One university has attempted to improve the quality of proposals and proposal reviews for internal grant competitions by allowing external peer review of grant proposals, with the option of modifying the proposals or otherwise responding to the critiques, before final review by the internal committees making the grants. (MSE)

The need to adapt a course in writing skills for proposal preparation to the different needs and characteristics of adult students is discussed, focusing on factors such as employer pressure as well as more general adult learner problems. Compensating strategies and course and materials design for teachers to use to increase student success are…

A review of major grantsmanship and research proposal guides identified common themes for the preparation and writing of the literature review: completeness, currentness, discussion of results and methodology, critical nature, organization, and uniqueness. It is suggested that much of the advice given is anecdotal and should be tested for…

A computerized budget projection program developed for faculty use in proposal preparation is described. The three budget components are global budget parameters, personnel, and other direct operating costs. Efficiency of budget preparation is greatly increased, especially for multiple-year budgets. A sample printout is included. (MSE)

A survey of the research administration community suggests great diversity of organizational arrangements, operational staff size, staff and administrator background, and task assignments. (MSE)

Office automation technology is being used to process proposals at Clemson University. The Electronic Proposal Submittal project is a process by which the Principal Investigator can create a proposal at his or her local station and electronically submit it for processing. (Author/MLW)

The experience of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville suggests that encouraging research office staff to apply for grants can be a rewarding learning experience and can improve office visibility and credibility, staff confidence and professionalism, and staff sensitivity to faculty involved in grants development. (MSE)

A study explored the links between success in receiving federal funding and characteristics of research/sponsored programs offices at 46 state-supported higher education institutions. A linear predictive model indicated funding success could be predicted from the level of direct institutional commitment to research and grant-seeking efforts.…

One university has combined in-depth faculty seminars in grants development with individual assistance, successfully removing intimidation from the grants process and providing attention to specific problems for a large group of faculty. Other, unanticipated benefits of the program include increased research office cohesiveness and visibility.…

Ways in which the beginning research administrator can assist faculty in understanding the review process and in using the information to enhance the chances of successfully competing for federal funds are described. (Author/MLW)

A survey of rejected applicants for federal grants revealed that while most of them secured feedback from agencies regarding the disapproval, many were concerned about the value of such information. Follow-up and program modifications can result only when effective interaction is achieved. (MLW)

Interviews with faculty on decisions to submit proposals for external funding suggest that activity at the current institution is related to previous experience, and more experience in graduate school may have a strong, positive effect on later activity. (Author/MSE)

A better understanding of the skills and knowledge needed by the grants coordinator in seeking prospective funding agencies can contribute to both more efficient use of that function and better use of new computer technology for pre-award management. (MSE)

Data processing applications in the collection, maintenance, and use of faculty scholarly interest files for pre-award sponsored project functions are discussed, and suggestions are made for database organization and management. (MSE)

There are many misconceptions about how funding decisions are made within federal agencies. Observations of how bias creeps into an otherwise objective evaluation process are presented, and hints are offered on improving the probability of receiving federal support. (Author/MLW)