Writing a federal grant (and others like it)

A new model
Starting this month, I’ll invite occasional guest editors with relevant expertise to help me write some of my Short Takes articles. Today, Elizabeth Powell, Administrative Director of the Mass General Hospital Substance Use Disorders Initiative, joins me to discuss writing federal grants and others like it.

Today’s topic
There’s no getting around it: If you’re writing a federal grant you can count on a huge, unwieldy grant writing process. The same is true with state or foundation grants, or any large proposal requiring lots of information that is due soon.

Elizabeth and I have been through several such experiences together. Here’s what we’ve learned.

Assemble the team. These grants have lots of moving parts (narrative, budget, bios, other attachments). Make sure your team—and your boss—knows what’s involved. Agree on a schedule with clearly defined tasks, deadlines, and who’s doing what. Check to see if anyone will be out of the office when you need them.

Get going. Don’t risk a last minute rush, with impact on quality and your competitive edge.

Prepare for institutional review. Understand your organization’s internal review process before you start. Identify appropriate contacts and find out the required review period. It might be weeks ahead of the actual grant deadline.

Pay attention to the details. Federal grants have many intricate requirements that can be easily missed and can, if unaddressed, cause problems before or after submission. Examples are the applicant institution’s indirect rate or the federal salary cap. Be sure to read the notice of award and application guide in detail.

Keep it manageable. Break a big grant into doable parts. Use as much content as possible from past grants so you’re not starting from scratch.

Tell a story. Keep the big picture front and center when you’re mired in the details. Your reviewers will want to hear your story and vision for your program.

Guide review. You can facilitate review of your draft in a cover email to the team with bulleted questions and considerations—and a deadline for their edits and other follow-up.

Anticipate last minute hurdles. Your internal reviewers may identify budget issues or missing grant requirements. Build in time before the deadline to address last minute glitches.

Hunker down. It’s the reality. There may be long days and nights. Build in incentives, like taking off the day after.

The payoff. Take heart! These tips – and the experience of making it through a federal grant – may be useful for other big tasks on or off the job—like organizing an event, buying a car, or even doing your taxes.