PRDV009: Writing Grant Proposals

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) recently announced deadlines for several digital humanities programs, including the NEH Fellowships at Digital Humanities Centers (Sep. 15) and Digital Humanities Start-Up Grants. (Oct. 8), and DFG/NEH Joint Digitization Program Deadline (Oct. 15).

So, how do you win one of these grants? I have had the honor and privilege (really, I mean it) of serving on several review panels, which has given me insight into what sets apart excellent proposals. (Nope, I am not going to say which panels I served on – let's say if you won a grant, I was on the panel, and if you did not, I was not.)

Before serving on a grant review panel, I pictured it as a smoke-filled room where fat cats chomping on big cigars exercised all their political might to fund pet projects. (OK, not really – but it was mysterious.) But the process is nothing like that – no smoke, posturing, or arm-wringing. Instead, the NEH brings together five experts in the field – often directors of digital humanities centers, faculty who have led digital projects, and others who have both subject knowledge in the humanities and expertise in technology – to evaluate the proposals. Before coming to D.C. to serve on the panel, the panelists review each proposal and make detailed comments, using the grant guidelines as a rubric. Panelists rank each proposal as excellent, very good, some merit, or not recommended for funding.

Typically I read each proposal three times: first I give all of the proposals a quick read to get a sense of the whole, then I read more slowly to develop a more detailed understanding of each one, and finally, I skim as I write up my comments. The panel typically begins with an NEH official explaining the review process, including the conflict of interest rules. Then, panelists discuss each proposal, beginning with the ones rated most highly. Each panelist provides his or her initial perspective on the proposal, followed by an open, respectful debate about its strengths and weaknesses. Once the discussion is complete, each panelist offers his or her final proposal ranking. I am fascinated to hear the different perspectives offered by the other panelists; often, I am persuaded to change my rankings based on the discussion. At the end of an exhilarating and exhausting day, the NEH asks panelists for feedback on the proposal guidelines and the review process, demonstrating their commitment to improvement.

Based on my experience as a reviewer, I think I have insight into what makes a strong proposal. However, I have never received an NEH grant, so take these suggestions with a grain of salt.

• If you do not receive a grant, do not despair. On the panels I have served, only about 20 percent of the proposals get funded, which means that some strong ones just do not make it. But you can always reapply, using the reviewers' comments to strengthen your proposal.
  
  
• Read the guidelines. Make sure that your proposed project meets the criteria of the grant program. Would it be better suited for another grant program? In your narrative, address explicitly how you meet the review criteria – do not make the reviewers guess.
  
  
• Make an argument for funding your proposal. Do not just say what you will do, but why It is important to do it. How will your project impact the field, institution, or community? How? How is your proposal innovative? Strong, relevant letters of support can help you make your argument about the proposal's significance. It is impressive when leading scholars testify to a project's importance, but a stack of weak, generic letters can make a proposal seem desperate.
  
  
• Talk to the program officers. They are there to help. They will often review a draft proposal before submission, provided that you get it to them at least six weeks before the grant deadline. I am quite impressed by the staff of the Digital Humanities Office: they are smart, knowledgeable, energetic, all-around good folks, the kind you would trust to lead one of the most visible funding programs in digital humanities. In the review panels, they focus not on how weak a proposal is, but on how they can help the applicant to make it better.
  
  
• Show that you have technical knowledge. Digital humanities projects demand sophisticated technical and subject knowledge. Cite the appropriate standards and best practices and explain how you will apply them.
  
  
• Focus. If you attempt to do too much, reviewers will wonder if you can pull it all off and question what exactly you're trying to do.
  
  
• Be realistic. It is always hard to figure out how long a project will take and how much everything will cost. Talk to others who have done similar work to understand what it will take to complete your project. In the work plan, detail what will be accomplished by what deadline and by whom. Do not overpromise; remember, if you win the grant, you will have to do what you said you would do.
  
  
• Sweat the small stuff: Although reviewers focus on the substance of the proposal, a sloppy application can detract from its overall quality. Proofread carefully to catch grammatical errors. Think about the document's design. If I see huge margins and jumbo fonts, I wonder if the applicant is just trying to fill up space.
  
  
• Ask to see the reviewers' comments. Whether you are successful or not, read the reviewers' comments, which will likely contain helpful suggestions about improving the project and application. You are getting free consulting from five or more experts in the field – take advantage of it.
  
  
• Consider serving on a grant review panel. Sure, It is a lot of work, but worth it. You get a small stipend, but it takes about 3–4 hours to review and comment on each proposal, travel to DC, and serve on the panel. The hourly pay probably works out to about $5 or $6. But you get to serve the community, spend the day with smart colleagues talking about stuff that matters, and learn about what new ideas and projects are bubbling up. Perhaps most importantly, I think I now have a better sense of what it takes to write a strong application. As a bonus, sometimes you get your very own plate of chocolate – including Special Dark! – for an afternoon boost.

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Source: Lisa Spiro, https://digitalscholarship.wordpress.com/2008/09/09/tips-on-writing-a-successful-grant-proposal/
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.