Positioning for Success and Determining Readiness

Event itinerary:

11 a.m.: Evaluating the Merit of Your Idea in Relation to the Opportunity
This program will explore how to assess funding opportunities for the right fit before you invest hours of time and labor into crafting a grant proposal. Presenters will share best practices for evaluating and aligning your goals and the strengths of MSU with the goals and mission of a potential funder. They also will discuss why you should consider preparing a strong, shareable concept paper, and vetting your ideas with agency program officials.

Noon: Institutional Capacity and Applicant Credibility
Hear from experienced investigators how to identify and assess the various capacities available to your project against what is needed to be successful. This program will explain how to draw upon prior experience and success to establish institutional capacity (human, organizational, procedural, material) and how to demonstrate this throughout your proposal. It will also present suggestions for how individuals can leverage their personal experience, including preliminary activities, data 
and related studies, with their record of prior support as evidence of their ability to conduct well thought-out projects and successfully manage funded activities.

1 p.m.: Project Feasibility: Organizational and Investigator Readiness
Determine whether your proposal is ready to go forward by identifying the merit review criteria and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of proposal components. We will discuss some measures of readiness, including leveraged resources, fiscal implications (cost share), stakeholder input, time constraints and other organizational and individual risks that could potentially keep you from success, and best practices on solving such issues.