Write What the Funders are Looking For!! Evaluation Criteria for Grant Funding

A funding relationship is a business relationship.

And the key to any relationship, personal or business, is to LISTEN to the other party so you can make sure you deliver what they want, to get what you want.

Therefore you need to make sure that you are writing to the criteria they'll be judging you by.

Give them exactly what they want, and they'll give you what  you want: MONEY!

So how do you make sure that you're writing your proposal from a place of listening and not just talking about things from your own point of view?

Here's how:
I suggest that you begin a grant proposal with a mind-map, by which I mean that you should take a physical pen, pencil, or crayon in your hand, and a piece of paper, and write, with your hand, on that piece of paper.

Write everything that comes to mind about your research and what you want it to be. Don't write in lines. Write in columns, or circles, or concept-map triangles, but keep the ideas fluid.

To organize your ideas a little, consider categories like

Passions/Topics   Partnerships/Connection       Resources/Assets

Then, measure your fluid thoughts against the list of criteria below. This is from the SSHRC but would be similar for many granting bodies.

Are you wondering why I suggest starting with paper and pen and fluid shapes instead of right off typing on the computer?

It is because it gives you plenty of time to think, ponder, ferment, and reform your ideas before you commit to less-well-written paragraphs that you'll be reluctant to delete later.

If you really want to put things down electronically at the early stages, keep it point form, as a nod to the understanding that you may want to rearrange your emphasis, your partnerships or resources, or the order of your methodology.

The following list of criteria  is from http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/programs-programmes/insight_grants-subventions_savoir-eng.aspx#5

 

Evaluation Criteria and Scoring

The following criteria and scoring scheme are used to evaluate Insight Grant applications:

1. Challenge—The aim and importance of the endeavour (40%):
   
   
   • originality, significance and expected contribution to knowledge;
   • appropriateness of the literature review;
   • appropriateness of the theoretical approach or framework;
   • appropriateness of the methods/approach;
   • quality of training and mentoring to be provided to students, emerging scholars and other highly qualified personnel, and opportunities for them to contribute; and
   • potential for the project results to have influence and impact within and/or beyond the social sciences and humanities research community.
   
   
2. Feasibility—The plan to achieve excellence (20%):
   
   
   • probability that the objectives will be met within the timeline proposed;
   • appropriateness of the requested budget and justification of proposed costs;
   • indications of financial and in-kind contributions from other sources, where appropriate;
   • quality and appropriateness of knowledge mobilization plans, including effective dissemination, exchange and engagement with stakeholders within and/or beyond the research community, where applicable; and
   • appropriateness of the strategies for conducting the activity/activities proposed.
   
   
3. Capability—The expertise to succeed (40%):
   
   
   • quality, quantity and significance of past experience and published and/or creative outputs of the applicant and any co-applicants, relative to their roles in the project and their respective stages of career;
   • evidence of other knowledge mobilization activities (e.g., films, performances, commissioned reports, knowledge syntheses, experience in collaboration/other interactions with stakeholders, contributions to public debate and media), and of impacts on professional practice, social services and policies, etc.;
   • evidence of contributions to the development of talent; and
   • potential of the applicant/co-applicant to make future contributions.