Usually academia is a very challenging field.For you to survive you must be involved in the 3core areas teaching,research and community development.Except in community development activities which i find very rewarding,encouraging and interesting,teaching which is the next in queue,i have found research not so challenging except in the area of attracting grant approval.Once you fail in one grant proposal,starting another seems very discouraging,So can someone tell me how to actually break the jinx in this area and succeed.I hate to fail,and I hate to quit.Any way out?.The motive is not monetary but SUCCESS.
Try to meet the marking/evaluation ctiteria of the call/bid as closely as possible;
read the recent literature (last 3 years or so) for key terms/buzzwords and topics of research interest in the field;
make sure that your proposal outline is feasible but ambitious at the same time;
in this current financial climate it is increasingly expected that the budget you ask for is very competitive (don't ask for things you don't necessarily need and all work hours/days need to be accounted for).
More importantly, if you are not given feedback, ask for it and study it; they will tell you where you can do better.
It is a learning curve!! Hope this helps
Try to meet the marking/evaluation ctiteria of the call/bid as closely as possible;
read the recent literature (last 3 years or so) for key terms/buzzwords and topics of research interest in the field;
make sure that your proposal outline is feasible but ambitious at the same time;
in this current financial climate it is increasingly expected that the budget you ask for is very competitive (don't ask for things you don't necessarily need and all work hours/days need to be accounted for).
More importantly, if you are not given feedback, ask for it and study it; they will tell you where you can do better.
It is a learning curve!! Hope this helps
Yurgos' advice above is all very good. I would add that (1) being able to demonstrate prior interest in the proposed topic is very important. If not publications, then at least a pilot study; (2) get to know the program officers, especially if you're pursuing private foundation funding; (3) include a logic model early in your proposal to give the reviewers a "road map"; (4) have colleagues read the proposal and provide constructive criticism; (5) don't get discouraged! Some of my best funded project were rejected multiple times before they were finally accepted. Attracting funding for your projects is a game, but once you master the rules of the game -- assuming you are doing good work -- it gets easier and easier.
There are various examples but to quote one example
"experience also demonstrated that grant funding is not a viable alternative to self-sustaining revenue streams. Despite technological advantages over their predecessors, this Organization is still costly. Numerous federal, state, and private grants help overcome start-up and ongoing costs.However, continued dependence on external grant funding may point to poor sustainability potential, and evidence that an attractive value proposition for those participating organizations has not materialized"
Hence a proposal should be on sustainability and not a continued dependent
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995716/
wao these are very encouraging,really!!thanks colleagues.You are all very wonderful.God bless you.Expecting more advice from other colleagues.
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