Writing a grant proposal
econ7850
Grants will likely be an important part of both academic and some non-academic careers. Students in their fourth year at Cornell must have written and submitted an external fellowship or grant proposal before their dissertation-year fellowship is awarded. This session goes through some of the ways to write successful grants.
Students in their fourth year at Cornell must have written and submitted an external fellowship or grant proposal before their dissertation-year fellowship is awarded. The Graduate School maintains a database of doctoral fellowships.
This session goes through some of the ways to write successful grants.
Summary of Grant Proposal Advice
Key Steps and Structure
- Identify the right funding agency or program for your research. Tailor your proposal to the audience (private foundation, government agency, interdisciplinary, or economics-specific).
- Proposal structure:
- Introduction and Overview: What is your research about?
- Why does it matter?
- What is the state of the art in the field?
- How do you innovate?
- How does your innovation advance knowledge, society, or the funder’s goals?
- Timeline and plan for respecting it
- How will success be assessed?
Criteria for Evaluation (NSF)
- Intellectual Merit: Potential to advance knowledge.
- Broader Impacts: Potential to benefit society and achieve desired outcomes.
- Reviewers look for creative, original, or transformative concepts.
Evidence to Provide
- Your expertise and qualifications
- Adequate resources and infrastructure
- Well-reasoned, organized, and sound rationale
- Mechanism to assess success
Practical Advice
- Applying is required for certain fellowships (e.g., Sage fellowship at Cornell).
- A grant can provide additional resources for your research.
- Start preparing your proposal early (after passing your A-exam) to get feedback from your committee.
- Use writing resources offered by the Graduate School.
- Proposal writing is an important career skill and an opportunity to distinguish yourself.