ambiguities and tailor your proposal accordingly 6) Iterate And Improve → Treat rejections as opportunities to learn → Many startups win grants on attempt 2 or 3 → Refining on feedback can significantly improve success rates After validating their tech with grants, Raven then raised VC to: • Scale manufacturing • Build sales teams • Enter new markets Validate with grants. Scale with VC. Combine both for a winning position. ____________________________ Hi, I’m Richard Stroupe, a 3x Entrepreneur, and Venture Capital Investor I help early-stage tech founders turn their startups into VC magnets Enjoy this? Join 340+ high-growth founders and seasoned investors getting my deep dives here: (https://lnkd.in/e6tjqP7y)

🔹Tips for writing a winning GRANT PROPOSAL 🎯 Grant writing can feel overwhelming, but it is one of the most valuable skills you can develop. Phenny A. Omondi, MSc, and I began writing grant proposals during our undergraduate days at Universidad EARTH. Over the years, we’ve secured funding from organizations like the Mastercard Foundation, Wege Foundation, Clinton Foundation, Changes for Humanity, etc. to support the operations of a community-based organization we founded in Kenya (Kilimo Jijini). When I started graduate school, I further polished my grant writing skills by enrolling in a transformative 3-credit Grant Writing course taught by Dr. Jaret Daniels, and since then together with my advisor, we have submitted small and huge grant proposals worth millions of dollars to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), etc. Here are some key lessons I’ve learned along the way: 1. Start early Give yourself time to brainstorm, draft, and revise. Rushed proposals often lack polish and clarity. 2. Know your audience Research the funding agency’s mission, priorities, and target outcomes. Align your goals with their vision. 3. Focus on impact Clearly state how your research will address a problem and make a meaningful difference. Highlight real-world applications. 4. Tell a compelling story Proposals aren’t just data - they’re narratives. Make your introduction engaging and persuasive. Show passion for your work. 5. Define clear objectives Be specific about what you want to achieve and how you’ll measure success. Funders want results, not vague ideas. 6. Plan a realistic budget Outline costs with transparency and accuracy. Avoid overestimating but don’t undersell what you need to succeed. 7. Highlight your team’s expertise Funders invest in people as much as ideas. Showcase your team’s qualifications and past successes. And how that adds value to your idea. 8. Provide a timeline Break down your project into phases with deadlines. A clear timeline shows you’ve thought through the process 9. Proofread and seek feedback Ask mentors or colleagues to review your draft. They can spot weaknesses and suggest improvements you may have missed. 10. Follow instructions Carefully read and follow the funding agency’s guidelines. Missing a formatting detail or word limit can disqualify your proposal. 👉 What’s your experience with grant writing? Repost ♻️ to help someone else! #GrantWritingTips #ResearchFunding #AcademicSuccess #Mentorship #STEMResearch #WomenInSTEM #ResearchProposals University of Florida

In the midst of federal research funding cuts and grant freezes, we need alternative ways to fund science. Here are some opportunities that caught my attention: ▫️ Astera Institute - founded by Jed McCaleb and Seemay Chou, Astera incubates high-leverage science and technology projects at their earliest stages through their residency and open science programs. They back creative, high-agency scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs who are passionate about pursuing open first, high impact and future focused projects, especially innovators whose work isn’t a match for other institutions. https://lnkd.in/g45bPNgP ▫️ Schmidt Sciences - part of Eric and Wendy Schmidt's philanthropic initiatives. Their Polymaths program backs professors and interdisciplinary misfits with $2.5M+ to explore wild, risky ideas, whereas their Fellows program places the world’s best emerging scientists in new research domains. https://lnkd.in/gwNC7Fda ▫️ Simons Foundation - founded by Jim and Marilyn Simons to champion basic science through grant funding. There is currently an open call for high-risk theoretical mathematics, physics and computer science projects of exceptional promise and scientific importance. https://lnkd.in/g5CX-Gmk ▫️ Lux Capital - Lux just committed $100 million to back academic research that also has commercial potential, such as biotech and artificial intelligence. They offer both counsel and capital to pathbreaking scientists and help push their research and careers forward. https://lnkd.in/gt5vKe_m ▫️ Decentralized Science (DeSci) - science-focused decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) are communities and platforms that use blockchain technology and decentralization to reform funding and collaboration in science. e.g. 🔹 ValleyDAO - funds and provides translational support for synthetic biology research 🔹 VitaDAO - funds aging research and democratizes ownership of intellectual property 🔹 Molecule AG - funding and tokenization platform for biopharma intellectual property What other funding models or programs are you excited about?

90% of academic abstracts are forgettable. Here’s how to write one that actually gets read, shared, and cited. Let’s be honest → Most abstracts are filled with fluff. → They bury the problem. → They confuse the reader before they even reach the results. If your abstract doesn’t grab attention within seconds, it fails, no matter how groundbreaking your research is. So what does a powerful abstract actually include? This 4-part framework breaks it down: ———————————————————— 1️⃣ PURPOSE ★ Define the Problem → What is the gap your research is addressing? → Why does it matter; academically or socially? ➤ Set the stage ➤ Identify the gap ➤ Emphasize relevance to your field Too many abstracts skip this and jump into methods. Don’t. Context is everything. ———————————————————— 2️⃣ METHODS ★ Describe What You Did → Did you run a qualitative study? A meta-analysis? → What tools or datasets did you use? ➤ Keep it short ➤ Avoid jargon ➤ Make it understandable even to someone outside your field This isn’t the place for a full protocol. Just enough to establish credibility. ———————————————————— 3️⃣ RESULTS ★ Show the Discovery → What did you find and why does it matter? ➤ Highlight the most critical results ➤ Use numbers: % increase, significance levels, etc. ➤ Focus on what moves knowledge forward Don’t drown the reader in data. One or two sharp findings are more impactful than five vague ones. ———————————————————— 4️⃣ CONCLUSION ★ Make It Matter → What do these results mean in the real world? ➤ Tie it back to your field, your audience, or global challenges ➤ Avoid hype; ground your claims in your data ➤ Include implications, recommendations, or calls to action This is your chance to move beyond academia. Make the reader care. ———————————————————— Final Tips → Use active voice. → Avoid filler. → Stay within 250 words. → Aim for clarity > complexity. ———————————— 💬 What part of abstract writing challenges you the most? ♻ Repost or send this to someone preparing a thesis or manuscript. #AcademicWriting |#ResearchExcellence

If you don’t have a relationship with the funder, don’t submit the application. I know that might sound harsh, but hear me out. Too often, folks throw their hat in the ring without ever having made a real connection. No intro email. No call. No effort to understand the funder’s priorities. Just vibes and hope. But here’s the thing, funders fund relationships. Not just well-written proposals. Before you apply, introduce yourself. Follow their work. Reach out (respectfully). Learn what they care about. Then make the ask. It’s not about chasing every opportunity, it’s about being intentional.

I used to think winning #grants was about writing a compelling argument that your organization would use the best #evidencebased approaches. Sorry if I'm bursting anyone's bubble here, but it turns out that's not it. 😟 Winning a grant is first and foremost about relationships with #donors. It's about understanding their motives, introducing them to your mission (BEFORE the application, face to face when possible), and showing them how your mission and their motives match. It's also about doing your research and finding out if there's an incumbent. Or if another organization has been pre-selected and the application process is a formality to fulfill requisition requirements. It's about knowing WHY a #grantopportunity was opened in the first place, and making sure your application fulfills that identified need. These days, I'm savvy enough about that to make sure I work with organizations that either have already done their homework on the above or understand the need to do that as part of the application process. A #grantapplication is not something you should craft on its own and then launch into the void. Take the time to figure out who will be reading it before you write it. Then see if you can get to know them before you start. In other words, know your audience. Some people call this #capture work. But it shouldn't just be a phase to check some boxes. You do need to build actual human-to-human relationships. Invite the (potential) donors to events. Have coffee together. If you're hiring a grant writer from outside your organization, the relationship is not their job. (Although good grant writers may have many grant manager friends.) This is work that has to be done within your organization, at an executive or COP level. And it usually needs to be done before the #rfp goes live, at which point, the curtain of silence may descend, and your donors will become very hard to find. And when all of that is in place, make sure you get a good #grantwriter so that you don't screw up on the final mile.

“Let the data speak for itself” is lazy advice. Data doesn’t speak. You do. Yes, there’s a standard format—IMRAD (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion). But structure alone doesn’t engage readers. Readers don’t remember formats. They remember stories. Stories create TENSION. → “Despite treatment X, many patients still have poor outcomes…” Stories GUIDE the reader. → “So we asked… could early intervention Y change this trajectory?” Stories make you CARE. → “What we found surprised us—and may inform new treatment decisions.” This is not about overselling. It’s about clarity, coherence, and relevance. Here’s how to use storytelling to make your paper more impactful and memorable: 1️⃣ Identify 2–3 key findings → Not every result deserves to be in your paper. → Focus on what’s most surprising, actionable, or important. 2️⃣ Derive your core message → What’s the “shiny dime” in your data? → What’s the one takeaway readers should remember? Pro Tip: You need to derive this from the 2 to 3 key findings. There is some back and forth between the two. 3️⃣ Lead with the unexpected → You rarely report your results in the same order you conducted the experiments. Instead, lead with what matters most. → Open with your strongest or most surprising result—not the one that came first in your methods section. 4️⃣Make it simple → Keep your logic clean. → Introduce one character (concept) at a time. → Guide the reader like you're teaching—not testing—them. 5️⃣ Make them care → Why does this matter? → Who does it help? → What could change because of this work? When done right, your manuscript becomes more than just another publication. It becomes an argument for why your findings matter. Because research isn’t just about what you discovered. It’s about making people remember what you discovered—and why. What’s the one core message your current manuscript is really trying to tell? ---------- P.S. Join my inner circle of 4000+ researchers for exclusive, actionable advice you won’t find anywhere else — link in the comments below. BONUS: When you subscribe, you instantly unlock my Research Idea GPT and Manuscript Outline Blueprint. Please reshare 🔄 if you got some value out of this...

Uncovering unique R&D funding resources for medical technologies - Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs) In light of recent cuts to Federal R&D funding programs like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), I want to share some other non-dilutive funding (NDF) opportunities that you may not have discovered yet. Today we will focus on Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs). BAAs are a contracting and solicitation mechanism to seek proposals for basic and applied research, as well as advanced technology development, that aim to advance or evaluate cutting-edge technologies. BAAs are used to acquire scientific study and experimentation directed toward advancing the state-of-the-art or increasing knowledge and understanding, rather than focusing on developing a specific system or hardware solution. DoD components that routinely release BAAs and example topics include: • Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR): Aerospace medical research • Army Research Laboratory (ARL): Biological sciences, human systems, human behavior • Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA): Transformative medical technologies, human performance optimization, AI/ML innovations, sensors • Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA): Weapons of mass destruction challenges, CBRN defense • Marine Corps Warfighting Lab (MCWL): Material and non-material solutions supporting warfighters • Naval Research Laboratory (NRL): Basic and applied scientific research • Office of Naval Research (ONR): Naval medical and biomedical research • U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA): Aeronautics, biosystems and natural materials, behavioral sciences, nuclear research • U.S. Army Medical Research & Development Command (USAMRDC): Army medical research and development Other non-DoD Federal Agencies that routinely release BAAs include: • Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA): Medical countermeasures, pandemic preparedness • Department of Homeland Security (DHS): Homeland security technologies, first responder solutions, critical infrastructure protection • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Environmental research • Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Regulatory science, medical countermeasures, food safety, tobacco research • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Cybersecurity, digital forensics, biometrics, communications, analytics • Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA): Intelligence analysis, collection technologies, biointelligence, quantum technologies • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): Human health and performance in space You can find links to these in the comments below. Stay up to date on all things MILMED R&D. Join our MILMED Connect Funding Insider newsletter >> Link in the comments

Your donor wants to know everything about you. But how much do you know about your donor? Odds are, probably not enough. As a donor, I’ve read grant proposals from organizations that clearly haven’t done their homework. Their mission doesn’t align with ours. The project doesn’t fit our funding opportunities. Sometimes, it’s not even close. And while I appreciate the hustle, I also know it’s not a good use of their time or mine. Nonprofits are often running lean, with small teams juggling a lot, and your time is incredibly valuable. Every hour spent writing a grant proposal is an investment, and one that should be made wisely. Submitting to a foundation that isn’t a fit isn’t only disappointing when it’s declined, it’s also a drain on limited resources that could have been used elsewhere. Be strategic. Your energy and time deserve to be put where they’ll have the greatest return. Before deciding to work with a foundation, ask yourself: 🔸 Does this foundation’s mission align with ours? 🔸Do they fund the kind of work we do? 🔸What types of grants do they typically offer? 🔸Can they support us in other ways, like through events, networking, or training? If possible, talk to a program or grants officer. Ask questions. Build a relationship. It can save you time, strengthen your proposal, and open doors you didn’t even know existed. Think of it like applying for a job. You wouldn't write a cover letter or go into an interview without first researching the company, would you? Don’t just hope for a “yes.” Do the homework that gets you there.