Devising successful fellowship & research proposals

Our compilation of the highlights from a skills development workshop for early career researchers in April 2015.

Build your network to provide personal and practical support

• Your contacts can help to you review your proposal, practice your interview technique, offer advice, contribute to your proposal, and support your proposal and subsequent project.
• Your network should include: supervisor, peers, non-academic stakeholders, research admin/finance colleagues, family.

Pay attention to the process

• Understand the call and the criteria. What questions would you ask if you were a reviewer?
• Allow sufficient time for writing, review and to gather supporting information (including financial data).
• All your interactions with research funders are part of the assessment process: respond positively to reviewers’ comments.
• Failed applications are learning opportunities and subsequent proposals will be stronger.

Remember…

• Be ambitious, show leadership but demonstrate how your project will succeed.
• Use storylines, examples and quotes to create excitement and to demonstrate innovation and impact.
• Practice your interview technique!

Presentations

• EPSRC approaches to funding: David Holtum (pdf, 820 KB)
• EPSRC/LWEC Challenge Fellowship: David Holtum (pdf, 160 KB)
• Learning from successful fellowship applicants: Catherine Bale (pdf, 12.9 MB)
• Successful proposals: my experience & advice: David Dawson (pdf, 2 MB)
• Approaching the review process and panel interview: Roger Street (pdf, 1.5 MB)