10.1177/0193945903261843ARTICLEWestern Journal of Nursing ResearchApril 2004, Vol. 26, No. 3GRANTSMANSHIPDeveloping anOutstanding Grant ApplicationSally L. LuskKeywords: grantsmanship; grant proposals; outstanding score; research teamsThe goal of each researcher is to obtain an outstanding score on grant pro-posals, preferably on the first submission. Even though the latter is rare,itispossible. Figure 1 offers a guide to preparing an outstanding proposal and theframework for the recommendations included here. These suggestions arefrom the author’s perspective as a grant reviewer, based on years of experi-ence as a charter member of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) NursingStudy Section, an ad hoc reviewer for other NIH proposals, a member of Spe-cial Emphasis Panel reviews of National Institute of Occupational Safety andHealth research and program grant proposals, and a colleague conductingpresubmission reviews of grant proposals written by other researchers.The proposal should be thought of as a sales pitch, a request for dollarsfor a product—the findings of the research project. Thus, it is important topresent a very clear and persuasive proposal, one easy for the reviewersto understand. Each of the suggestions in Figure 1 and discussed in the fol-lowing sections is designed to convince reviewers that the proposal isoutstanding.367Western Journal of Nursing Research, 2004, 26(3), 367-373Sally L. Lusk, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, FAAOHN, Professor Emerita, School of Nursing, TheUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor.DOI: 10.1177/0193945903261843© 2004 Sage PublicationsOBTAIN INFORMATION TO ASSURE ELIGIBILITYAND OBSERVE LIMITATIONS OF PROGRAMThere are a number of things to do before beginning to write the proposal.“O” addresses several of these. The funding agency’s Web site and writtenmaterials are sources for information about agency goals, priorities, andapplication guidelines. The intent and scope of the project must fit with theagency and with the funding mechanism. Many proposals can be related tothe agency’s goals if the principal investigator thinks broadly about thetopic. If the proposed project is not related to the agency’s goals, anotheragency should be selected for submission of the proposal. In addition, thereis no point is proposing to conduct a large-scale study with limited funding.Promising to do more than the budget will fund suggests to reviewers thatthe principal investigator does not understand the fiscal requirements andpersonnel effort necessary to conduct high-quality research. Institutionalsupport can augment the funding, however typically it is not sufficient toenable the conduct of a large-scale project with limited funds. Any plan toincorporate institutional support should be clearly described, and the com-mitment should be verified before proceeding.368Western Journal of Nursing ResearchObtain information to ensure eligibility and observe scope/limitations of program.Use grant proposal guidelines and follow precisely.Translate technical terms and processes for nonexperts in your specialized area.Show importance of project and its relevance to nursing.Tap and include consultants to augment skills and abilities of research team.Assure congruence, logical connections, and flow among aims, significance, prelimi-nary studies, methods, and analyses.Note how this project relates to overall research program, next steps, and results.Document your ability, and your team’s ability, to do the project.Inspire excitement about your project.Negotiate agreements with sites, consultants, and contractors (if needed) and docu-ment in proposal.Get input and objective, critical reviews before submission, with enough time to re-vise proposal.Figure 1: How to Score an OUTSTANDING on Your Research Grant ProposalOther helpful activities before writing include discussing ideas with anagency project officer, assembling a highly qualified team with clear com-plementary roles, recruiting consultants, and obtaining commitments fromresearch sites. Early identification of a timeline that ensures enough time towrite multiple drafts, obtain critical reviews, and conduct extensive revisionwill help the research team to prepare an outstanding proposal by the agencydeadline.USE GRANT PROPOSAL GUIDELINESAND FOLLOW PRECISELYThe written proposal must follow the guidelines exactly. This is not anarea for innovation and creativity. College officials, or funding agency per-sonnel, may be contacted to provide clarification regarding unclear guide-lines. Examples of grants funded by the agency can be very helpful to un-derstand the typical content arrangement for that agency. Grant proposalsnot meeting the guidelines are usually sent back without review; however, ifthey do proceed through the review, the score may be affected. These pro-posals often receive less-than-favorable reviews because reviewers lackconfidence in the ability of the applicant to conduct rigorous research.TRANSLATE TECHNICAL TERMSAND PROCESSES FOR NONEXPERTSThe proposal needs to be easy for reviewers to read. Reviewers with sci-entific expertise will evaluate the proposal. Other reviewers may not be asfamiliar with technical processes. Careful descriptions are essential to con-vey the principal investigator’s expertise and ensure that reviewers under-stand the proposed work. Acronyms should be used sparingly because theymay have diverse meanings, and excessive use can render proposals difficultto interpret.SHOW IMPORTANCE OF PROJECTAND ITS RELEVANCE TO NURSINGIf the proposal is submitted to a nursing funding agency, then it is impor-tant to show the relevance to the discipline. Regardless of where the pro-posal is submitted, it is critical to show how and why it is important. “S” canApril 2004, Vol. 26, No. 3369also stand for significance, the label many funding agencies (e.g., NIH) useto assess importance. The literature review provides the opportunity to doc-ument the significance of the topic. Every major concept from the aimsshould be included in the literature review. It is essential that the referencesused to document significance in the application are comprehensive, cur-rent, accurately represented, well synthesized, relevant to and congruentwith the project aims, and support the purpose of the project. Critiques of thescience and summaries of the various subsections of the literature reviewsection facilitate the reviewers’ understanding of the importance of the pro-posed project. The